Quotes
“I think I can argue fairly safely that when I was in the Legislature — at least the first four or five years I was in the Legislature — there was some element of public service going into the decision making. I’m not so certain that’s the case anymore. I’m not so certain it’s not an accumulation of personal agendas.” — Former Senate President Randall Gnant
“The House can do whatever it wants to do.” — Senate President Ken Bennett, joking during a June 15 conference committee for budget bills. Both the House and Senate ended up recessing the meeting indefinitely
“That was held by my seatmate, Sen. Blendu, because he doesn’t care about our police departments.” — Rep. John Nelson, R-12, commenting during a June 13 Republican caucus about a bill he ran a few years ago that would have outlawed reflective license plate covers to avoid photo radar tickets
People
Rep. Ray Barnes, R-7, is still hospitalized, recovering from a June 8 quadruple-bypass surgery after suffering a heart attack on the House floor June 5. It is unlikely he will return to legislative work before the session ends, though a House spokesman said the lawmaker has expressed interest in doing so. “We do not anticipate him to be back and we are not going to push him,” Barrett Marson said. “We want him back next January and healthy then.” Mr. Barnes is one of four Republicans and seven total candidates vying for the two District 7 House seats in the election this fall.
Rep. Bill Konopnicki, R- 5, has been honored as the Arizona Association of Counties Legislator of the Year. The award was presented at the group’s mid-year conference June 15 in Scottsdale.