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Pierce elected as permanent whip
A freshman lawmaker from Prescott has been elected as permanent majority whip in the Senate. "It's an honor to be able to able to help," said Sen. Steve Pierce. Pierce's election to the post did not come as a surprise.
Budget on life support again as sales tax fails
***UPDATED AT 8:45 P.M.*** After about seven months of trying, Republican leaders arrived at the Capitol on Aug. 12 with hopes that they had finally corralled enough votes in the Senate, including the support of a Democrat, to pass a budget for fiscal year 2010. But all that evaporated when a senator whose support Republicans were counting on was absent from the floor.
Prop. 105 referral removed from budget bill
The Senate has amended one of the budget bills to remove the provision that called for a ballot referral for the suspension of Proposition 105.
House Dems seek probe of private-school scholarships
Following media reports that highlighted problems with the state’s school-tuition organizations, Democrats in the Arizona House have called for state and federal authorities to investigate potential abuses of the school-choice option.
House, Senate adjourn; Budget vote stalls again
***UPDATED AT 4:15 P.M.*** Senators seemed poised to bring the budget bills to the floor on Aug. 11, but instead adjourned for the day after meeting for less than a half-hour.
Splitting budget bill jeopardizes support in House
While splitting the tax referendums may help the budget agreement gain enough support to climb out of the Senate, the maneuver might alienate enough House members to kill the fledgling deal.
Senate splits sales tax hike from income tax cuts
***UPDATED AT 5:30 P.M.*** Senate Republicans approved key changes to the budget deal during a committee hearing Aug. 10 in an effort to muster 16 votes to pass the entire proposal.
Day 2 of Quelland Hearing: Davis grilled
Earlier this year, Citizens Clean Elections Commission sided with a Phoenix consultant Larry Davis in a bitter dispute that threatens the political career of District 10 Rep. Doug Quelland.
Senate readies two bills for committee vote Aug. 11
The Senate assigned two House budget bills to the Appropriations Committee on Aug. 7, signaling that changes will be made to the budget deal that the governor and Republicans had reached.
Pearce: No support for ousting Gray
Sen. Russell Pearce said he has not seen any move in the Senate aimed at removing majority leader Chuck Gray from his leadership post, despite reports that he may suffer the same fate as recently ousted majority whip Pamela Gorman.
Far from over: Next steps in Quelland saga
A struggle that began weeks after the November elections moved into the courtroom on Aug. 6 when Rep. Doug Quelland petitioned an administrative law judge to undo a state agency’s order that could force him from office. Quelland has appealed to the Office of Administrative Hearings in hopes of keeping his seat as a District 10 representative.
House leader calls budget ‘best deal possible’
More than a week after the governor and legislative leaders announced a new budget deal, the state was still without a complete budget and time was running out to call... […]
