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Q&A with Senate President with Russell Pearce
Even before he became president of the Arizona Senate, Russell Pearce, a conservative Republican from Mesa, was dominating much of the action in the Legislature. But as he takes over the top spot in the Senate, he has lost some of the freedom he had to set his own course.
Q&A with Senate Minority Leader with David Schapira
Senate Minority Leader David Schapira is a young man with responsibilities usually associated with more seasoned politicians. As a leading representative of Democratic interests in the Capitol, his job is to persuade Republicans to listen to alternative solutions, whether about balancing the budget or fixing the economy, and to try to forge partnerships with some of them to pass or block legislati[...]
For now, Arizona politicians are the quiet ones
National politicking in the wake of the Jan. 8 mass shooting in Tucson has been plentiful, but the conversations ascribing blame or motive have been almost entirely absent in the halls and floors of the Arizona Legislature.
O’Grady: Redistricting challenge should wait until after members are chosen
The time isn’t right for the Arizona Supreme Court to rule on the eligibility of nominees for the Independent Redistricting Commission, the state’s solicitor general argued in briefs filed Jan. 14.
Capitol community ramps up security for opening day, but permanent changes unlikely
The hundreds of dignitaries, elected officials, family members and onlookers who attended Gov. Jan Brewer’s subdued State of the State address on Jan. 10 encountered more security than they would on any other day, but the changes are not likely to last
At Capitol, civility reigns for now, but business as usual looms
No opening day at the Capitol has ever resembled the one on Jan. 10, but the end of the 2011 session may not look any different from the near-century of sessions that preceded it.
Pearce reserves “SB1070,” his favorite bill number
David Schapira, a Democrat from Tempe, dropped nine bills this week thinking one of them would be numbered "S1070." To his surprise, he got bill numbers “S1069” and “S1071,” but “S1070” went to Senate President Russell Pearce, the author of last year’s hotly-contested immigration policy.
Legislature swiftly passes, Brewer signs bill to restrict funeral protests
To members of a notorious Kansas-based church who are planning to picket the funerals of victims of the shooting rampage in Tucson, Arizona sent this message today: We don't want you here.
Lawmakers want restrictions against funeral protests
If a notorious Kansas-based church follows through on its vow to picket the funerals of victims of the shooting rampage in Tucson, the picketers probably will find that Arizona isn’t as accommodating as they’d hoped.
Republicans say Arizona needs to reduce government
Republican legislative leaders on Friday called for budget-troubled Arizona to shrink its state government and the services it provides, with one bemoaning an "entitlement mentality."
Adams proposes elimination of elected officials’ pension program
House Speaker Kirk Adams is proposing to eliminate the pension program for elected officials. "Is it any surprise to anyone in this room that a pension program for politicians designed by politicians would happen to be the most generous of all," Adams said during the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Legislative Forecast Luncheon Jan. 7.
Brewer leaves out legislative priority in Chamber lunch economic speech
Gov. Jan Brewer made her economic agenda for the upcoming session clear, and the agenda she didn't lay out spoke volumes as well.
