An attorney for the city of Tucson asked Arizona Supreme Court Tuesday to slap back yet another effort by state lawmakers to tell charter cities when they have to hold their elections. Jean-Jacques Cabou said the whole purpose of the ...
Read More »Bill is real but nothing like textbook
So you think you know how a bill becomes law? Well, it isn't exactly the process from the Schoolhouse Rock song, "I'm just a bill on Capitol Hill.''
Read More »Covid, unrest affect look, feel of legislative session 
The 2021 legislative session will begin January 11 in an exceedingly unusual fashion, with sharp limits on public access and increased security left over from post-election unrest.
Read More »Civil asset forfeiture reform: A solution in search of a problem 
If the Arizona Legislature wants to help drug cartels and organized crime, then heeding the Institute for Justice and establishing a “conviction first” statute for civil forfeiture is a great start. The only people such a measure will hurt are law abiding citizens, prosecutors and police officers. But drug dealers? They will absolutely love it.
Read More »To improve Arizona Legislature, consider cumulative voting
Imagine an Arizona House of Representatives modeled in part on the system used in Illinois. There would be Republicans elected from liberal bastions like Phoenix, Tempe, and Tucson. Democrats would be elected from conservative places like Mohave and Yavapai Counties.
Read More »Is Constitution to be taken seriously or for granted?
As an attorney and retired judge I have always considered the Arizona Constitution to be the highest law of the state, not a set of guidelines. That’s why I am a plaintiff, along with a top local businesswoman, in the lawsuit brought by Rose Law Group challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 208, potentially the largest income tax hike in Arizona history.
Read More »Ducey loses big with Trump, taxes, legal pot
Republican Governor Doug Ducey was able to keep the Arizona Legislature red, but not everything worked out to his benefit, based on unofficial election results.
Read More »Court refuses to block enforcement of horse-racing law
A federal appeals court won’t block enforcement of a law that requires companies that provide off-track betting signals to sell them to anyone who will buy then. In a unanimous ruling on Aug. 20, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of ...
Read More »The Breakdown: A sine die surprise
The Arizona Legislature is officially done, and what a weird session it's been.
Read More »Sound fiscal practices in ’19 help Arizona weather ’20 storm
When Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey placed a priority on shoring up the state’s rainy day fund in 2019, he could not foresee the economic hurricane the state was headed for in 2020. Now, that fiscal prudence will help Arizona weather the crisis brought on by the COVID-19 virus.
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