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Pancrazi opts not to seek re-election
Yuma Democrat Lynne Pancrazi won’t seek re-election to the Arizona Senate next year.
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.
Months before the election, lawmakers jockey for leadership roles
Although the 2014 election season is just heating up, a quieter campaign has been continuing for months — the election of legislative leadership.
Committee OKs border cameras, but no money to pay for them
A Senate panel voted March 25 to set up a “virtual fence’’ along the U.S.-Mexico border — but provided absolutely no cash to do that.
Software firm criticized for pushing bill to require AZ to buy its product
State lawmakers are moving HB2485 to require the state to buy computer programs for English learners with specifications that were crafted in detail by a company selling the software.
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.
Democrats oust Landrum Taylor as Senate Minority Leader in favor of Tovar
In a dramatic turn of events, Senate Minority Leader Landrum Taylor was ousted as minority leader by her party-mates following a closed-door meeting in the Senate today.
Crandall has worst attendance record in Legislature; 19 lawmakers didn’t miss a day
The award for most missed floor votes and most missed days of the session goes to Republican Sen. Rich Crandall of Mesa, who showed up to vote on only 64 percent of the bills that made it to the Senate floor, and was present for only 61 percent of the days the Senate met.
Livingston scores a perfect legislative batting average
The award for best legislative batting average for the session — the calculation of bills introduced versus bills signed into law — goes to Rep. David Livingston, a freshman Republican lawmaker from Peoria who has been vocally critical of the governor.
Two Dems snub joint panel on IRC
Two Democrats who were appointed to a new legislative panel that is scrutinizing the work of the Independent Redistricting Commission have snubbed the committee.
Rural hospitals facing serious impact from AHCCCS budget cuts
With a few strokes of her pen, Gov. Jan Brewer approved massive cuts to health care funding and money the state gives to hospitals that treat large numbers of the poor and uninsured. While the move will be felt statewide, its most acute effect could be in the rural reaches of the state.
