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Senate approves sales tax reform compromise
By a 29-0 vote, the state Senate late Thursday approved Gov. Jan Brewer’s sales tax overhaul proposal after she obtained the buy-in of Arizona cities and towns.
After losing control of Senate, Biggs looks on as new majority emerges
The Arizona Senate’s passage of a budget plan that includes Medicaid expansion on May 16 was a tremendous victory for Gov. Jan Brewer, as well as the lawmakers who stuck their necks out for the governor — most notably Senate Majority Leader John McComish, who sponsored the amendment that added expansion to the budget plan.
Breakaway senator mulls whether to seek another term
A member of the coalition of Senate Republicans who broke away from the majority party and voted for Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion proposal is contemplating whether to run for office in 2014.
Sen. Bob Worsley, R-Mesa, said that while he intends to run at this point, the decision is one he must still mull over in the coming year – and any reservations he has to running have noth[...]
Recall bill soundly defeated in Senate
A bill to overhaul the recall election process in Arizona to protect Sheriff Joe Arpaio and other elected officials was defeated today in the state Senate. HB2282 failed by a 10-18 vote. It would have created a primary and general election process in the event an elected official is recalled, as opposed to the current non-partisan, winner-take-all election.
Poll: GOP voters in key districts oppose AHCCCS expansion
Republican primary voters in six GOP-controlled legislative districts largely oppose Medicaid expansion and are likely to vote against any lawmaker who supports it, according to a poll from Colorado-based Magellan Strategies.
Brewer expresses confidence in Medicaid plan, but lawmakers push back
Gov. Jan Brewer unveiled the details of her Medicaid expansion plan this afternoon, beginning in earnest the effort to push the controversial proposal through the Legislature.
Tech executives offer vision of online voting for Arizona
Two tech company executives called it the future of voting in Arizona: online voting systems in the digital age that provide faster and more reliable vote counts and make participation in the state’s elections easier than ever before.
Senator proposes online voting for 2014
A bill to establish an online voting pilot program in time for the 2014 primary election is drawing bipartisan support in the Arizona State Senate.
Sen. Bob Worsley, R-Mesa, said the technology is readily available to ensure the safety and accuracy of online voting – an effort that could save the state millions of dollars in expenses racked up by mailing ballots to voters, he added.
New Senate committees have narrower partisan split
Reflecting the new political reality at the Capitol, incoming Republican leaders have created a dozen Senate committees with a narrower partisan split.
Ed Ableser beats Jerry Lewis
Voters’ love affair with Sen. Jerry Lewis, the Mesa Republican who unseated Russell Pearce last year, ended tonight. Despite a strong push to the finish, Lewis lost his race to his Democratic opponent, Rep. Ed Ableser of Tempe, the initial vote tally tonight showed.
Pearce loss to Worsley in GOP primary disproves theory that recall was a fluke
The result of Russell Pearce’s primary race confirmed what was unimaginable just two years ago — the conservative icon no longer enjoys the support of the party faithful.
Conservative icon Pearce loses again by double digits
Except for his concession speech, it’s all over for Russell Pearce.
Outraised and outspent, the man who helped elevate Arizona onto the national stage in the illegal immigration debate, failed on Tuesday to persuade his party-mates to send him back to the state Legislature.
It was the former Senate president’s second loss since November – when he was ousted from office [...]
