A freshman lawmaker from Prescott has been elected as permanent majority whip in the Senate. "It's an honor to be able to able to help," said Sen. Steve Pierce. Pierce's election to the post did not come as a surprise.

Senate Republicans have postponed a vote to permanently replace Senate Majority Whip Pamela Gorman, who resigned her leadership position earlier in the day. But they did choose a temporary replacement: freshman Sen. Steve Pierce.

The budget package passed by the House includes the repeal of a bill that was originally intended to help lenders recoup losses from foreclosed homes.

Prescott Republican Sen. Steve Pierce has endorsed the repeal of S1271, a measure he shepherded through the Legislature in what he describes as an effort to provide some shelter to community banks that have been pummeled by waves of foreclosures.

UPDATE - Sen. Steve Pierce told the Arizona Capitol Times that his foreclosure bill will have to be fixed, either in special session or next year when the Legislature begins the regular session. Pierce and stakeholders met this afternoon (July 28) to discuss changes to the legislation.

Fewer lawmakers are likely to be present for the special session July 20. About a third of senators and representatives planned to attend the National Conference of State Legislatures summit in Philadelphia City this week, according to the Senate and the House.

While attorneys prepare for a summer showdown over the constitutionality of a segment of Arizona's system of public campaign financing, a committee of legislators will decide whether to give voters the opportunity to ban publicly funded campaigns entirely.