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Recent Articles from Jim Small
Bill targeting child prostitution advances
A House committee unanimously approved legislation that would carve out a lesser crime for men who unknowingly solicit child prostitutes, while still retaining tougher penalties for those who knowingly pay children for sex.
Surcharges for new Cubs stadium clear hurdle
An effort to finance a new Spring Training stadium in Mesa for the Chicago Cubs through surcharges on rental cars and baseball tickets cleared its first hurdle today and won approval from a House panel, despite opposition from every other baseball team in the Cactus League and Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.
Changes to lawmaker-replacement process shot down
An effort to give rural areas more control over filling vacancies in the Arizona Legislature was stymied by a House panel after lawmakers raised concerns that it would create more problems than it would solve.
UpClose with Adam Driggs
Adam Driggs grew up in a world where high-profile Arizona political figures were family friends. When Driggs was a child, his father was mayor of Phoenix, his family went on vacations with Sandra Day O'Connor, and Sen. Barry Goldwater frequently wrote letters to his family. Also, astronaut Buzz Aldrin is his uncle.
Liquor agency chief survives criticism, has governor’s support
Jerry Oliver said his first few years as director of the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control were like setting up triage in a disaster zone. But while he was working on those wounds, he wasn't treating some chronic diseases that had lingered for almost a decade.
Weak enforcement biggest problem at Liquor Department
The biggest problem with the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control was that its enforcement actions varied widely for violations without defined penalties, according to a 2009 Auditor General's report.
Hostile amendment slows House passage of budget bill
The fate of a bill that would delay payments to schools and universities as a deficit-closing gimmick is in question after the House of Representatives amended the measure, linking its enactment to a jobs creation and business tax cut bill that is stalled in the Senate.
Proposed school funding change flunks test
A House panel overwhelmingly rejected changing to how student counts are determined for public school funding, saying daily attendance averages wouldn't properly reflect how many students are enrolled in school.
Tucson lawmaker tries to spark light bulb battle with feds
A former U.S. Army Green Beret serving in the Arizona Legislature is itching for a fight with the federal government over national regulations he says infringes on the rights and liberties of states and citizens.
House narrowly approves bill to borrow $750M
The House today narrowly approved a bill that would close about half of the current year's budget deficit through borrowing.
House bill deadline passes; 1,230 bills this year
The deadline for new legislation has come and gone, as the bill hopper in the House of Representatives closed at 5 p.m. Feb. 8, a week after senators had last call for new bills.
Special session: Day 4
The House Feb. 8 approved two more measures aimed at filling in a $1.4 billion deficit this year and paving the way to bridge a substantially larger shortfall in the upcoming year, but two more bills still await action.
