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Federal, state laws at odds on lobbyist political contributions
To curtail the inappropriate influence of money in politics, Arizona law prohibits lobbyists from contributing to lawmakers’ campaign committees while the Legislature is in session.
Medical marijuana businesses worry about legalization legislation
Phoenix Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego’s proposed legislation to legalize recreational marijuana in Arizona has some in the medical marijuana industry worried about losing their businesses.
Extracting funds for K-12
Crandell’s overhaul of school finance plan attracts skepticism and support
It’s a puzzle that has vexed policymakers, education leaders and business groups for decades, but it’s one that Sen. Chester Crandell hopes to solve: How can the state revamp education funding to be both fair and simple?
Senate Democrats regroup in brutal aftermath of leadership change
On the surface, all appeared well among Democrats in the Senate. The 13-member minority caucus had a common cause to unite around in Medicaid expansion during the 2013 legislative session and was able to form a new majority in the Senate chamber by joining forces with a few breakaway Republican lawmakers.
Investigators must tread lightly while following paper trail of attorney
Agents with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office had a sticky problem when they walked out of lobbyist Gary Husk’s office on Jan. 27, 2012, with documents and computer data seized as evidence.
Judicial imbalance
Relatively few private attorneys want to become judges in Arizona
Stagnant salaries and diminished retirement benefits keep private attorneys from joining Arizona’s bench, which is becoming unbalanced by increasing numbers of former government lawyers, said a lobbyist for Arizona judges.
Lobbyist accused in Fiesta Bowl scandal faces unrelated charges
The lobbyist accused of orchestrating the Fiesta Bowl scandal was indicted Thursday on eight low-level felonies not associated with the bowl-game scheme.
Freshmen stand out on issues ranging from Medicaid to sales tax reform
Doug Cole, a longtime lobbyist and veteran of the Capitol, said freshmen used to simply fall in line with leadership and sit on the back bench to learn during a session or two.
Capitol Quotes: June 28, 2013
This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances.
The untold story behind medical marijuana’s success
Despite all the coverage of “medical” marijuana in Arizona, the news media’s own role in promoting this law has gone unreported. Yet it’s an important story.
A lobbying tradition: lunches on the lawn
During the first three months of 2013, lawmakers worked 44 days, during which there were 35 lunches on the Capitol lawn for everyone in the halls of the House and Senate or for members of certain caucuses.
Special events dominated lobbying expenditures during the first quarter
Giving lawmakers free tickets to sporting events is legal if it falls into the “special event” category of lobbying, where the entire Legislature, an entire committee or an entire caucus is invited.
