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Recent Articles from Hank Stephenson
Azerbaijan Connection: Arizona lawmakers pass resolutions putting themselves in the middle of international conflict
Since 2012, the small Middle Eastern country of Azerbaijan has invited hundreds of state lawmakers from Arizona and across the United States to take all-expenses paid trips halfway around the world to see the country firsthand.
Congressional Azerbaijan trips have ties to Gulen movement
Members of Congress recently got into hot water with the independent Office of Congressional Ethics for taking an all-expenses paid trip in 2013 to Azerbaijan, where they rubbed elbows with the Middle Eastern country’s ruling class and were showered with extravagant gifts.
ACLU, immigrants rights groups seek injunction against Border Patrol’s ‘freezing’ holding cells
The Arizona chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and immigrants’ rights groups filed a class action lawsuit seeking to end U.S. Border Patrol’s use of what the ACLU describes as freezing holding cells and inhumane conditions for migrants apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Sold! State auctions off cop cars, baseball bats and other old stuff
Standing on back of a golf cart equipped with a platform, microphone and pair of mounted speakers, Darren Shumway cruised through the lanes of hundreds of state-owned vehicles – mostly old cop cars, heavy American work trucks and a few Jeep Cherokees.
State officials say district-sponsored charter schools have no reason to worry
Several district-sponsored charter schools were in a panic about the possibility that because lawmakers omitted a line in the state budget, they could be on the hook to repay the state millions of dollars of funding from previous years.
GOP lawmakers divided over what to do with revenue windfall
When lawmakers approved the state budget in March, they were staring at low revenue expectations and a deficit that forced them to make large, unpopular cuts from higher education, social services and other government programs.
Educators say legislative budget error could cost district charter schools millions
When lawmakers approved the state budget in March, they accidentally left out one key part. Because of the omission, several longstanding district-sponsored charter schools – public schools that have reorganized as charter schools to capture more state funding – will be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in back payments.
Dear Gov. Ducey: NAU asst. prof. has 1-way pen pal relationship with governor
Nicole Walker almost met the governor. In April, Gov. Doug Ducey spoke at the installation ceremony for the new president of Northern Arizona University, where Walker is an assistant professor teaching undergraduate and graduate classes in poetry and creative nonfiction.
Overall House spending rises 29% under Gowan’s leadership
In the first four months under House Speaker David Gowan’s leadership, the cost of running the chamber has increased 29 percent year-over-year, according to a budget summary provided by the chamber.
House construction estimate up to $2 million, but Gowan scales back
The proposed renovations to the Arizona House of Representatives building were estimated at more than $2 million – double what sources had originally said the project would cost, documents released by the Arizona Department of administration show.
Batting averages: Senate president chalks up highest percentage of bills signed into law
It’s good to be president. Senate President Andy Biggs of Gilbert was the most successful lawmaker of the year – at least in terms of his legislative batting average.
With 2015 session title, Sen. Ableser again tops list for most missed votes
Democratic Sen. Ed Ableser of Tempe retook his crown for missing the most votes of any lawmaker this year, after losing the title last year to former Democratic Sen. Steve Gallardo. Ableser voted on only 73 percent of the bills that came before the Senate this year.
