Arizona Capitol Times Your Inside Source for Arizona Government, Politics and Business

Arizona's nearly 88,000 medical marijuana patients smoke, ate or otherwise consumed more than 19.2 tons of the drug last year.

Gov. Doug Ducey captured the attention of prisoner advocates when he revealed in the days before his Jan. 11 State of the State address that prison reform would be one of his legislative priorities in 2016.

Following allegations that he’d improperly used state vehicles for personal reasons and fired several employees and replaced them with friends, Arizona State Lottery Director Tony Bouie resigned his position to avoid being a “distraction,” according to the Governor’s Office.

Attorneys for the Arizona Department of Corrections revealed today the agency’s supply of a controversial sedative used for executions will expire at the end of May, an announcement that could effectively put litigation to open the execution process on the fast track.

Lawmakers, lobbyist and other Capitol denizens may soon be able to grab a cup of joe without leaving 1700 W. Washington, at least if Secretary of State Michele Reagan gets her wish.

Former lawmaker Amanda Reeve said she thinks she’ll return to the Legislature someday, but the right opportunity just hasn’t come up yet. And in the meantime, she’s gearing up for another legislative session as an environmental policy adviser with Snell and Wilmer.

DPS Director Frank Milstead met with Adolfo Garcia Morales, the secretary of public safety for the state of Sonora earlier this week.

The trickier goal, of course, wasn’t just to restore the public’s confidence in the Attorney General’s Office, but also to raise the morale of the public servants inside that office.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas’s name was synonymous with trying to eliminate Common Core when she strode into office in January, but she gained attention for much more by the end of her first year.

Jeff DeWit’s signature achievement from his first year as state treasurer was ensuring the eternal enmity of Arizona’s top Republican and possibly ensuring his place at the Capitol’s political margins.