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Democrat with little political experience becomes most effective in 2019
But even with the 17-13 split in the Senate, the 31-29 split in the House, the Democrat who accomplished the most during the First Regular Session of the 54th Legislature is the one who was criticized for her lack of political experience during the campaign – and she wasn’t even a lawmaker.
Discontent with 2018 election brings slate of new voting laws
Amid lingering frustrations over the 2018 election – with Republican accusations that a Democrat in charge of ballots in Arizona’s most populous county had mucked up the process– a flurry of election-related bills were introduced this year.
Democrats discouraged despite getting more bills passed
Senate President Karen Fann can boast a 333 percent increase in the number of bills sponsored by Democrats that passed out of her chamber in 2019 compared to last year.
Lawmakers look to 2020 as ink dries on this year’s bills
The legislative session wasn’t even done before lawmakers started announcing bills they planned to introduce next session.
New state chief justice to continue push for ‘bail reform’
Anyone looking for major changes at the Arizona Supreme Court with the naming Friday of Robert Brutinel as its chief justice is likely to be disappointed.
Mesnard led in vetoed bills, Brophy McGee most prolific lawmaker in 2019
Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, knows how to get legislation passed. This year, he learned how to get it vetoed.
Number of lawmakers who didn’t miss a vote, day of work up from 2018
Throughout the 135 days of the 2019 legislative session, only eight lawmakers made it to every required work day and cast a vote for everything that made it to the floor, down from 19 lawmakers last session.
Committee chairs seek balance between gatekeeper and ‘God’
The first major hurdle every piece of legislation faces in the House or Senate is a committee leader with the ability to unilaterally kill bills, and some chairs are more willing to do it than others.
Session Wrap with Charlene Fernandez
House Minority Leader Charlene Fernandez came into the 2019 legislative session hopeful that the 31-29 split in the chamber would lead to more opportunities for her Democratic colleagues.
Libertarian pushes court to rule on challenge to U.S. senator appointment
Saying time is running out, the former chairman of the Arizona Libertarian Party wants the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to order an election – and soon -- to decide who fills out the term of John McCain.
Lawmakers weigh in on disputes, divisiveness of session
The state House of Representatives is notoriously cantankerous, but this legislative session was more confrontational than anyone remembers. Some felt it more than others, but the consensus is the 2019 legislative session was different.
Talk of bipartisan budget turns to bitter words at session’s end
A session that began with lofty promises — at least in the Senate — of bipartisan collaboration, the likes of which had rarely been seen before, ended with Democrats united against the budget and decrying a lack of working across the aisle.
