A Senate panel today approved a proposal to create an armed militia that could be deployed to the Mexican border and support local governments combat the drug cartels.

Like a fancy new car that just sits in the garage because the owner can’t afford to pay the insurance, cash-strapped Arizona may not have many opportunities to use two border security measures the Legislature passed.

Senate Bill 1495 authorizes the governor to establish the Arizona State Guard, which would be independent from the Arizona National Guard and under the exclusive control of the state, for any reason. And SB1406 gives a border security committee the green light to raise private funds to build a fence along the border.