Concluding public safety would not be harmed, a House panel voted Monday to let people style and blow dry hair for money without first getting a license from the state.

Ahead of some major solar decisions in Arizona, a Nevada utility regulator told Arizona’s regulators on Wednesday to probe all sides of the debate and think about long-term consequences.

Rather than wait for the next regulatory fight over a “sharing economy” business to erupt somewhere in Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey wants to make sure cities, counties and the state can’t regulate them at all – at least not without the Legislature’s permission.

Rep. T.J. Shope’s HB2182 would get rid of a requirement in state law that says a beer and wine store must have a 5,000-square-foot building in order to be able to conduct its own sampling.

State lawmakers are moving to effectively stand state regulation of businesses on their head, requiring government agencies to prove their rules and restrictions are necessary.

Gov. Doug Ducey called on lawmakers Jan. 11 to send him legislation allowing state agencies to wipe out unnecessary regulations that restrain job creation.

Consider it the annual tease: Ducey today unveiled his priorities for the year, but while he sprinkled his state of the state speech with some details, the public will have to wait until he releases his budget on Friday for more meat. He struck a hopeful note, saying Arizona is “on the rise,” and vowed to keep the state on that trajectory with lower taxes, reduced regulations and improved education.

Rather than take her dispute with the Citizens Clean Elections Commission to court, Secretary of State Michele Reagan is looking to a panel tasked with overseeing agency regulations to halt a new commission rule that she argued infringes on her authority.

Many major policy decisions are still up in the air at the Arizona Corporation Commission, but one thing is for sure: It’s no longer the commission of yore.

The Arizona Corporation Commission has hired a new attorney to deal with ethical issues and handle public records requests.