Sign In
Free Newsletter
House panel votes down empowerment scholarship bill
Amid warnings of a potential lawsuit, the House Education Committee on Monday killed a bill designed to ensure funding for all students in the state empowerment scholarship account program.
Brewer committee expected to help pro-Medicaid Republicans
Gov. Jan Brewer is hitting the fundraising trail again for an independent expenditure committee that is expected to help the Republican lawmakers who backed her Medicaid expansion plan.
Livingston scores a perfect legislative batting average
The award for best legislative batting average for the session — the calculation of bills introduced versus bills signed into law — goes to Rep. David Livingston, a freshman Republican lawmaker from Peoria who has been vocally critical of the governor.
Rally kicks off Medicaid referendum drive
The push to refer Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion plan to the ballot began in earnest as opponents of the bill rallied at the Capitol before fanning out across the Valley to collect signatures.
Medicaid expansion coalition flexes its muscles
The bipartisan coalition forming around Medicaid expansion flexed their political muscle on Monday, shooting down a pair of amendments and approving another amendment to a Medicaid expansion supporter’s bill involving school bonding.
Arizona House passes school bonds bill
Arizona lawmakers have slashed $1 billion from public education dollars in recent years and gone to court to avoid mandatory increases in school funding. Now they want taxpayers to directly cover the costs of new construction, repairs, equipment and school buses.
AIMS repeal headed to Governor’s desk
A bill to scrap the requirement that high school students pass the AIMS test is heading to the governor’s desk after being approved by the House on Tuesday during a heated debate.
Despite bipartisan opposition, House approves ‘benefit corporations’ bill
Saying the American Dream is on life support and in need of help, Republican Rep. Tom Forese of Chandler beat back bipartisan opposition to his bill allowing a new type of corporation — a benefit corporation.
Bill allowing struggling schools to implement 200-day school year passes House
Arguing that struggling schools and students need more class time and less summer vacation, state representatives approved a bill to allow such schools to increase their calendar year to 200 days, and pull in some extra state money in the process.
Legislature offers surprises, challenges for large class of freshmen lawmakers
Freshman Republican Rep. Adam Kwasman of Oro Valley came up to the Legislature with big plans to enact big ideas.
Rep. Allen proposes measures to prevent devastating Capitol attack
Calling the Capitol a soft target for terrorist threats that could decapitate the state and destabilize the nation, Republican Rep. John Allen of Scottsdale is pitching a plan to install a full vehicle barrier around the Capitol complex.
Lawmakers question putting children into isolation rooms
After the approach was compared to prison scenes in the movie “Cool Hand Luke,” a Mesa lawmaker took the first step Monday toward ending the practice of placing unruly schoolchildren in isolation rooms.
