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Recent Articles from Hank Stephenson
Lawmakers worry they will be bit players in budget process
As Gov. Doug Ducey begins the push to approve his budget proposal, some lawmakers worry they once again may be left behind.
Republicans see problems with JTED cuts, prison spending
Lawmakers at the joint Appropriations Committee briefing on Gov. Doug Ducey’s budget proposal Jan. 19 were only allotted time for one question each following the budget presentation, but the questions they asked were telling.
Q&A with House Minority Leader Eric Meyer
After eight years fighting – usually unsuccessfully – against Republican-backed policies and budgets, House Minority Leader Eric Meyer is heading into his final year in the House hoping Democrats will fare better.
Q&A with Speaker of the House David Gowan
When House Speaker David Gowan first came to the Legislature in 2009, the state budget was more than $3 billion in the hole. Seven years later, as Gowan prepares to enter his final year at the Capitol, the budget is nearly balanced and the state has a surplus and money in the rainy day fund.
Rep. Steele resigns to run for Congress
Democratic Rep. Victoria Steele of Tucson has resigned her seat in the Arizona House of Representatives as she prepares to hit the campaign trail for Congress full-time.
House lawmakers, staff log tens of thousands of miles in government cars on Arizona trips
Use of state vehicles has skyrocketed recently in the House of Representatives, where a handful of lawmakers and top staffers have driven tens of thousands of miles in the last few months, at no personal cost.
Year in Review: Sovereignty bills got national attention, but not much in AZ
Republican Rep. Bob Thorpe of Flagstaff became the new poster child for the Republican insurrection against President Obama, at least according to a pair of editorials in national newspapers.
Gowan raises eyebrows with promotions, construction, pay hikes
During his first year as speaker of the House, Republican David Gowan of Sierra Vista came under fire from members of his caucus, not for his legislative policies or plans for the state, but for his loose spending with the House budget.
United front leads to budget compromise and short session
When Gov. Doug Ducey unveiled his first state budget proposal to the public in January, House Speaker David Gowan, Senate President Andy Biggs and their chambers’ budget committee chairmen stood at the new governor’s flanks, nodding and smiling for the cameras.
Glendale lawmaker Kern renews effort to ban ‘ballot harvesting’
Republican Rep. Anthony Kern of Glendale is reviving a years-running controversial measure to ban volunteers from collecting voters’ early ballots and delivering them to elections officials.
Allen succeeds Ward as Senate Education chair
In her new role as head of the Senate Education Committee, Sen Sylvia Allen said she wants to use “every committee meeting” to put a spotlight on the successes of Arizona schools.
Inalienable right: Senator files bill to let children grow food at school
Republican Sen. David Farnsworth of Mesa wants to ensure children can taste the fruits of their labor – or the veggies of their labor.
