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GCU announces it will appeal $37 million fine
Grand Canyon University officials announced Thursday the university is appealing a $37.7 federal fine levied against it for misrepresented tuition costs.
Bill to expand ESA reporting advances, barely
A bill that would expand reporting requirements for the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program narrowly passed the Senate Education Committee on Feb. 15.
Hobbs establishes prison oversight commission to recommend reforms
Gov. Katie Hobbs is calling for a top-to-bottom review of the Arizona prison system, where inmates and their families have complained about a wide range of issues and a federal judge recently found medical care to be “plainly grossly inadequate.” The governor issued an executive order on Wednesday establishing an “independent prison oversight commission” to review problems in the prison sy[...]
Counties test election equipment to try to ensure accurate results
County officials around the state are reassuring the public that equipment has been thoroughly tested to ensure only valid ballots are counted for the Nov. 8 election.
Senate closes doors on transparency
Months after the Senate lifted other Covid restrictions, doing away with requirements to wear masks or keep distance at meetings, the building remained locked and historically public caucus meetings continued being held behind closed doors.
Tax transparency bills enable public to see data
This year, several transparency-related tax bills have been signed into law, each aiming to make tax issues more accessible to the public.
Charter schools move Arizona forward, but more can be done
Arizona’s charter schools are indeed a success story for our state. Our leaders should be applauded for having the vision to carefully create a climate in which school choice benefits so many through specialized learning, improved test scores, and education options.
Once a warrior against dark money, Secretary of State Reagan does an about-face
Back when she was a lawmaker and chair of the Senate Elections Committee, Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan made it her top priority to hold political campaigns accountable and shine a light on dark money.
Following the money
Government spending transparency websites give citizens and government officials the ability to monitor many aspects of state spending in order to save taxpayers money, realize more efficient government administration, enjoy more competitive bidding for public projects, and spend less staff time on information requests.
Open for comment: Lawmaker lets people talk, and they have plenty to say
Hours after the experts had their say – the budget analysts, representatives from the Arizona Board of Regents, and the presidents of the Grand Canyon State’s public universities – the public had a chance to testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Jan. 27. Senators got more than they bargained for.
Stonewalled: Legislature redacts, delays and denies access to messages
Four months ago, the Arizona Capitol Times set out to learn how much of the state’s business is being conducted on smartphones, via newer technologies like text messages, social media chats and third-party messenger applications. But getting access to those messages, which most experts and public officials agree are covered under the state public records laws, can be extremely difficult.
Prosecutors prepare to fight civil forfeiture reforms
Members of the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council spoke frankly about their strategy for killing a bill proposed by Republican Rep. Bob Thorpe of Flagstaff during a recent meeting to discuss possible law enforcement related bills. Thorpe has said his goal is to add transparency and accountability in the civil forfeiture laws.
