As Gov. Jan Brewer prepares for a session that will be dominated by budget deficits and taxes, she’ll have a new, experienced hand to help guide her following a recent staff shake-up that sent several of her top policy advisors to state agencies.

Despite "no" votes by Sen. Ron Gould and Rep.-elect Jack Harper, a panel of lawmakers recommended extending tax credits that benefit the working poor and charities.

Sen. Jack Harper, a Republican from Surprise, said he plans to introduce legislation next year that would create a government-sanctioned militia that would be allowed to patrol the border to observe illegal activity and report it to enforcement authorities.

House Speaker Kirk Adams issued committee assignments Nov. 12, making Rep. Jerry Weiers chair of the powerful House Rules Committee.

A full list of the 50th Legislature membership

The House today will consider an amendment that would require presidential candidates to prove their citizenship before their names can appear on an Arizona ballot.

The Senate Finance Committee has pulled the plug on a bill that would have extended the life of the payday industry. The committee was set to hear on April 7 a "strike-everything amendment" on a bill that was the industry's final attempt to continue operating.

Rep. Ed Ableser, a Tempe Democrat, wants Congress to urge the NCAA to adopt a college football playoff system. Sen. Jack W. Harper, a Surprise Republican, wants to proclaim that Arizona has no intention of providing assistance to the controversial community-organizing group ACORN. Rep. Chad Campbell, a Phoenix Democrat, wants federal laws aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Sen. Jack Harper, a Republican from Surprise, has been appointed chairman of the Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 4.

"We had problems from the beginning because we decided that we would not turn in somebody who is openly serving in the military that was a homosexual - that we knew to be a homosexual. We tried to be tolerant. It didn't work." - Sen. Jack Harper, objecting to President Obama's plan to allow gays to openly serve in the U.S. military.