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Senate Democrats keep same leaders
Senate Democrats re-elected the same four lawmakers to continue leading their caucus as have the past two years.
Katie Hobbs: The ‘least bad’ budget she’s seen
In Sen. Katie Hobbs’ second full session as minority leader of Senate Democrats, she had fewer votes to count – a headcount of merely 12 lawmakers claiming loyalty to the party after Sen. Carlyle Begay, R-Ganado, switched parties in 2015. Yet the Phoenix Democrat still watched her chamber approve KidsCare and approve the “least bad” budget she’s seen pass the Legislature.
Q&A with Senate Minority Leader Katie Hobbs
Senate Minority Leader Katie Hobbs heads into the 2016 Legislative session at even more of a disadvantage than usual.
Sherwood appointed to state Senate
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Tempe Democratic Rep. Andrew Sherwood to the state Senate.
Democrats’ conundrum: support or oppose the school finance deal
Each year without failure since the onset of the Great Recession, Democrats have denounced cuts to public education and clamored for more funding for K-12 schools, a demand that has gotten louder as the state’s economy improves.
Despite pleas and promises, state can’t deliver on school funding settlement
Before leaving office, former Gov. Jan Brewer urged Arizona lawmakers to settle a nearly $2 billion dispute over inflation funding for K-12 education. Gov. Doug Ducey, in his State of the State address in January, pleaded with lawmakers to settle the case as well.
Support for land trust plan remains strong despite the treasurer’s vocal opposition
Recent criticism by state Treasurer Jeff DeWit appears to have done little to dampen Republican enthusiasm for Gov. Doug Ducey’s proposal to increase state land trust payments to K-12 schools.
2015 Session Wrap Q&A: Senate Minority Leader Katie Hobbs
Sen. Katie Hobbs was one of many new leaders at the Capitol this session. She was tasked with leading an entirely-new Democratic leadership team in the Senate while dealing with a new governor and a veteran Senate president in Andy Biggs.
Lawmakers work all night to pass budget
Arizona lawmakers pulled an all-nighter and worked well past sunrise Saturday morning to approve a $9.1 billion budget proposal after Republican leadership spent the day rounding up the votes to get it across the finish line.
Nearly half of Senate Dem caucus elected to leadership
The Senate’s 13 Democrats elected Sens. Katie Hobbs and Steve Farley as minority leader and assistant minority leader, respectively. And in an unconventional move, two new senators – Reps. Martin Quezada and Lupe Contreras – will serve as co-whips of the minority caucus.
Alston, Clark roll to victory in LD24 House contest
As expected, Rep. Lela Alson is leading the three-way Democratic primary for the two House seats in midtown Phoenix’s Legislative District 24.
Sen. Hobbs breaks leg in House-Senate game
An Arizona state senator who planned to run in the Boston marathon later this month has broken her leg in the annual House-Senate softball game.
