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Arizona House bans reporters who won’t consent to background checks
Claiming it’s a matter of security, the state House on Thursday banned reporters from the floor who would not consent to extensive background checks.
Steve Matt: A Shakespeare fanatic and rapid-fire reader
Steve Matt, a security guard in the House of Representatives, has some background in security – he joined the Army after high school, and studied law enforcement in college. But his true love, and his chosen profession for most of his life, is acting.
House establishes new travel policy in wake of Capitol Times report
The Arizona House of Representatives created a new travel policy after an Arizona Capitol Times story revealed that a handful of House Republican leaders and top staffers drove more than 36,000 miles in state vehicles in 2015, sometimes for political or personal purposes.
Reports show House travel spending more than doubled
The House is required to report its spending to the Arizona Department of Administration’s General Accounting Office. Although those records don’t detail which lawmakers or staff the chamber’s travel expenses were on behalf of, they offer a glimpse of the chamber’s spending on travel in the past year.
Gowan repaid House $12K for erroneous travel, per diem payments
Arizona House Speaker David Gowan last month repaid the state more than $12,000 for mileage reimbursements he claimed for trips that he took in state vehicles and for days he claimed to work but did not.
House opposes bill allowing liquor sales near schools
The House failed to pass a measure that would allow convenience stores to sell liquor within 300 feet of a school or church.
House to Mendez: No God, no prayer
A prayer is only a prayer if it refers to God, at least according to the state House of Representatives.
House panel votes to restore technical education money
A House panel moved quickly Monday to restore funding for Joint Technical Education Districts ahead of a $30 million cut to the programs that, without action, will kick in this coming school year.
House panel passes bill clarifying travel expense disclosure
A House panel has passed a measure that would clarify what lawmakers have to report as gifts for travel-related expenses.
House reportedly working on competing pension reform measure
A few hours before a landmark overhaul of the state’s pension system for police officers and fire fighters was set to be publicly unveiled by a senator who negotiated the legislation with union and city officials over the past year, some stakeholders were summoned to a meeting in the House, where multiple sources said competing legislation might be offered.
Open for comment: Lawmaker lets people talk, and they have plenty to say
Hours after the experts had their say – the budget analysts, representatives from the Arizona Board of Regents, and the presidents of the Grand Canyon State’s public universities – the public had a chance to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Jan. 27. Senators got more than they bargained for.
Mesnard offers new plan to create lieutenant governor position
Saying Arizona needs a better method of gubernatorial succession, a House panel voted on Jan. 28 to ask voters to create the position of lieutenant governor.
