Across the state, Arizonans are bracing for federal spending cuts that will take effect Friday barring compromise between President Barack Obama and the House Republican leadership over a plan to reduce the national debt.

The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would expand the state’s law prohibiting cities from keeping databases of gun-related transactions to include firearm ownership as well.

While Democrats gained seats following last year’s elections, Republicans are still likely to craft the state budget on their own rather than directly negotiate with the minority.

Arizona's U.S. House delegation split along party lines late Tuesday night as the House passed the so-called "fiscal cliff" agreement.

Former Senate President Russell Pearce said the dispute over organizational elections in Legislative District 25 is over cheating, not a power struggle between political factions as it has been portrayed in a federal lawsuit.

Pearce, a precinct committeeman in the heavily conservative Mesa district, said the lawsuit, filed Dec. 24 in U.S. District Court in Phoenix, is an attempt to cover up cheating and fraud that was committed by a few people.

When the year is over, departing Sen. Jerry Lewis, a Republican from Mesa, will have served half a term, a fraction of a senator’s typical length of stay at the state Capitol.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio says that Tom Morrissey deserves a second term as Arizona Republican Party chairman when party activists meet in January to decide whether to keep Morrissey as their leader or replace him.

If Gov. Jan Brewer pushes for a state-run health insurance exchange or Medicaid expansion next session, there is little doubt that she’ll need more than just Republican votes.

For those who want to see more of Arizona’s Hispanic community participate in the political process, 2012 provided both a reason to celebrate and an impetus for continued effort.

Incoming Republican leaders have completed the reorganization of Senate committees following last week’s elections. As expected, the Senate will have fewer committees, but the core panels that serve as gatekeepers of the thousands of ideas lawmakers grapple with each year have been retained.