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Prosecutors, some GOP lawmakers join Dems to kill forfeiture bill
Sen. Eddie Farnsworth is blaming Attorney General Mark Brnovich for the failure of his legislation to preclude prosecutors from seizing property without first getting a criminal conviction.
Lawmaker: Virus makes need for change to sentencing laws greater than ever
This is all frustrating for Rep. Walt Blackman,R-Snowflake, one of many Arizona lawmakers who over the years have sought to amend the state’s sentencing laws -- some of the strictest in the country -- and improve prison conditions, mostly to no avail.
Fate of most 2020 bills met at Legislature’s deadline
Silent death has come for about two-thirds of the 1,842 bills and resolutions introduced this year in the Legislature.
Players in movement to remake Arizona’s criminal justice system
Since conservatives got on board with revamping Arizona’s sentencing laws, bills to do that no longer lay unheard, not considered. And as the movement has taken hold over the past few years, a host of groups and people have made their presence known at the Legislature. Following are some of them.
Push to remake criminal justice laws hits snag in House
Several bills to revamp criminal justice in Arizona appear to be on life support after the Republican House Judiciary chair decided to hold a trio of bills in retaliation to his own bill being held.
House passes bill to cut red tape on border wall construction on private land
Calling it a matter of property rights and security, the state House voted Thursday to let those living along the border to construct walls without first getting local permission or building permits.
Number of lawmakers who didn’t miss a vote, day of work up from 2018
Throughout the 135 days of the 2019 legislative session, only eight lawmakers made it to every required work day and cast a vote for everything that made it to the floor, down from 19 lawmakers last session.
Legislation to immunize well owners becomes law
A new law signed Thursday by Gov. Doug Ducey is designed to provide legal protections to those who drill wells into underground streams they are not legally entitled to tap.
Bill to make primary elections earlier goes to governor
Arizona voters may be on the verge of getting three more weeks of candidate speeches, robocalls, door hangars and mailers.
Fireworks allowed more days in Arizona under proposed law
State lawmakers agreed Thursday that members of the Indian community should have the right to use sparklers and similar fireworks for the festival of Diwali the same as other Arizonans can for other holidays.
House passes bill to put more restrictions on voter registration
The state House voted Monday to create some new crimes for certain voter-registration activities in a move several lawmakers suggested will suppress voting, particularly by the young and minorities.
Democrats kill bill to fund school supplies
Democrats and the Arizona Education Association said the proposal, which would have given each teacher in the state $200 to spend on school supplies, was not enough money and not a permanent solution to the state’s funding crisis.
