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Flat-tax proposal appears dead for now
The proposal for a flat individual income-tax rate is not going anywhere, one of its supporters in the Senate said.
Senate moves affirmative-action ban to 2010 ballot
Next year, Arizona voters will be asked to determine whether to ban government use of preferential treatment based on race and gender when it comes to employment, education and contracting.
Senate acts on scores of bills, shoots down texting ban
Bills to ban texting while driving, smoking in a car with a minor fail The Arizona Senate has rejected legislation that aimed to ban texting while driving on all state roadways. Senators also have voted down a measure that would have prohibited smoking in a car if a minor is in the vehicle.
Senate panel OKs measure that would permit voters to end Clean Elections
In 2010, Arizona voters could be asked to separate political candidates from public campaign funds. But elected lawmakers at this point have no intention of pulling the plug themselves on the lucrative funding stream that pays for publicly funded campaigns.
Senate calendar overflows on rare Friday session
Arizona’s senators have convened a rare Friday session June 19 as they tackle as many measures as they can with a little less than two weeks to go before the fiscal year ends.
Bill would allow religious expression in public schools
Public school students may wear clothes or jewelry that express a religious message at school without fear of censure under legislation that senators preliminarily approved following a brief debate June 17.
Bill capping secondary property taxes advances in Senate
A move to cap secondary property taxes is underway at the Arizona Capitol. Under S1421, the existing limitations on annual increases in primary property taxes would apply to special taxing districts throughout the state.
Senate OKs bill on immigration enforcement
The Arizona Senatea��s approved a bill to enable state and local police officers to help enforce immigration laws and to make it a crime for illegal immigrants to be in the state.
Med-mal reform bill to hit committee today
Members of the Senate Healthcare and Medical Liability Reform Committee will consider a bill on June 17 that would make it more difficult for patients to sue emergency room physicians for negligence.
Voters might have last word in Clean Elections
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted June 15 to advance a measure that would allow voters to decide the fate of Arizona's system of publicly funded campaigns known as Clean Elections.
Guns in restaurants bill fails in Senate; second vote expected
A measure to allow guns in restaurants failed to get enough votes to pass the Senate on June 15. The bill, S1114, failed by a vote of 14-14. It needed 16 votes to pass. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Jack Harper, changed his vote from "yes" to "no" so that he could be on the prevailing side of the vote and, thereby, ask for the legislation to be reconsidered.
Senators debate scores of bills in rare Friday session
During a rare Friday session, senators gave preliminary approval to about 40 bills in an effort to tackle as many measures as possible with just more than two weeks left before the end of the fiscal year. The full Senate will vote on the bills most likely on June 15.
