Gowan pulls his best karate move yet against reporters

The No. 3 Republican in the state House lashed out Wednesday at a plan to revamp the pension funds for police and firefighters, saying it's a bad deal and should be scrapped.

When House Speaker David Gowan first came to the Legislature in 2009, the state budget was more than $3 billion in the hole. Seven years later, as Gowan prepares to enter his final year at the Capitol, the budget is nearly balanced and the state has a surplus and money in the rainy day fund.

Arizona's House of Representatives passed its first measure of the session which bars so-called "revenge porn" with unusual swiftness Wednesday.

The House of Representatives is fast-tracking legislation designed to outlaw “revenge porn” after an identical bill fell just short of passing in 2015.

In a 3,600-word article, the Capitol Times this morning reported on the unusually high use by House staffers and legislators of state cars, which they have rented at the House’s expense. Strict rules govern the use of state fleet vehicles, which state employees and officials can rent for official purposes.

Surrounded by a cadre of Democrats, family, legislative staff and House Republican leadership, Celeste Plumlee was sworn in as the newest member of the House today.

Jim Skelly was a staunch conservative and ardent opponent of abortion who served in the Arizona House of Representatives for 20 years. He died on Nov. 3 at the age of 81.

The Arizona House of Representatives worked late into the night Thursday to approve a $3.5 billion education finance package aimed at settling a long-running lawsuit over education funding.

After spending more than $325,000 on renovations in the past year, and abandoning plans to spend another $2 million on renovations, the House of Representatives is undergoing another facelift – this time to the tune of $642,000.