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

Henry Oyama was beaming as he led his new bride from the altar of St. Augustine Cathedral 50 years ago. The photos taken that day might leave the impression nothing was out of place, as if it was any other marriage ceremony. But in 1959 the country was on the brink of a major cultural shift.

Two electoral changes implemented by Republicans this year have attracted opposition and litigation from Democrats who argued the laws violate the state Constitution to advance partisan agendas. In July, Gov. Jan Brewer signed S1123 into law. The legislation, proposed by Tucson Sen. Jonathan Paton, banned local governments from including partisan affiliations for candidates on the ballot.

The Arizona Supreme Court on Oct. 29 unanimously agreed that Arizona public records request statutes apply to electronic data-entry records and are not limited to government documents subject to copy and inspection under state law.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said on Oct. 26 those who want legal interpretations to view the U.S. Constitution through modern-day lenses are seeking "rigidity," not flexibility to fit contemporary times.

UPDATED AT 6:27 P.M., OCT. 30 A state law allowing businesses to reduce their tax liabilities by contributing money to organizations that distribute private school tuition payments will remain on the books – for now. A challenge in federal court ...

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard was asked on Oct. 27 to challenge a recent law change that allows the Arizona State Land Department to use portions of proceeds from the sales of state trust land to cover its own management duties.

The Sheriff's captain who last year headed up a secretive political committee that broke campaign finance laws in its efforts to support Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is threatening to sue the county for "emotional distress" and investigate county officials for federal crimes unless it pays him $75,000.

A coalition of bankers has asked the Arizona Supreme Court to overturn the repeal of legislation enacted to benefit banks harmed by a wave of foreclosures. On Oct. 21, the Arizona Bankers Association has filed a petition for special action with the state's highest court in hopes of negating a provision included in state budget legislation that successfully repealed a foreclosure law signed into law in July.

Boxing manager Joe Diaz hopes the indictment of a Phoenix fight promoter leads to bigger fish - namely, former boxing commissioner and Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox. Promoter Peter McKinn III was indicted Sept. 30 on five counts of forgery, theft, fraud and perjury stemming from a five-year-old dispute with Diaz. McKinn pleaded not guilty in an Oct. 8 arraignment.

The Legislature is getting sued, again, over fund sweeps initiated earlier this year to close the state budget gap. A commission charged with delivering water from the Colorado River to several Arizona counties and Native American tribes has filed a lawsuit with the Arizona Supreme Court to challenge the Legislature's decision to sweep millions of dollars held by the Arizona Water Banking Authority.