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Capitol Quotes 2/5/10
"We had problems from the beginning because we decided that we would not turn in somebody who is openly serving in the military that was a homosexual - that we knew to be a homosexual. We tried to be tolerant. It didn't work." - Sen. Jack Harper, objecting to President Obama's plan to allow gays to openly serve in the U.S. military.
Harper: Tolerating gays in military a mistake
Sen. Jack Harper stood up during a discussion on the Senate floor to explain that it was a mistake for President Obama to advocate for changes to the "Don't ask, don't tell" directive that has kept gays and lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. military.
Harper proposal targets adoptions by homosexuals
Sen. Jack Harper said he intended to craft a law that would stop "activist judges" from taking children away from heterosexual couples and giving custody to gay people. But the measure he is sponsoring would have a much broader impact on Arizona's adoption laws.
Panel approves ballot measure to repeal voter protection on spending
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a ballot measure Feb. 2 that will ask voters to repeal a state constitutional amendment limiting lawmakers' ability to amend voter-mandated spending.
Lawmakers want control of federal money
A Senate panel has approved a bill that would allow the Legislature to decide how to spend federal money that is controlled by the Governor’s Office.
Long session led to many missed votes
The Arizona House of Representatives held 382 floor votes during the 2009 regular session, which stretched into July as lawmakers struggled with the budget deficit. Rep. Rich Crandall, a Mesa Republican, didn't participate in 254 of them, nearly two-thirds of the total.
Census data: Arizona second in police, corrections spending, 38th in education
Arizona outspent all but one state on police protection and corrections as a percentage of overall state and local expenditures while its education spending ranked 38th in U.S. Census Bureau data released Wednesday (Sept. 30).
Diminished debate: Limits on floor discussion put Senate in quandary
In the Arizona Legislature, debate usually refers to the Committee of the Whole, a crucial part of lawmaking that facilitates adjustments to legislation. More importantly for some, it is the last chance to thoroughly examine proposed legislation and to sway people's opinion for or against it. In most cases, emotions are checked and the tone is primarily civil. But in the last two years, senators h[...]
Supporters: Law raising microbrewery production limit good for Arizona firms, jobs
Jim Scussel and his partners started Four Peaks Brewing Co. 13 years ago as a brewery and tasting room, rolling out kegs of Scottish Ale, Four Peaks Ale and Arizona Peach to restaurants and bars. Four Peaks later opened a restaurant at its brewery in Tempe and another in north Scottsdale. And consumers now can purchase Kilt Lifter and its other brews at grocery and convenience stores around the[...]
New law expands religious expression in schools
Sen. Linda Gray often cites "The New England Primer" while delivering speeches on the Senate floor. In a committee hearing June 10, the Glendale Republican read an excerpt: "I believe in God the Father, Almighty Maker of heaven and Earth, and in Jesus his only Son our Lord, which was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and bur[...]
Part-time Arizona lawmakers working into the summer
Arizona's part-time legislators are on the job in midsummer after their inability to work out an on-time solution to the state's budget trouble led them to crack a barrier they hoped to avoid. The annual regular session starts in January and has adjourned in May or June in recent years. This year, it ran 71/2 hours into July 1 before lawmakers approved a new budget and finished action on other [...]
Burns reassigns all budget bills to Education Committee
The failure of the main budget bill in the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 29 signaled larger problems ahead for the state budget agreement reached last week by legislative leaders and the governor.
