When state Sen. Carlyle Begay switched parties, joining Republicans after spending more than two years in office as a Democrat, Democrats were quick to say they weren’t losing much, as Begay often voted with Republicans, anyway.

Democratic Sen. Carlyle Begay is now a Republican. The Ganado lawmaker announced Monday morning his switch to the Republican Party, a move he said is an extension of his independent streak at the Arizona Capitol. But Democrats categorized the move as no surprise for a lawmaker who often bucked his party to vote in favor of Republican-led bills.

Less than 14 percent of the roughly $333,000 spent to lobby Arizona lawmakers in the first half of 2015 identified who the money was spent on, continuing a trend of scant disclosure going back years.

A state health policy that made getting a delayed birth certificate easier for American Indians now is law. Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill Monday sought by Arizona tribes to reduce the number of documents needed to obtain a birth certificate later in life.

Democrats were smitten when the House voted down Democratic Sen. Carlyle Begay’s bill to expand Empowerment Scholarship Accounts to all students on Native American reservations.

Senate Bill 1332 is designed to give children on reservations more school choice. It is backed by the Center for Arizona Policy, a social-conservative group that is a powerful lobbying voice at the Capitol.

The joke is on you, Senator Carlyle Begay. You sold your vote, your district and your integrity for one mile of road repair.

Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday he intends to approve legislation cutting millions more in taxes even as he signed a budget that cuts millions of dollars from education and social programs.

Three key votes swung the budget in Republicans’ favor in the Arizona Senate, but none was more crucial than that of Democratic Sen. Carlyle Begay.

Arizona lawmakers pulled an all-nighter and worked well past sunrise Saturday morning to approve a $9.1 billion budget proposal after Republican leadership spent the day rounding up the votes to get it across the finish line.