Governor Napolitano is growing impatient with the Legislature.

It’s time for action on the budget and other major bills, as well as on confirmation of appointments to seven state agencies, Ms. Napolitano told reporters at her April 28 briefing.

The Senate has yet to confirm the appointments of Dora Schriro, Department of Corrections; Michael Branham, Juvenile Corrections, Anthony Rodgers, AHCCCS, and David Berns, Department of Economic Security.

Also waiting are Christina Urias, Department of Insurance; Donald Butler, Department of Agriculture, and Art Macias, Department of Weights and Measures.

“I’m not sure what the Senate is doing, but it seems to me while they’re waiting for the budget to be negotiated, they could be moving on to these confirmations,” Ms. Napolitano said. “They’re waiting on all their confirmations. I don’t know what their theory is, but speculation is they want to wrap everything up into the budget negotiations.

“But the fact of the matter is these are highly-qualified people, with particular expertise for the agencies they’re being asked to direct,” she said.

Bennett’s Response

Senate President Ken Bennett, R-1, said on April 28, “The intent was that while we take a few to several weeks to wrap things up, the committees can do these final nominations during that remaining time. Even if we had a budget agreement today in the Senate or the House, it would take a few to several weeks to work through negotiation in both houses and the governor.”

Among other items the governor asked be acted on quickly are bills dealing with forest health, military base preservation and increasing unemployment benefits.

Two forest bills, S1212 and H2549, have each passed their own houses but had not been scheduled for floor action in the other houses as of April 29.

A third forest bill, H2693, was never assigned to committee.

Ms. Napolitano has signed three military base preservation bills, and three more await final action in the Senate and House.

The unemployment benefits bill, S1206, has gone through committee, but has not been brought to the floor, pending further negotiations, a Senate aide said.

West Nile Alert Funds

Also at her briefing, Ms. Napolitano announced the Department of Health will spend $100,000 from the Health Crisis Fund to alert citizens about West Nile Virus.

And she said the state has no specific plans yet to honor Pat Tillman, former Arizona Cardinal and ASU football standout, who was killed while serving as a U.S. Army Ranger on April 22 in Afghanistan.

A memorial for all 23 Arizonans killed in Iraq or Afghanistan is being planned for Wesley Bolin Plaza. —