Appeals court hears arguments on Arizona law removing same-sex partner benefits

An Arizona law removing domestic partner benefits for state employees discriminates against same-sex couples because they can’t get married to qualify, an attorney argued Monday before an appeals court panel.

Birthright bills won’t be heard this week

The birthright legislation has taken a backseat after lawmakers convened in a special session Monday to tackle a bill that aims to cut taxes as a way to attract businesses to Arizona.

Ariz. may require hospitals to check citizenship

Arizona lawmakers are trying to widen the state's illegal immigration crackdown with a proposal to require hospitals to confirm whether patients are in the country legally.

Free state transportation planners from federal handcuffs

Despite transportation funds coming from taxes paid by Arizona drivers, the federal government puts conditions and mandates on the use of these funds before states can be reimbursed for expenditures. Gov. Jan Brewer and the Arizona Department of Transportation have been fighting for more local control of transportation funds to better meet the state’s short- and long-range needs.

New lawmaker profile: Rep. Karen Fann, R-Prescott

This is one of a series of biographical sketches Cronkite News Service is producing about new members of the Arizona State Legislature. Each follows this format and includes a mugshot and video.

Lawmaker: Better screening for veterans would save AHCCCS millions

Changing procedures to identify military veterans eligible for federal medical benefits would save Arizona’s Medicaid system millions of dollars, a state lawmaker said.

Birthright bills bring out the best in debate

Those who watched the public hearing on the birthright bills in the Judiciary Committee on Feb. 7 were treated to a brilliant exposition of the 14th Amendment, its meaning and its history.

The Lore of Charleston

On an outing from Fort Huachuca, this trio of unidentified soldiers hiked through a dense mesquite bosque to a clearing overlooking the San Pedro River near the crumbling remains of Charleston.

Casino survives, but opposition group’s clout undiminished

On the surface, the outcome of the Legislature’s voting looked like a defeat for the Center for Arizona Policy, a faith-based advocacy lobby that has been winning at the state Capitol for most of the last decade.

Center’s priority: protecting those who practice religion

Judicial-reform proposals are just two items on the Center for Arizona Policy’s 16-part agenda for 2011.

Constitutional obstacle course: the challenges facing the birthright citizenship bill backers

Frustrated by the federal government's refusal to solve illegal immigration, some lawmakers want the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve who exactly is an American citizen.

In trying to define citizenship, birthright busters will have to navigate not only through the U.S. Supreme Court, but the U.S. Senate, other states and even their own caucus.

Even without controversial blunt wraps provision, tobacco bill still fails in Senate

At first, Sen. Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale, thought her fake ID and "blunt wrap" bill would sail through the Senate. But that second part landed the bill in the middle of an ugly feud between a national group of cigar manufacturers and one of its members.