Republican senators advanced a bill that would expand eligibility for Arizona’s school voucher program and strip oversight of those vouchers from the newly elected Democratic head of the Department of Education.

A Republican lawmaker wants the state to hire a private company to oversee and administer Arizona’s voucher program and wants State Treasurer Kimberly Yee, not the newly elected Democratic superintendent, to choose the vendor.

That record number of Arizonans who turned out to vote this year has a dark side for direct democracy: It's going to be harder for voters to propose their own laws or get rid of ones they don't like.

Arizona voters refused Tuesday to ratify a bid by Gov. Doug Ducey and Republican lawmakers to allow any of the state's 1.1 million students in public schools to get vouchers of state tax dollars to attend private and parochial schools.

It seems a bit out of Alice in Wonderland. But if you support the goals of those who put Proposition 305 on the ballot -- opposition to expansion of vouchers -- you have to vote "no'' in November.

In November, Arizona voters will decide whether expanding the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program makes sense. It was originally started to help the parents of disabled children, foster children, or parents who are active military. It evolved, with little controversy, to include adopted children, children attending D/F rated schools, and those in Native American communities. About 5,000 children are now using the scholarships to attend private schools or be home-schooled, if they don’t feel the public school system is right for their special, unique needs.

Democrat lawmakers accused their Republican colleagues Thursday of hiding relevant information from voters about upcoming ballot measures.

A judge has refused to block voters from getting the last word on whether they want to expand a system of vouchers that uses public funds to send children to private and parochial schools.

Foes of universal school vouchers told a judge Friday she cannot consider a challenge brought by those who want to keep voters from getting the last word on the plan.

The Arizona Senate Ethics Committee will investigate a Democratic state senator for allegedly violating signature gathering laws, but won’t do any real sleuthing until the attorney general weighs in.