House committee approves minimum tuition bill
A state House committee has approved a bill requiring full-time students pay generally $2,000 annually toward their tuition at a state university.
Bill on minimum tuition fee to get hearing Wednesday
A bill to generally require that full-time students pay at least $2,000 toward their annual tuition at a state university gets its first hearing Wednesday.
Lovas to replace Burges in the House
Phil Lovas, a 43-year-old hotel developer and Peoria Republican, will replace Rep. Judy Burges in the Arizona House of Representatives for Legislative District 4.
Border fence fund gets PR help
The anemic fundraising for Sen. Steve Smith’s build-your-own-border-fence campaign is getting some help from a professional public relations firm.
Legislature introduces budget after negotiation non-starter with Brewer
Legislative leaders are pushing ahead with their budget proposal after efforts to get the governor involved have failed.
But in going ahead, lawmakers risk alienating Gov. Jan Brewer, who has a competing budget plan.
The move could also spur the sides to begin meeting on the state’s spending plan.
‘Parent empowerment’ bill has roots in Democratic, Republican circles
The Goldwater Institute looked to a group of community organizers and Democratic operatives for inspiration for its latest school choice idea.
The institute helped draft and is advocating for SB1204, which would allow parents of students attending failing schools to close down the school, convert it to a charter school or remove the principal.
Tort measures having mixed success
Conservative Republicans who dominate the Legislature say the timing is right to overhaul Arizona’s civil justice system, arguing the changes are needed to improve the state’s business climate.
But so far, their success has been mixed.
Legislature joins SB1070 legal challenge
The Arizona Legislature filed an amicus brief Monday with the U.S. Supreme Court in the appeal of a ruling that blocked enforcement of SB1070, the state’s immigration enforcement law.
Over worker objections, Brewer’s ‘personnel reform’ advances
A House committee approved Gov. Jan Brewer’s vaunted personnel plan, giving the bill its first step toward passage, despite the warnings of public sector unions and government workers who spent hours urging lawmakers not to eliminate their civil service protections.
Farewell, special plates? Panel advances bill that would scrap most
A House panel endorsed a bill Thursday that would put the brakes on many of the special license plates that allow Arizonans to display support for various causes.
Union dues ban advances, but other bills appear to stall
A proposal to outlaw automatic salary deductions for public union dues – unless workers expressly authorize them annually – survived a vigorous Senate debate on Thursday, and was passed by a vote of 19-11.
The bill, championed by Senate Majority Leader Andy Biggs, is headed for the House for further action, but other measures that would fundamentally weaken public unions in Arizo[...]
Measure to change recall elections fails committee
A state House committee has shot down a proposal giving voters the option to change recall elections in a way that could make it more difficult to vote an incumbent out of office.