While legislators head into the summer wondering if they will return for a special session on two vetoed budget bills, it’s time to crunch statistics from the 2005 regular session — who had the most bills signed, most vetoes, most no votes and who showed up to vote the most… things like that.

With an 18-12 majority, Republicans dominated the scorebook.

If signed bills were home runs, Sen. Barbara Leff takes the 2005 crown from Sen. Bob Burns.

With the signature of Governor Napolitano now on 81 per cent of her bills from the past session (13 of 16), Ms. Leff, R-11, topped the home run stats for all legislators. Totals do not include sponsorship of resolutions, memorials and place- holder bills that were not used as strike-all amendments.

Ms. Leff’s successful legislation included the “Angel Investment” bill, which provides tax credits to individuals who invest in early stage tech companies, and a bill to control over-the-counter sales of pseudoephedrine, which is used in the manufacture methamphetamine.

She said she is “extremely proud” of the those bills, plus her measure that requires school districts and charter schools to teach skin cancer prevention if the Environmental Protection Agency furnishes a free program.

Referring to the investment bill, Ms. Leff said that despite opponents’ concerns about tax cuts for special sectors of the economy, “The state’s role is to encourage business that starts here to be able to stay here.”

She said last session did right with the business community, with education and by passing tort reform measures for procedural changes in medical malpractice cases.

“In general, we worked well with the governor,” she added, “until the end.”

‘Most Vetoed Legislator’

Last year, Mr. Burns, R-9, had the highest number of enactments in the Senate — 71.4 per cent — by virtue of his sponsorship of all budget bills as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Ms. Napolitano this year bestowed the title of “Most Vetoed Legislator” on Mr. Burns by virtue of her 17 vetoes of his Senate budget bills, including one line-item veto, and one veto of a non-budget bill.

Sen. Dean Martin, R-6, whose 68 bills were the most filed by one senator, had the second most vetoes — 11, including two budget bills.

Second to Ms. Leff in enactments was Sen. Carolyn Allen, R-8, who got signatures on 22 of her 33 bills for a 67 per cent enactment rate. As chairman of the Senate Health Committee, she pushed through a medical malpractice procedures bill and funding for a pilot program to deal with the shortage of nursing instructors.

Bills Signed

Other senators who had at least half their bills singed into law were:

Robert Cannell, D-24 — 2 of 3 for 66 per cent.

Jay Tibshraeny, R-21 — 14 of 22 for 64 per cent

Toni Hellon, R-26 — 13 of 23 for 57 per cent

Robert Blendu, R-12 — 6 of 11 for 55 per cent

Marsha Arzberger, D-25 — 2 of 4 for 50 per cent.

Ms. Napolitano signed eight bills sponsored by Senate Democrats. They were prime sponsors of 80 of 518 bills filed in the Senate, but only 17 received committee hearings. Taking the biggest hit was Sen. Bill Brotherton, D-14. Of his 22 bills, only four were heard.

“There is some Republican partisanship,” Senate Democrat Leader Linda Aguirre said. “Most of my Democratic colleagues know that if they’re going to take an issue that is purely a Democratic issue, the likelihood of getting it heard is going to be slim. We have to keep running the issues we believe in.”

Voting No: The Numbers

There were plenty of issues Senate Democrats did not believe in. Led by Sen. Jorge Garcia, D-27, who punched the no button 156 times during roll calls, the minority party cast 1,483 no votes — nearly 60 per cent of the all no votes cast during the session.

Ten of the 12 Democrats voted no 100 or more times. Only Ms. Arzberger and Mr. Cannell were in double digits.

In all, there were 14,722 yes votes cast in the Senate and 2,559 no votes.

The most frequent no voters among Republicans was Sen. Ron Gould, R-3, with 153 no votes, only three fewer than Mr. Garcia. “I did not come down here to be a rubber stamp,” Mr. Gould said during the session.

Sen. Karen Johnson, R-18 voted no 124 times, and Sen. Jack Harper, R-4, had 108 no votes.

“I have a philosophy when I look at a bill,” Ms. Johnson said during the session. “Do I have a constitutional right to act on this matter? How can this problem be solved without making a law? I have to tell you that with a lot of legislation, I have to make it a matter of prayer.”

Senate President Ken Bennett, R-1, had the fewest no votes, 21, followed by Sen. Linda Gray, R-10, with 23.

Attendance

The following senators did not miss a roll call vote: Tim Bee, R-30; Mr. Burns; Mr. Gould; Mr. Harper; Mr. Martin, and Jim Waring, R-7.

Sen. Albert Hale, D-2, missed 151 roll call votes, followed by Sen. Richard Miranda, D-13, with 101. —