Sign In
Free Newsletter
Recent Articles from Ben Giles
New budget would spend hundreds of millions from state surplus
The budget proposed by GOP leadership in the House and Senate dips into a massive budget surplus to make hundreds of millions of dollars in one-time expenses and millions in tax cuts, but makes few commitments to ongoing spending.
Budget ties court funding to additional Supreme Court justices
Arizona courts won’t get a million dollars in funding for new probation officers unless Republican legislative leaders get their way and add two new justices to the state Supreme Court under the budget to be introduced today.
Lawmakers ‘very close’ on budget deal that would increase spending by $60 million
Leaders in the Arizona House and Senate presented rank-and-file lawmakers with a $9.58 billion spending plan, but aren’t yet ready to bring the budget to a vote.
Lawmakers back language gutting two anti-abortion laws in bid to end lawsuits
With one amendment, Arizona lawmakers agreed to make several changes to controversial anti-abortion laws adopted in recent years, a move that should settle three costly legal challenges to those laws.
When is a benefit like sick leave not only a benefit?
A legislative attempt to stop Arizona cities and towns from regulating employee benefits hinges on the meaning of the word “benefit.”
Tempe senator won’t seek re-election
Sen. Andrew Sherwood won’t seek re-election this fall, clearing the field in what was shaping up to be one of the most contentious Arizona Democratic primary races in 2016.
Lawmakers resist attempts to change adoption rights law
Eager to avoid a debate on same-sex adoption rights in an election year, Republican legislators have refused to bring bills up for votes and stymied amendments that Democrats argue would undo an outdated law giving adoption rights exclusively to heterosexual married couples.
Fear of same-sex adoption debate scuttles adoption, foster care bill
Eager to avoid a debate on same-sex adoption rights in an election year, House Republican leadership is refusing to bring a bill to a vote on the House floor.
Abortion medication bill before Ducey based on obsolete FDA standards
A bill awaiting Gov. Doug Ducey’s signature or veto would require doctors to administer medication abortions using outdated federal standards.
State measure would prevent cities from setting their own minimum wages
The Arizona Senate tomorrow is set to consider a measure that would strip Arizona’s counties, cities and towns of the ability to set their own minimum wages and their explicit right to adopt employee benefits of their own liking.
Adoption process complicated by disparity between state law and Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage
At least one Arizona judge claims courts can’t certify same-sex married couples to jointly adopt, as long as state law grants that right only to a husband and wife.
Jim Covarrubias: Adorning hallways of the Senate
If you’ve ever wandered beyond the first floor of the Arizona Senate, you’ve likely seen the work of Jim Covarrubias, a Phoenix-based artist whose paintings have adorned the hallways of the second and third floors for more than a year. Covarrubias, whose downtown Phoenix studio is full to the brim of paintings, has a wide variety to choose from, and has curated and adjusted the work on display[...]
