Recent Articles from Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services
Cano to leave Legislature for grad school
The top state House Democratic is quitting at the end of the legislative session to pursue a graduate degree in public administration. Tucsonan Andres Cano, the House minority leader, said... […]
Senators consider legislation that would make possessing ‘child sex doll’ a felony
State senators are weighing legislation designed to ensure that a picture of your child does not end up on a sex doll bought by a neighbor.
Senate approves funding that Medicaid needs to pay bills
State lawmakers on Wednesday finally approved the funding that the state's Medicaid program needs to pay its current bills.
Nearly 100K Arizonans who got federal jobless benefits cut off early won’t get lost funds
About 100,000 Arizonans who got their extra federal unemployment benefits cut off early during the Covid pandemic by then-Gov. Doug Ducey because he instead wanted to get them to go to work at restaurants and hotels are not going to get the funds they lost.
Top legislative Republicans hire attorney to defend law banning transgender girls from playing girls’ sports
Top legislative Republicans have hired an out-of-state attorney -- at taxpayer expense -- to defend a 2022 law that forbids transgender girls from participating in girls' sports.
Mayes tells Supreme Court no one has legal standing to defend old abortion law
The legal right of Arizona women to have an abortion could turn on the question of whether anyone still has legal standing to argue that the procedure should once again be all but outlawed, as it was in territorial days.
Hobbs still mum on what she wants changed to sign new home-cooked foods bill
Nearly two weeks after vetoing a widely popular bill to expand the sale of home-cooked foods, Gov. Katie Hobbs still won't say what she wants changed in order to get her to sign a new version.
Group asks judge to toss conservative advocacy organization’s attempt to kill ‘dark money’ law
The group that convinced voters last year to expose "dark money'' contributions to political campaigns wants a federal judge to toss a bid by a conservative advocacy group to kill the new law.
Lawmakers struggle to find legal way to prevent minors from accessing internet porn
State lawmakers are struggling to find a way to keep minors from accessing internet porn that's legal, effective -- and politically acceptable.
Petersen: state’s Medicaid program won’t have funds to pay bills unless budget deal reached soon
The state's Medicaid program won't have money to pay its bills next month unless the governor and lawmakers reach a deal -- and soon -- on at least some elements of a budget.
State liquor chief promises there won’t be ‘sting’ operations likes ones during Covid outbreak
The new state liquor chief vowed Monday there will be no "sting" operations at bars and restaurants like what occurred during the Covid outbreak when Doug Ducey was governor.
Court upholds ruling declaring GOP lawsuit after 2020 election was groundless
The state Court of Appeals has upheld a ruling declaring a lawsuit filed by the Arizona Republican Party after the 2020 election was groundless and filed in bad faith and ordering the party to pay more than $18,000 in legal fees.