The two state House seats in Pinal County’s Legislative District 8 will remain in Republican hands, as Democrat Carmen Casillas came up short against Republican Rep. T.J. Shope and political newcomer David Cook.

The five members of the House Elections Committee agreed that Arizona’s late August primary election date should be earlier. Exactly when the primary election will be may have to be a discussion for another day.

There’s a battle brewing over microbreweries. For Arizona’s two largest craft beer brewing companies, business is booming. In fact, Four Peaks and San Tan brewing companies are producing so much beer that they’re pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a microbrewery. They’re brushing up against state-imposed caps on the amount of beer a microbrewery can brew.

With marriage licenses being issued to gay couples across the state, Republican lawmakers are already talking about ways to protect religious organizations and businesses from being forced to participate in gay marriages. And SB1062 is back on the forefront of some minds.

This week's most outstanding quips, gibes and utterances from Arizona's political scene.

With marriage licenses just starting to be issued to gay couples across the state, lawmakers are already talking about ways to protect religious organizations and businesses from being forced to participate in gay marriages, and SB1062 is back on the forefront of many minds.

The devastating recent state budget projections have some lawmakers eyeing additional taxes on e-cigarettes as a new source of revenue that could help bridge the $1 billion projected deficit by next year.

Despite objections from the AARP and a coalition that once defeated the payday lending industry, lending firms can soon collect the maximum interest fee on slightly bigger loans.

Gov. Jan Brewer made Child Protective Services the centerpiece of her legislative agenda this year, but after four months of debate, lawmakers sent her a budget that leaves much of the work and funding necessary to create a new child protection agency unfinished.

The Arizona House has begun debating a state budget plan that adds spending to the plan passed by the Senate.