Full House
House debated last-minute bills as the year’s regular session came to a close June 20.

Major proposals considered this year by the Legislature included:
Employer sanctions: A bill passed on the session’s last day would prohibit employers from knowingly hiring illegal immigrants and yank their business license if they do. Also, employers would be required to use a federal database to check the employment eligibility of workers. H2779 is on the governor’s desk*
Budget: The Legislature approved a $10.6 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1, with new funding or authorization for building new schools, highways and prisons. Backed by Gov. Janet Napolitano, the budget also includes money for teacher pay raises and bioscience research.
DUI device: A drunken driving sentencing bill signed into law in May by Napolitano requires first-time DUI offenders to install breath-testing ignition interlocks on their vehicles for at least a year after resuming driving. Some lawmakers later tried unsuccessfully to repeal the requirement.
Dirty air: The Legislature approved a bill intended to reduce particulate air pollution in the Phoenix area to avert federal sanctions. Provisions include new requirements on local governments to pave roads and alleys and new restrictions on use of leaf blowers. S1552 is on the governor’s desk.*
Payday loans: A proposal to place new restrictions on lenders to protect borrowers died when legislative negotiators deadlocked on whether to extend the state’s authorization for payday loans.
No bail: The Legislature approved and sent Napolitano a bill aimed at prodding courts to enforce a voter-approved law that denies bail to illegal immigrants who are charged with serious crimes. The bill spelled out procedures and ground rules that courts must use in deciding if criminal defendants are illegal immigrants who should be denied bail. S1265 is on the governor’s desk.
Workers’ compensation: Lawmakers passed and sent Napolitano a bill to carry out a business-labor compromise to increase Arizona’s caps on benefits received by employees who are hurt on the job. H2195 is on the governor’s desk.*
Rural water: A bill signed by Napolitano gives rural communities new authority to restrict development in areas without adequate water supplies. Another bill sent to her is intended to help protect the Fort Huachuca Army post in southeastern Arizona by allowing Cochise County residents to form a special district to plan and provide ways to augment water supplies in the San Pedro River’s watershed.
Railroad projects: A proposal approved by the Legislature and sent to Napolitano would permit the Arizona Corporation Commission to require that railroads obtaining private land through eminent domain or trust land through auctions go through a new review process. H2020 is on the governor’s desk.*
Gun storage: The Legislature approved a bill that would let a person take a gun into a public event or building if the operator bans weapons but doesn’t provide sufficient individually locked storage spaces. Current state law allows operators of public buildings and events to ban weapons if they provide storage places for them. S1251 is on the governor’s desk.*
*Campaign finance: An overhaul of the state’s public campaign system cleared the Legislature and landed on Napolitano’s desk. Its changes provide more funding for candidates who are participating in the system, loosen reporting requirements and raise contribution limits for privately funded candidates. H2690 is on the governor’s desk.*
Unfinished business
English language learners: A federal judge on June 25 refused to issue a stay requested by Republican lawmakers as they appeal a ruling requiring them to provide adequate funding for English language programs in the state.
U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins had given the Republican-led Legislature until the end of the legislative session to improve funding for programs for students learning English. But the session ended June 20 without any action on the issue.
That could set the stage for fines or other sanctions against the state unless an appellate court puts the judge’s order on hold. A lawyer for the legislative leaders has said they would ask the appellate court to issue a stay if Collins refused.
Collins issued the decision without explanation.
*As of June 29, Governor Napolitano had 34 bills on her desk. She has until midnight July 2 to veto, sign, or allow measures to pass into law without signature.
Compiled by The Associate Press and Arizona Capitol Times reports.