Sheriff’s death photos spark restriction debate
Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever lay dead in the driver’s seat of his wrecked pickup truck, his head turned away from the camera, his body slumped over toward the passenger’s side and his left arm bloody at the elbow. The shock of seeing the respected lawman dead sparked lawmakers to review what kinds of images should be considered public records.
Following Yarnell deaths, bill would limit access to autopsy photos
An Arizona lawmaker wants to ensure autopsy photos and videos can only be released with a Superior Court judge's approval.
Brewer appeals FEMA rejection of Yarnell aid
Gov. Jan Brewer is asking the Federal Emergency Management Administration to reconsider its denial of disaster aid for the Yarnell Hill fire, saying new information proves that it’s needed and that the deadly-but-relatively-small blaze was destructive enough to warrant federal assistance.
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.
‘The Selective Seven’ — Sometimes they even vote against their own bills
A new voting bloc is emerging in the state House consisting of seven conservative Republicans who have voted against more GOP-sponsored bills on the floor than some Democrats have, though for entirely different reasons.
AZ House delays bill on newspaper public notices
Republicans and Democrats in the Arizona House of Representatives are forming a rare alliance aimed at protecting small newspapers and government transparency.
Bill would would allow communities to ban fireworks sales
Saying it would help reduce the risk of wildfires, a state lawmaker is trying again to give cities and towns the authority to ban the sale of sparklers and other fireworks legalized by a 2010 state law.
House sets committee rosters, Dems stronger on Appropriations
The House of Representatives released its committee assignments yesterday, leaving Democrats, who control 40 percent of the seats in the chamber, with 35.8 percent of the committee assignments. But Minority Leader Chad Campbell said the margins are still better than in previous years.
Campaign against Prop. 204 collects more than $500k
The campaign to defeat a 1-cent sales tax initiative collected $550,000 from three sources with ties to Republican causes and candidates.
Tobin, Fann hold off challenge from Klein
In what may have been Arizona’s most bizarre primary race, House Speaker Andy Tobin has defeated an opponent backed by out-of-state money and friends who include Herman Cain, Joe the Plumber and the creator of the notorious Willie Horton attack ads.
Tobin outraises his opponents in District 1
House Speaker Andy Tobin easily outraised his party-mates in the three-way House primary in Northern Arizona, the latest finance reports filed with the Secretary of State showed.
Business group ad: Klein is ‘red-scaring, conspiracy-touting’ politician
The well-funded political spending arm of the state’s leading business coalition bashed Sen. Lori Klein in a campaign ad today, calling her a “gun-toting, red-scaring, conspiracy-touting politician.”