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At long last, Allen’s E.R. malpractice bill signed
A four-year battle for Sen. Carolyn Allen came to end with a stroke of the governor's pen. Gov. Jan Brewer on July 13 signed S1018, which raises the burden of proof for medical malpractice lawsuits against emergency room physicians. Allen, a Scottsdale Republican, had tried unsuccessfully for years to get the measure passed, only to see it fail to reach the governor's desk.
Part-time Arizona lawmakers working into the summer
Arizona's part-time legislators are on the job in midsummer after their inability to work out an on-time solution to the state's budget trouble led them to crack a barrier they hoped to avoid. The annual regular session starts in January and has adjourned in May or June in recent years. This year, it ran 71/2 hours into July 1 before lawmakers approved a new budget and finished action on other [...]
GOP closes caucus after Harper, Allen exchange words
Senate Republicans closed their caucus from the public July 13 after two members got into a relatively heated discussion over how to deal with the governor and her proposal for a one-cent sales tax increase. After the two-hour closed-door meeting, senators said they talked about organizational matters, one of several subjects that they are permitted to go into executive session to discuss.
Brewer vetoes bills on federal funds, treasurer reports
Gov. Jan Brewer signed a raft of bills Monday but vetoed three, including one that would have given the Legislature authority over federal funds and another that would have required the state treasurer to give an annual report on the fiscal condition of the state.
Burns contests Brewer’s comments on education funding
The verbal tussle between Gov. Jan Brewer and Senate President Bob Burns does not appear to have abated, even with a lull in activity at the Legislature. In a statement... […]
Brewer signs 87 more bills, including Allen’s med mal
Gov. Jan Brewer on July 10 put her signature on 87 more bills, the second and third batches of non-budget bills she has signed since the Legislature adjourned sine die.
Dem leader says bipartisan budget talks will be ‘painful’
The overwhelming display of bipartisanship that kicked off the special legislative session when it convened July 6 may be a precursor of how lawmakers will work to patch the $2.5 billion hole in the budget, but to what extent Republicans and Democrats work together likely won't be known until later this month.
Lawmakers send message to D.C. – pull U.S. out of U.N.
Arizona lawmakers sent more than 100 bills to Gov. Jan Brewer for her approval or veto earlier this month, but a few measures they passed don't need the governor to sign off - including one that asks Congress to reconsider a measure that would pull the United States out of the United Nations.
Brewer signs first batch of non-budget bills
Members of the military were largely the beneficiaries of the first batch of non-budget bills signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer. Brewer on July 9 signed 19 of the nearly 200 bills that were transmitted to her when the Legislature adjourned sine die on July 1.
Burns, Adams ask AZ high court to rethink budget ruling
In late June, the Arizona Supreme Court delivered what could be considered a draw for Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican legislative leadership, who argued over how long the Legislature can... […]
Burns strips Verschoor of leadership role, removes 2 from Rules panel
The president of the Arizona Senate has removed Thayer Verschoor from his leadership position, replacing him with a freshman lawmaker. Sen. Steve Pierce, a lawmaker from Prescott, was appointed July 8 to replace Verschoor as Senate President pro tempore, as well as on the six-member Senate Rules Committee.
Bipartisan budget talks begin
Legislative leaders from the two parties hunkered down July 8 to restart budget negotiations, marking the first meeting since the Legislature unanimously passed four budget bills two days before.
