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ESA program added almost 50,000 students in the past year, state reports
The state added nearly 12,000 students to the Empowerment Scholarship Account program in the last quarter, bringing total enrollment to 61,689 at the end of June and renewing debates about the costs and benefits of the program.
Toma and Petersen claim doctors have no legal right to challenge abortion ban
Arizona's top two Republican lawmakers say doctors have no legal right to challenge a 2021 ban the GOP-controlled Legislature enacted on abortions due to fetal abnormalities because they aren't saying they intend to violate it.
Effort to regulate short-term rentals will resume
Stakeholders and lawmakers say that they will renew efforts in the next legislative session to increase municipalities’ ability to restrict short-term rentals to increase the amount of long-term rental properties and for-sale residential properties.
Sierra Club report card lauds environmental funding, laments climate inaction
The Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Wednesday released its fall 2023 Environmental Report Card for the Arizona Legislature and governor, and though the organization gave a majority of the state’s legislators negative marks for climate inaction, it praised the state budget’s climate initiatives.
Attempts to curtail universal ESA program fail
In the first legislative session following the universal expansion of the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, attempts to curtail or enact further oversight for the program fell flat.
Getting a bill passed takes ‘compromise’ and persistence
After a record number of vetoes from a governor during the 2023 legislative session, Republicans saw a fewer volume of the amount of bills signed than in recent years.
Lawmakers had high attendance on fewer days
This session, lawmakers had very good attendance records, but only came to work a fraction of the time the Legislature was technically in session.
Under Hobbs, Dems struggle to get bills advanced, signed
The 2023 legislative session was comprised similarly to the previous two, with all three having narrow Republican majorities in the House and Senate.
Longest session didn’t yield much – lawmakers eye 2024
Arizona lawmakers wrapped up the longest session in state history last month, but little changed by way of new legislation.
Q&A with Governor Katie Hobbs
In her first legislative session as governor, Katie Hobbs had to navigate a sharply divided Legislature, at times working closely with Republican leadership while also facing attempts by GOP lawmakers to thwart her agenda.
Q&A with House Speaker Ben Toma
In a recent interview with the Arizona Capitol Times, House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Peoria, discussed the highlights and disappointments of the 2023 session.
Public universities ending diversity, inclusion statements
Arizona’s public universities are discontinuing diversity, equity and inclusion statements in job applications for faculty and staff.
