The Arizona Senate will resume agency budget hearings this week, part of the Republican leadership's plan of sifting through programs in the course of crafting the fiscal year 2010 budget. 

The Senate Judiciary Committee kicks off the week with a look into the Arizona Department of Corrections on Feb. 9. That same afternoon, the Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Public Debt Committee will hear presentations from the Arizona Department of Water Resources and Arizona Water Institute.

The Senate Appropriations committee will have some heavy lifting to do the next day. It will look at the Department of Juvenile Corrections, Department of Revenue, Department of Veteran's Services, State Mine Inspector, Commission on Postsecondary Education and Department of Homeland Security.

Also, the Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee will review the Office of Tourism.

On Feb. 11, the Senate Committee on Education Accountability and Reform will look into the School Facilities Board and hear from budget staff and the Arizona Tax Research Association.

Also on the same day, the Senate Finance committee will look into the Rio Nuevo tax increment financing, tobacco tax enforcement by the Department of Revenue, and motion picture tax credits.

The Senate Healthcare and Medical Liability Reform will discuss the Disproportionate Share Hospital or DSH payments.

Meanwhile, the Senate Public Safety and Human Services committee will hear from the Early Childhood Development and Health Board. The Legislature swept some $7 million in interest earnings from the Early Childhood fund during the special session to fix a $1.6 billion budget deficit.

On Feb. 12, the Senate Government Institutions Committee will hear from the Arizona Department of Administration and continue discussion of the motor vehicle pool. The committee also will discuss transparency of government spending.

That same day, the House and Senate education committees will jointly hear a state of education presentation by Tom Horne, Arizona's superintendent of public instruction.