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AZ voters to decide whether lawmakers get first raise since 1998
In November, voters will decide whether to increase lawmakers’ salaries to $35,000 a year from $24,000, based on a recommendation from the Commission on Salaries for Elective State Officers. It would be the first raise for state lawmakers since voters approved one in 1998.
Gay marriage ruling will bring renewed push for religious liberty protections
With marriage licenses just starting to be issued to gay couples across the state, lawmakers are already talking about ways to protect religious organizations and businesses from being forced to participate in gay marriages, and SB1062 is back on the forefront of many minds.
TPT reform provision put on hold for 1 year
The Arizona Department of Revenue will delay the implementation of a key provision of Gov. Jan Brewer’s transaction privilege tax reform package because it cannot get a new electronic portal ready in time.
Group of lawmakers say they oppose Prop. 480
Senate President Andy Biggs and 26 other Republican lawmakers oppose passage of a $935 million bond to rebuild Maricopa Medical Center and improve the county’s public health system.
Arizona faces $1 billion deficit by next fiscal year
Richard Stavneak, director of the Joint Budget Legislative Committee, said the $1 billion budget gap in fiscal 2016 assumes that this year’s shortfall will be solved with one-time solutions.
Judge rules that state can’t delay action on school inflation funding
A trial court judge ruled today that the state must begin resetting inflation adjustments for public schools right away, which will come at a cost of about $317 million for fiscal-year 2015.
The Comeback Caucus: Former lawmakers poised to regain seats in the Legislature
Just call them the “comeback kids.”
A handful of former lawmakers are poised to regain seats in the Legislature in the upcoming election, bringing with them experience and knowledge that they gained in their previous years of service.
Miracle drug costing Arizona millions in unexpected expenses
Arizona’s Medicaid program is trying to keep from breaking the bank by doling out a high-priced miracle drug with a high cure rate for Hepatitis C to only a small percentage of patients who are in the late stages of the disease.
Brewer nixes special session request on TPT
Gov. Jan Brewer won’t call a special session requested by a contractors’ industry group to postpone the implementation of her 2013 transaction privilege tax reform law.
Senate’s conservative gains could cost Driggs GOP leadership post
Jockeying for Senate leadership positions has begun, and one incumbent member of the Republican’s leadership team may be in jeopardy of losing his post.
Lawmaker: High school students should pass citizenship test before graduating
Arizona high schoolers who can’t name at least one branch of government, define the United States as a capitalist country or at least know Phoenix is the state capitol could find themselves denied a diploma.
Leadership roundup: Gowan says he has votes to be speaker
Away from the media limelight, another political race is shaping up that will have tremendous repercussions for the Legislature’s actions in 2015.
