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

A freshman Republican lawmaker has taken the lead in the Legislature's yearly charge to eliminate photo speed and red light enforcement in Arizona.

The Senate on Monday gave preliminary approval to boosting the amount of liability coverage required to drive in Arizona to $25,000 for injuries caused to any one person and $50,000 for all injuries in a single accident. Current law mandates only $15,000 and $30,000 coverage, respectively.

Without dissent, the state House on February 20 gave preliminary approval to a requirement that students in kindergarten through fifth grade be given at least 50 minutes of “unstructured recess.” HB2082 needs a final roll-call vote before going to the Senate.

An effort by insurance companies to remove a requirement that they provide free auto glass replacement for customers who buy full coverage policies appears dead for this legislative session.

House Democrats suspect that mold in the basement of the House of Representatives is causing headaches and lightheadedness during the work day.

A wide-ranging measure to reform the state’s civil asset forfeiture laws would scrap the current standard that requires prosecutors to prove only by a “preponderance of the evidence” that the property is linked to a crime. That standard essentially means it is more likely than not, akin to a 51-49 percent balance.

State taxpayers will see minimal to no savings when students transfer from public to private schools under an expanded voucher program.

A Senate panel has approved a bill expanding a law that allows the state to withhold money from government entities that don’t do as legislators please after its sponsor promised to scale back the scope of its application.

The most interesting exchange occurred between Rep. Jay Lawrence, R-Scottsdale, and his seatmate, Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale.

The proposal from Rep. Jeff Weninger was approved on a 5-4 vote Wednesday despite concerns about its cost of at least $20 million a year.