Legislative leadership is considering a “skinny budget” this year after struggling to get consensus on big projects. 

A Republican lawmaker who says he wants more money for public education is leaving Senate President Karen Fann without the votes she needs for the budget.

While some state Senate candidates can relax – nine are unopposed both in the August primary and the general, and a few others are facing only token opposition in districts that are safe for their parties – other would-be legislators have tough races ahead of them. 

Wildfires consumed 955,000 acres, almost double the 520,000 acres burned in the preceding two years combined.

Importing muddy water from the Mississippi River to save Arizona from drought could be as simple as landing a man on the moon.  

Add a water shortage with serious implications for Pinal County farmers to the challenges lawmakers will have to deal with when the Legislature comes back in 2022.

The House wrapped up this year’s legislative session by, among other things, voting to give rural lawmakers more money.  The Senate voted June 29 to pass HB2053, which increases the daily stipend for living expenses for lawmakers outside of Maricopa County during the session. ...

The Legislature may start debating and voting on the FY22 budget as early as Tuesday after striking a deal with Republican holdouts that slows down the implementation of tax cuts and pays off more debt.

Arizona lawmakers ended a three-day special session by passing a $100 million bill on June 17 to help people affected by wildfires.

House Republican leaders bent on passing a flat tax and succeeding with threadbare majorities where past Republican supermajorities had failed hatched a plan last week: put the tax bills up for a vote and embarrass their outspoken holdout into voting for it.