To Dr. Ronald S. Weinstein, a doctor's eyes and ears are as important as instruments or tests. A patient's tone and body language can say as much as his or her words, he said, and eye contact and seeing that a doctor is paying attention establishes trust for the patient. But that doesn't necessarily mean that doctor and patient have to be in the same place, said Weinstein, director of the University of Arizona College of Medicine's Arizona Telemedicine Program.

Legislative leaders and the governor have reached an agreement on the framework of a special session later this month. The plan is to fix the budget problems of several agencies that resulted from Gov. Jan Brewer's veto of a budget bill that had contained funding mechanisms for the agencies.

Gov. Jan Brewer, Senate President Bob Burns, and Rep. John McComish said they will attend “Arizona Democracy: The Lighter Side,” a ribbing of the year’s most prevalent topics and public figures hosted by KAET/Eight and the Arizona Capitol Times.

Republican leaders and Gov. Jan Brewer are slated to meet this afternoon to discuss the provisions of a possible special legislative session to address budget issues.

The Senate is going to hear bills when session starts, Senate President Bob Burns said Oct. 29. This is a departure from the strategy the Senate leadership adopted during the most recent regular session, when a moratorium on hearing non-budget bills was used so lawmakers could direct all their energy to solving the state's record-breaking budget deficit.

Lawmakers are inching closer to a special session as Senate leadership proposes that the Legislature convene to fix the budget woes of state agencies affected by the governor's veto. House leadership was polling members to see if they support the idea, Senate President Bob Burns told the Arizona Capitol Times on October 22.

A special session - or two - is likely this fall as Gov. Jan Brewer continues to pressure lawmakers to reconvene and legislative leaders have started asking members when they would be available. But roadblocks remain.

In the Arizona Legislature, debate usually refers to the Committee of the Whole, a crucial part of lawmaking that facilitates adjustments to legislation. More importantly for some, it is the last chance to thoroughly examine proposed legislation and to sway people's opinion for or against it. In most cases, emotions are checked and the tone is primarily civil. But in the last two years, senators have adopted temporary rules to limit debate during the Committee of the Whole so debate is now but a shadow of its dictionary meaning. In short, the limitation on debate happened when lawmakers discussed subjects that directly impacted the state during a crucial part of the budget process.

To say that much has occurred since the 2008 Leaders of the Year in Public Policy Awards event is quite an understatement. An economic meltdown leading to a near-depression, the election of the first African-American to the U.S. presidency, a changing of the guard in the Executive Tower and chaos in the Legislature while attempting to deal with Arizona's worst budget deficit ever are just a few of the tumultuous events that mark the past 12 months

"Give me a break. You've been around long enough to know that people, sometimes after six months that they're on the Ninth Floor, they're on their way." - Gov. Jan Brewer, dismissing the notion the recent departures of deputy chiefs of staff Tom Manos and Brian McNeil are signs that her administration is in trouble.