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

Two laws that have spent several years in limbo may have new life, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that freed Arizona from a key provision of the Voting Rights Act.

This year marked a recent low in proposed legislation, with only 1,158 bills introduced and 256 signed into law, compared to 1,395 and 362 respectively last year.

There were also fewer “kooky” bills than in past years, and fewer of Arizona’s proposed laws made fewer national headlines this year than in previous sessions.

Doug Cole, a longtime lobbyist and veteran of the Capitol, said freshmen used to simply fall in line with leadership and sit on the back bench to learn during a session or two.

The award for most missed floor votes and most missed days of the session goes to Republican Sen. Rich Crandall of Mesa, who showed up to vote on only 64 percent of the bills that made it to the Senate floor, and was present for only 61 percent of the days the Senate met.

A law enacted to give the governor more choices in appointing judges is expected to join Medicaid expansion and an elections package as 2013 legislation that will wind up in court.

One marked difference in 2013 was the lack of legislative mid-session resignations, particularly following lawmaker scandals.

Quiet about his thoughts on Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid proposal for most of the session, Senate Majority Leader John McComish emerged late as a key player in the push for AHCCCS expansion in the Senate.

The special session on the budget and Medicaid expansion was the product of a five-month battle that took more twists and turns than a rattlesnake on a blistering sidewalk.

The award for best legislative batting average for the session — the calculation of bills introduced versus bills signed into law — goes to Rep. David Livingston, a freshman Republican lawmaker from Peoria who has been vocally critical of the governor.

I didn’t talk to a single person who thought a special session was on the table in the days before it actually happened. Did you see the special session coming at all? You’re always aware that there’s a possibility of a special session. The question is, what triggers a special?