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Brewer signs bills allowing guns in bars, restaurants, parking lots
With a Republican as governor, conservatives successfully advanced much of their non-budget agenda this year, successfully pushing for legislation that would allow guns in restaurants and bars, as well as in private parking lots.
At long last, Allen’s E.R. malpractice bill signed
A four-year battle for Sen. Carolyn Allen came to end with a stroke of the governor's pen. Gov. Jan Brewer on July 13 signed S1018, which raises the burden of proof for medical malpractice lawsuits against emergency room physicians. Allen, a Scottsdale Republican, had tried unsuccessfully for years to get the measure passed, only to see it fail to reach the governor's desk.
New law makes self-defense protections retroactive
On July 13, Governor Jan Brewer signed S1449 into law. The legislation, sponsored by Republican Sen. Linda Gray, applies retroactive effects to a 2006 law change that implemented what is known as "castle doctrine" into state law.
Part-time Arizona lawmakers working into the summer
Arizona's part-time legislators are on the job in midsummer after their inability to work out an on-time solution to the state's budget trouble led them to crack a barrier they hoped to avoid. The annual regular session starts in January and has adjourned in May or June in recent years. This year, it ran 71/2 hours into July 1 before lawmakers approved a new budget and finished action on other [...]
Brewer vetoes bills on federal funds, treasurer reports
Gov. Jan Brewer signed a raft of bills Monday but vetoed three, including one that would have given the Legislature authority over federal funds and another that would have required the state treasurer to give an annual report on the fiscal condition of the state.
Burns contests Brewer’s comments on education funding
The verbal tussle between Gov. Jan Brewer and Senate President Bob Burns does not appear to have abated, even with a lull in activity at the Legislature. In a statement... […]
Brewer signs 87 more bills, including Allen’s med mal
Gov. Jan Brewer on July 10 put her signature on 87 more bills, the second and third batches of non-budget bills she has signed since the Legislature adjourned sine die.
Dem leader says bipartisan budget talks will be ‘painful’
The overwhelming display of bipartisanship that kicked off the special legislative session when it convened July 6 may be a precursor of how lawmakers will work to patch the $2.5 billion hole in the budget, but to what extent Republicans and Democrats work together likely won't be known until later this month.
Brewer, Cardon proclaim a new day at Commerce Department
For much of its existence, the Arizona Department of Commerce has served as a political punching bag for those who believe the agency's work is inefficient, its mission vague and its credibility questionable. Don Cardon doesn't deny that some of those things have been true in the past, but a transformation is underway.
Brewer signs first batch of non-budget bills
Members of the military were largely the beneficiaries of the first batch of non-budget bills signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer. Brewer on July 9 signed 19 of the nearly 200 bills that were transmitted to her when the Legislature adjourned sine die on July 1.
Burns, Adams ask AZ high court to rethink budget ruling
In late June, the Arizona Supreme Court delivered what could be considered a draw for Gov. Jan Brewer and Republican legislative leadership, who argued over how long the Legislature can... […]
Bipartisan budget talks begin
Legislative leaders from the two parties hunkered down July 8 to restart budget negotiations, marking the first meeting since the Legislature unanimously passed four budget bills two days before.
