Supreme Court upholds IRC authority over congressional districts
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled upheld the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission’s authority to draw congressional districts, defying expectations that it would return that power to the Legislature for the first time in more than 20 years.
Arizona cannot require proof of citizenship to register for federal elections
Arizona cannot require people to produce proof of citizenship before they register to vote, at least not for federal elections, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday.
Ducey: K-12 funding should be based on achievement, not enrollment
Gov. Doug Ducey told a committee charged with rewriting Arizona’s system for funding K-12 schools he wants a formula that is understandable and based on student achievement, not enrollment.
Gay marriage settled, but political fights remain
Arguing it would strengthen rather than diminish the institution of marriage, a divided U.S. Supreme Court today ruled that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in America.
Judge hears arguments on Douglas, Board of Education dispute
A judge presiding over the legal dispute between Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas and the Board of Education said Friday she will rule on a motion to dismiss the case as soon as possible.
Phoenix’s Plaza Bandstand
This is a 1901 photograph of the bandstand sat City Hall Plaza, located on the block between Washington and Jefferson streets and Montezuma (First Street) and Maricopa (Second Street). The men in the photo are not identified, but written on the back of the photo is the name of J.C. Dodds. The 1903 City Directory lists Dodds as a driver for Ezra W. Thayer. That is Thayer’s hardware store across t[...]
SCOTUS: Legislative intent matters
The studies predicting doom and gloom for millions of Americans clearly weighed heavily on Roberts and the majority. Roberts explained that the ACA hinges on three “closely intertwined” measures: Insurers are forbidden from denying coverage based on a person’s health, from charging a higher premium for the same reason, and all Americans above a certain income are mandated to buy insurance or[...]
3rd graders caught in middle of latest state education dispute
Another disagreement between the State Board of Education and the Department of Education led by Diane Douglas could leave children in failing schools without a plan to improve their reading.
Good intentions do not give government a license to silence speech
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert, handed down just last week, was a unanimous victory for free speech. But that Reed was an overwhelming win has led some to downplay its importance.
All in: Despite feud with utilities, solar companies push on
Brandon Cheshire is all in. He founded his own solar company, SunHarvest Solar, in 2009, and he has seen it grow steadily since then. He’s also willing to work with or around solar fees to bring in more customers.
Arizona lawmakers demonstrated leadership and moral integrity by supporting victims of war crimes
In his recent article, Hank Stephenson correctly asserts that Azerbaijan is “a uniquely secular majority Muslim country.” He also is correct in stressing that Azerbaijan presents itself to the world as “a model for religious tolerance, cultural acceptance and women’s rights in the region.”
The ‘purgatory’ of revenge porn
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery announced today that prosecutors have not been able to charge offenders in 10 cases of revenge porn because of ongoing issues with the statute covering the unlawful distribution of images. Lawmakers had failed to amend the statute before sine die this year.