Federal, state laws at odds on lobbyist political contributions
To curtail the inappropriate influence of money in politics, Arizona law prohibits lobbyists from contributing to lawmakers’ campaign committees while the Legislature is in session.
Counterattacks
Arizona, other states retaliate against ‘revenge porn’
Sparked by a new law approved by the California legislature this fall, Arizona is one of several states where lawmakers are proposing bills to criminalize “revenge porn.”
Arizona business groups in Washington lobby for immigration reform
Arizona business leaders were in Washington to lobby the state’s congressional delegation on immigration reform Tuesday, just the latest in a string of groups trying to pressure Congress on the issue.
Whatever happened to… The fate of the session’s most colorful bills
This year marked a recent low in proposed legislation, with only 1,158 bills introduced and 256 signed into law, compared to 1,395 and 362 respectively last year.
There were also fewer “kooky” bills than in past years, and fewer of Arizona’s proposed laws made fewer national headlines this year than in previous sessions.
Brewer must act Wednesday on tax cut bills
Gov. Jan Brewer is set to act on the three remaining bills from the 2013 Arizona Legislature's session.
When bills get hung up, is it policy or personal?
Bills die for a variety of reasons at the Arizona Capitol, but none go down in a more explosive manner than when personal politics outweigh the merits of legislation in the eyes of bill sponsors and lawmakers who vote on the measures.
Governor stops signing bills pending progress on Medicaid
Just when it looked like the Legislature couldn’t get any slower, Gov. Jan Brewer told legislative leaders to stop sending her bills altogether and if they do, the implied threat is that she will veto them.
Ariz. lawmakers slow work as big 3 issues remain
The Arizona Legislature has gone from the fast track to stuck in the mud as lawmakers have become bogged down by the three key issues: Medicaid, sales taxes and the state budget.
Brewer’s slow-down warning leaves 100s of bills waiting in legislative pipeline
The impasse between Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican legislative leadership over Medicaid expansion, sales tax reform and Common Core educational standards has left many lawmakers reluctant to send her their bills for fear of encountering a veto.
Brewer vetoes militia, rulemaking bills
Gov. Jan Brewer brought her veto total for the 2013 session to six Wednesday after rejecting a bill to eliminate the age limit for the state militia and another bill to restrict state agencies’ regulatory powers.
Legislation slows as bickering continues over Medicaid expansion, other key bills
The legislative process at the Arizona Capitol has slowed to a crawl in recent weeks after Gov. Jan Brewer warned lawmakers to focus on her own legislative priorities, first and foremost Medicaid expansion.
Obstacles hold up bills that seemed bound for success
Many notable bills that seemed on their way to success this session suddenly faltered — sometimes for personal reasons, sometimes for ideological reasons and sometimes because there just wasn’t enough time to smooth out the details.