A letter from a Tucson retiree who used to be a California investigator proved instrumental in killing legislation that would have allowed people to fire off small-caliber "snake shot'' in city limits.

Promoted by supporters as a way to protect homeowners from varmints, the Republican-controlled state House voted 35-25 Wednesday along party lines for a law designed to let people shoot off weapons in city limits.

In the first week of the 2017 legislative session, lawmakers have already introduced hundreds of bills on topics ranging from the mundane to the life-or-death.