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Senate president ready to advance budget compromise
Senate President Andy Biggs is prepared to move forward with the budget compromise pitched on April 3 by the House and Gov. Jan Brewer if the Senate has enough votes for the $9.2 billion fiscal 2015 spending plan to clear the chamber.
Arizona congressional staffers work through government shutdown
It was still a workday Tuesday for many staffers in Arizona’s congressional offices, even as other parts of the government were shut down by a budget impasse – and even though there’s no guarantee they will get paid for this time.
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.
Predicting Brewer vetoes is difficult; reasons vary
Figuring out how to avoid Gov. Jan Brewer’s veto pen is a guessing game that leaves even some of the most seasoned veterans at the Capitol perplexed.
Many lawmakers and lobbyists say there are no hard and fast guidelines for avoiding a veto from a governor who vetoed 91 bills in her first four legislative sessions.
Bill aims to prevent court battles over settlement money
A bill that would change the way the state handles money from court settlements with the Attorney General’s Office could help prevent the kinds of court battles that ensued after the Legislature swept $50 million into the general fund last year.
Mayors unveil own sales tax simplification plan
Mayors of Arizona cities offered an alternative plan to simplify the state’s sales tax code today, hours before a Senate panel began tackling key provisions of Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposal.
Capitol Quotes: March 15, 2013
This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances.
House passes new plan to deal with corrupt police departments
The House passed a new version on March 6 of a bill stimulated by corruption in Colorado City.
Brewer proposal would put unprecedented power in AHCCCS director’s hands
By using a loophole in Proposition 108 that may allow her to sidestep the need to get a two-thirds vote for her Medicaid expansion plan, Gov. Jan Brewer would be putting an unprecedented amount of power in her AHCCCS director’s hands.
Bill inspired by Colorado City sets procedure to take over corrupt police departments
A bill spawned by police corruption in a polygamist town received unanimous approval Tuesday in the House Government Committee.
And while the bill passed easily and has support of police unions, sparks flew when a Utah civil rights attorney who spoke against the measure suggested the U.S. Department of Justice and Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board could address corrupt[...]
With accounting system ‘on the ropes,’ Arizona moving forward with upgrade
The state’s accounting system is on life support, but thanks to funding allocated last year by the governor and the Legislature it’s getting an overhaul that officials say is long overdue.
Few bills surface aimed at violence related to mental illness
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre, the call to address problems with the mental-health system and keep guns from mentally ill people has been as persistent as the talk about restricting firearms.
