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Recent Articles from Hank Stephenson
Study committee shoots down body camera legislation proposals
Saying the issues surrounding law enforcement body cameras should be left up to local police chiefs and county sheriffs, a study committee examining concepts for possible legislation about body cameras voted down more than a dozen different proposals.
Supervisors appoint Plumlee to Legislative District 26
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors this morning chose Democrat Celeste Plumlee as the newest representative from Legislative District 26.
Analysis shows Begay voted far more often with Democrats
When state Sen. Carlyle Begay switched parties, joining Republicans after spending more than two years in office as a Democrat, Democrats were quick to say they weren’t losing much, as Begay often voted with Republicans, anyway.
New law likely to reduce number of absurd candidates
In 2008 and 2012, the Tucson Weekly seized on the minimal requirements and encouraged average citizens to run for president in Arizona as part of a “reality journalism competition” dubbed “Project White House.”
Panel ponders stricter law on release of police body camera videos
As police are increasingly recording interactions with alleged lawbreakers and victims, lawmakers are considering whether body camera video should be treated differently from other public records.
Jason Fitzpatrick: Giving Arizonans a public window into the Capitol
Jason Fitzpatrick is the man behind the cameras that have filmed official action at the Capitol for nearly 15 years.
Three Dems nominated to fill vacant House seat
Citing a unique opportunity to ensure the next lawmaker is a woman, LD26 Democratic precinct committeemen on Wednesday nominated an all-female slate of three candidates to fill the district’s open House seat.
Report calls Arizona civil forfeiture laws ‘among the worst in the country’
The amount of money and property that Arizona law enforcement agencies have seized from suspected criminals under the state’s civil asset forfeiture laws has skyrocketed in the last decade, making Arizona one of most active states for seizures in the nation.
For it yet against it: Dems split on school funding package
In a span of less than 24 hours, House Democratic Leader Eric Meyer went from railing against the special session package designed to settle the lawsuit over education inflation funding, to vowing to support it at the special election in May.
House approves $3.5B education package
The Arizona House of Representatives worked late into the night Thursday to approve a $3.5 billion education finance package aimed at settling a long-running lawsuit over education funding.
Lawmakers fast-tracking special session education funding package
Lawmakers will likely vote on a deal to settle the five-year lawsuit over education inflation funding today, after Democratic leaders in the House late Wednesday night agreed to provide the necessary votes to fast-track the proposal that they largely oppose.
Conservative Republicans pushing back against attempts to increase K-12 funding
In the face of a massive push from the governor and GOP legislative leaders for a special session to increase education funding, some conservative Republicans are pushing back, saying the funding proposals contain no metrics to gauge if the additional money actually improves education outcomes.
