Senate, House Republicans pitch plan to renew Proposition 123 and use millions for teacher pay
Senate and House Republicans announced a plan to renew Proposition 123 via voter referendum and allocate the $300 million or so from the land trust endowment solely to teacher pay.
Hobbs rejects Republicans’ request to extend bar hours during World Series
Sports fans who want to celebrate an Arizona Diamondbacks World Series win – or drown their sorrows after a loss to the Texas Rangers – won’t have an extra hour to do so in bars across the state.
Gress wants to extend alcohol sales an extra hour for Diamondbacks fans
A Phoenix lawmaker wants to give Arizona Diamondbacks fans an extra hour of alcohol-fueled revelry to celebrate their reaching the World Series.
Nguyen on a roll – rides motorcycle to, from Capitol
At 60 years old, Rep. Quang Nguyen, R-Prescott Valley, often finds himself driving home from the Capitol in an unusual fashion for men his age, cruising down state highways on his white and red sport motorcycle.
No one investigating lawmakers and staffers accepting event tickets
So far, no one is planning to investigate (or litigate) whether the acceptance of tickets to sporting events and concerts by Gov. Katie Hobbs’ staffers and lawmakers violates state law.
Republican lawmaker urges Mesa to stop hotel shelter program plans
A second Valley city considering a hotel shelter program for homeless people caught attention from a legislative Republican seeking to preempt the program.
Tested, successful Scottsdale model ignored by Gress
With much fanfare, on Sept. 13, state Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, choreographed a committee hearing at the Scottsdale Civic Library, which Gress characterized as an “Ongoing Fight Against Scottsdale’s Taxpayer Funded Homeless Hotel Plan.”
Scottsdale will no longer house people from ‘The Zone’ with hotel housing program
The City of Scottsdale is walking back a provision that would have sheltered people residing in a large homeless encampment in Phoenix after a Republican lawmaker’s intervention.
Getting a bill passed takes ‘compromise’ and persistence
After a record number of vetoes from a governor during the 2023 legislative session, Republicans saw a fewer volume of the amount of bills signed than in recent years.
Prop. 400 compromise alters use of tax monies
Gov. Katie Hobbs’ signing of a proposal to extend a Maricopa County transportation tax ensures voters will get the chance to weigh in on the issue before the tax expires in 2025. Most legislative Republicans, Democrats and Hobbs are praising the deal as one of the major legislative accomplishments this session.
From hot issues to hot dogs, politicians turn to Threads to reach voters
Among the 100 million users who reportedly signed up last month for Threads, Meta’s new social media platform, were Arizona politicians from state and federal offices and from both sides of the aisle.
Early look at 2024’s competitive legislative districts
As the 2024 state election draws closer, Republicans and Democrats are already targeting several key competitive legislative districts that could determine which party has control of the Legislature.