Medicaid opponents see their bills vetoed, but differ on reasons
Conservative lawmakers rallied against Medicaid expansion at a press conference on the Capitol lawn last month. But some expansion opponents warned that publicly staking out their position and standing up against Gov. Jan Brewer can come with political repercussions.
Expansion foes urge state-only program for childless adults
Opponents of Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion plan proposed a state-only health care program for the remaining childless adults still covered by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.
Predicting Brewer vetoes is difficult; reasons vary
Figuring out how to avoid Gov. Jan Brewer’s veto pen is a guessing game that leaves even some of the most seasoned veterans at the Capitol perplexed.
Many lawmakers and lobbyists say there are no hard and fast guidelines for avoiding a veto from a governor who vetoed 91 bills in her first four legislative sessions.
Lawmakers effort to halt newspaper notices stalls
What's become a yearly effort at the Arizona Legislature to end a requirement for governments to publish notices in newspapers has hit a major snag in the Senate.
AIMS repeal headed to Governor’s desk
A bill to scrap the requirement that high school students pass the AIMS test is heading to the governor’s desk after being approved by the House on Tuesday during a heated debate.
‘The Selective Seven’ — Sometimes they even vote against their own bills
A new voting bloc is emerging in the state House consisting of seven conservative Republicans who have voted against more GOP-sponsored bills on the floor than some Democrats have, though for entirely different reasons.
Public notice bill comes back to life while another dies
The battle over who gets to print public notices continued in the House on Monday, as a bill that had been killed was revived and passed, and another bill went down in flames.
Print v. online: Public notice bill sparks debate
A bill to remove the requirement that cities and counties publish public notices in a newspaper – and instead allow them to publish the notice only on the municipality’s website – was voted down in the House on Wednesday. But the battle over is far from over.
Legislature offers surprises, challenges for large class of freshmen lawmakers
Freshman Republican Rep. Adam Kwasman of Oro Valley came up to the Legislature with big plans to enact big ideas.
‘English only’ measure could cost the state federal money
A state lawmaker’s plan to save the state money by sending government materials only in English may run afoul of the Civil Rights Act and federal guidelines, and could cost state agencies billions per year in federal dollars.
Anti-union bills meet mixed fate in House committee
A trio of union-busting bills considered by a House committee on Tuesday met a varied fate: One passed, one was tabled to stave off a likely failure, and another was killed but later resurrected and approved when two Republican lawmakers changed their minds.