Sen. Andrew Sherwood won’t seek re-election this fall, clearing the field in what was shaping up to be one of the most contentious Arizona Democratic primary races in 2016.

With the 2016 legislative session just a month away, Sen. Kelli Ward will resign her seat to focus full-time on her Republican primary challenge to U.S. Sen. John McCain.

GOP leaders in Maricopa County selected Republicans Dave Farnsworth, John Fillmore and Rep. Kelly Townsend as nominees to serve as the next state senator in Legislative District 16. The slate of nominees will be forwarded to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which will select one of three to replace former Sen. Rich Crandall.

A bill to overhaul the recall election process in Arizona to protect Sheriff Joe Arpaio and other elected officials was defeated today in the state Senate. HB2282 failed by a 10-18 vote. It would have created a primary and general election process in the event an elected official is recalled, as opposed to the current non-partisan, winner-take-all election.

A bill to allow school employees to carry guns in schools received the preliminary approval of the state Senate today, while another Republican gun measure appears to lack the votes to clear the chamber.

A state senator last week said she ignored a law that requires Arizonans to report taxes on their purchases from online retailers and other out-of-state businesses.