Doug Quelland, a former Republican lawmaker who was kicked out of office for violating campaign finance laws two years ago, is hoping to make history by becoming the first independent candidate to win a Senate seat in Arizona.

Republican legislative candidates in hotly-contested races have on the whole stockpiled a bigger war chest than Democrats as November approaches, finance reports filed with the Secretary of State show.

Democrats running in a Republican-leaning West Valley district zeroed in on the majority party’s decision to slash education funding during the fiscal crisis and keep it relatively flat even when the economy began to turn around.

Mesa businessman Bob Worsley has far outraised his primary opponent, former Senate President Russell Pearce, taking in about $67,000 in contributions during the first five months of the year. Pearce, meanwhile, collected a mere $2,800 during the same period, according to the latest campaign finance reports. The deadline to file the reports was July 2, and they reflect campaign finances through May 31.

The Arizona House has passed a bill that would release businesses from punitive damage claims.

Big business and consumer-rights advocates are squaring off over a bill that would significantly limit the ability of people to sue a manufacturer whose products might pose risks to the public. The legislation would shield manufacturers from punitive damage claims — the most aggressive legal recourse allowed against manufacturers — unless very specific negligence can be demonstrated.

Manning the counter at Herb N’Legends, a north Phoenix smoke shop, Bob Wools said minors come in at least every other day trying to buy hookah pipes. And even though there’s no law against selling them to those under 18, ...

Adding to the list of lawmakers who hope to switch chambers, Rep. Kimberly Yee announced today that she will be running for the Senate this year.

As part of the state’s response to the Fiesta Bowl scandal, the Secretary of State’s office is planning to make financial disclosure statements more accessible to the public.

This is one of a series of biographical sketches Cronkite News Service is producing about new members of the Arizona State Legislature.