When the Arizona Department of Commerce becomes the Arizona Commerce Authority, the quasi-private agency will be free of much of the oversight and regulations that accompany being a fully public part of state government.

Supporters of the Arizona Commerce Authority say public-private economic development agencies play important practical and psychological roles in attracting new jobs to the state.

Gov. Jan Brewer has unveiled an aggressive legislative agenda for the next four years that includes fundamental changes to Arizona’s personnel and retirement systems, tax codes and education system.

More than two-dozen employees will transfer to the governor's budget office from the Department of Commerce before the end of the year as part of a larger move to shift economic development responsibilities to a public-private organization.

Brewer says her goal is to retain and attract businesses with steps intended to promote new investments and creation of quality jobs.

Arizona's unemployment rate stands at 9.7 percent for the second consecutive month.

Arizona Department of Commerce officials on Thursday release September unemployment figures for the state.

The Arizona Commerce Authority is officially on the job, though it currently exists in name only.

To attract new businesses and create jobs in Arizona, Gov. Jan Brewer isn't looking to restructure or revamp the Department of Commerce. She's looking to eliminate it.

Brewer on April 14 announced plans to scrap the entire department and replace it with the Arizona Commerce Authority, a private sector-led operation that would narrow the state's economic development efforts to a handful of key industries.

Back in 2003, lawmakers passed a law that required state agencies and universities to reduce their energy consumption by 10 percent by the end of 2008. The legislation had overwhelming bipartisan support, but the results were disappointing.