Speeding trucks and a flying SUV: Farley survived fatal crash on I-10
Barely an hour before the crash Tuesday afternoon, Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, participated in a contentious and successful attempt to overthrow a Democratic leader. But sitting still in the middle of a freeway on his way back to Tucson, with his hands behind the wheel and with zero visibility, Farley thought how inconsequential the morning’s political drama had been against the tragedy that un[...]
Surgeon to challenge Worsley in Senate primary
An orthopedic surgeon from the East Valley is poised to challenge Sen. Bob Worsley, R-Mesa, in next year’s Republican primary.
Judge overturns most counts in $128,000 fraud case against former legislative staffer
A federal judge today overturned jury convictions on eight of nine counts of wire fraud for a former legislative staffer who had admitted in court that he took about $128,000 in campaign funds from former Speaker Jim Weiers.
Reforming election reform
Debate over HB2305 continues after opponents gather enough signatures to put it on the ballot
Groups opposing the state’s election reform law rejoiced on Oct. 29 when the secretary of state concluded the referendum against the law has enough signatures to appear on the 2014 ballot.
Hot contests
Early voting in the 2014 primary begins in nine months, and candidates are already firing up their campaigns.
Too big?
Huge Arizona legislative districts spur debate about costs, meeting constituents’ needs
As lawmakers and hopeful candidates embark on their 2014 campaigns, many would probably be surprised to learn that they are running for some of the most populous legislative districts in the United States.
Raucous crowd debates merits of Common Core standards
Panelists of a Common Core symposium played to a full house in which there were lots of murmured snide remarks and an occasional cat-call between raucous applause Wednesday in the Arizona Senate building, demonstrating how charged the issue of the state’s learning standards is.
Utility oversight office proposes solar compromise
Arizona’s Residential Utility Consumer Office today recommended Arizona’s utility regulators to reduce solar “net metering” incentives by a fraction of what the state’s largest utility has sought in recent months.
Instead of cutting the monthly savings of solar net metering customers in half, or by around $75 each month, as Arizona Public Service has asked the state’s energy reg[...]
Utility regulator demands solar publicity receipts
Arizona Corporation Commissioner Bob Burns said today he’s “troubled” by the vicious public relations war waged by Arizona’s largest utility provider and the solar industry over future rooftop solar incentives.
He wants an accounting of the money that’s been spent so far to see whether customers have been paying for the fight. If so, it could be a violation of the utility’s[...]
GOP leaders will ask Supreme Court to reinstate new contribution limits
Senate President Andy Biggs and House Speaker Andy Tobin will ask the Arizona Supreme Court to allow the state’s higher new campaign contribution limits to go into effect, saving a lower court argument that the old limits are unconstitutional for another day.
ACLU sues Arizona over pot candies, sodas, balms, extracts
The American Civil Liberties Union will once more square off against Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montogomery in court over his efforts to stymie the state’s medical marijuana law – this time over pot candies, sodas and balms.
Democrats oust Landrum Taylor as Senate Minority Leader in favor of Tovar
In a dramatic turn of events, Senate Minority Leader Landrum Taylor was ousted as minority leader by her party-mates following a closed-door meeting in the Senate today.