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

Sometimes it seems that our politicians are more concerned with fighting each other than getting something done for their constituents. But I am pleased to see that some our Arizona representatives in Washington have done the right thing and co-sponsored the Health Insurance Tax Relief Act (S. 172 and H.R. 1398).

I never set out to become an addict. Like so many people, my path of addiction began with a legal prescription for pain medication after I injured my knee. Every year, an estimated 3 million patients are prescribed post-surgical opioids and become dependent. More than 80% of heroin users trace their addiction to a legal prescription, including me.

Opioids cost 1,375 Arizonans their lives in 2018 alone. This is a public health epidemic, and we need to leverage every available public-health policy tool to reduce opioid addiction. Fortunately, research into safer pain relievers is paying off and FDA-approved, opioid-free alternatives are now available. This means patients can recover from medical procedures in comfort while taking fewer, if any, opioid doses.

The morning of the car accident, the ambulance drove by my house on the way to the hospital, and I knew my life would never be the same. I’ve lived with a spinal cord injury for 18 years. I try ...

If you ever need the services of the Justice Court, you will find a professional and supportive staff and JP who will make the experience as comfortable as possible. It is a great privilege to serve in my new capacity, and I do enjoy continuing to represent you.

On behalf of the members of the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and its members I would like to extend our gratitude and thanks for the support of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and the Arizona Legislature in approving legislation enabling Arizona taxpayers to take deductions for donations to nonprofits even if they are not itemizing their returns.

We know the vast majority of doctors practice where they do their residency. The problem is that Arizona simply doesn’t have enough medical residencies.

Every day, we hear about threats to the health and happiness of Arizona’s children. We can’t fix every one of the problems, but we can easily protect our children’s access to health care through the KidsCare insurance program.

Rep. Mark Finchem, R-Oro Valley, recently introduced two bills designed to facilitate the transfer of Arizona’s public lands to state ownership. HB 2547 and HB 2557 represent a dangerous attack on our state’s public estate. As a lifelong hunter and Arizonan who relies on public lands, I ask that you condemn these bills and write your representatives to ask that they do the same.

In my work since the minimum wage was passed I have heard from several working class individuals that employers are cutting benefits or keeping tips and justifying these actions by telling their employees that it is the only way they can pay the minimum wage. It seems to me that our legislature’s time would be better spent strengthening the Arizona Industrial Commission, which is in charge of investigating wage theft rather than reducing the minimum wage.