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

Right now, the United States is suffering some brutally cold weather. Northern states like North Dakota and Minnesota have seen night-time temperatures dropping below zero degrees Fahrenheit. And Duluth is currently chasing a record for the coldest sustained weather, set way back in 1912.

Even though I did not prevail in my claim nearly a decade ago, passage of SB1685 would give me hope that other Arizona families never have to experience the closed doors to their pursuit of the best public education for their child.

Last year marked the 60th anniversary of the birth of the birth control pill, a revolutionary step that provided millions of women with greater reproductive control. Nearly two generations later, however, accessing the pill remains challenging for many.

This is a bipartisan issue. We know that taking on the app tax to bring businesses and jobs to Arizona is something we can all get behind, all while loosening the stranglehold Big Tech has over our daily lives – and pocketbooks!

Over the past 10 years, we have watched as large wildfires ravaged the watershed in and around the Salt and Verde rivers. The devastation proves one important fact that must be addressed now – our forests are unhealthy.

Some in the Legislature want to give restaurants the permanent authority to sell liquor to go, a right that exclusively belong to bars and retail establishments like convenience stores and grocery stores. In some parts of the state, bars earn a substantial amount of revenue selling package liquor. To be sure, bars pay a premium for this right.

Over the past year, the Covid pandemic has claimed many American lives. Millions are still out of work. This is the public toll of the virus. However, the disruption caused by the pandemic now runs deeper — and threatens the safety of America’s daily drug needs.

As Arizona continues to combat the pandemic, we need to properly equip our communities with the tools they need to survive. Among these is technology. Lawmakers must remember that tech has saved small businesses, contributed millions of dollars in economic development, and put food on the table for thousands of residents. We must welcome technology as a valued partner in our recovery and recognize the value it brings to our communities.

While political affiliation clearly played a role in the responses, there is a striking consensus across party lines in support for making voting more accessible. For example, roughly two-thirds of Republicans supported early in-person voting and automatic voter registration when getting a driver’s license. Just under half of Republican supported mailing all registered voters a ballot. However, while 41% liked the idea of ranked choice voting, only 36% were keen on same-day voter registration.

The current, aggressive push to expand Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) does nothing to address the systemic education challenges we face in Arizona.