Facing defeat, measures to gut Clean Elections system held in committee
A pair of measures designed to gut the Clean Elections campaign finance system were held in the House Judiciary Committee after it became apparent the legislation would have been defeated.
Senate panel OKs tougher penalties for patronizing child prostitutes
A bill that creates tougher penalties for those who take advantage of child prostitutes is nearing the finish line, and social workers who call Phoenix a hub for child prostitution say it's about time.
Bill targeting child prostitution advances
A House committee unanimously approved legislation that would carve out a lesser crime for men who unknowingly solicit child prostitutes, while still retaining tougher penalties for those who knowingly pay children for sex.
UpClose with Adam Driggs
Adam Driggs grew up in a world where high-profile Arizona political figures were family friends. When Driggs was a child, his father was mayor of Phoenix, his family went on vacations with Sandra Day O'Connor, and Sen. Barry Goldwater frequently wrote letters to his family. Also, astronaut Buzz Aldrin is his uncle.
Friends in strange places
Republican Farrell Quinlan found himself the subject of a proposed motion at a county Republican meeting early this month after signing up to follow updates from Terry Goddard's fan page on Facebook. With a click of his mouse, Quinlan was suddenly under the microscope of LD4 Chairman Lyle Tuttle...
Capitol Quotes 10/23
"Apparently, myself and Senator Gorman are... kind of like the anti-tax Jedi knights. We are the last Jedi banished to the hinterlands, so asking what our opinion on what leadership is going to do is probably the wrong place to ask." - Sen. Ron Gould, a Republican from Lake Havasu City, when asked his thoughts of what will happen during a special session this fall.
Tyne’s ouster a sign of things to come
Kevin Tyne's tenure as Gov. Jan Brewer's most loyal and trusted adviser came to an end as the governor announced that budget chief Eileen Klein would replace him as her chief of staff. Lobbyist Chuck Coughlin described the move as a "collaborative decision" between the Republican Governors Association, Brewer and Tyne that would allow Tyne to continue assisting the governor if she seeks a full te[...]
Wanted: new revenue
Lawmakers will be facing quite the conundrum in 2010 - how to raise more revenue for the cash-strapped state without raising taxes. The Republican-led Legislature stymied attempts by Gov. Jan Brewer to put a sales tax increase on the ballot, and outright rejected the idea of passing a tax increase itself.
Driggs’ fundraiser out of this world
Rep. Adam Driggs is planning a fundraiser (his first ever since the two-termer has run publically financed both times) for Oct. 23 with a national hero as the guest of honor: Buzz Aldrin. "I'm hoping it will bring out a little more than the normal people who turn up for political fundraisers," Driggs told our reporter.
Fewer lawmakers may be present for special session
Fewer lawmakers are likely to be present for the special session July 20. About a third of senators and representatives planned to attend the National Conference of State Legislatures summit in Philadelphia City this week, according to the Senate and the House.