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A million here, a million there
Campaign finance reports aren’t due until June 30, but Ducey and Scott Smith both jumped out early to announce their million-dollar fundraising hauls for the last period, which wrapped up at the end of May.
Let the challenges begin
As of the end of business yesterday (May 29), the secretary of state has received requests to inspect 81 candidates’ qualifying signatures. Depending on what they find, those requests can become the precursor to candidate challenges.
Bing, bang, boom
The second special session of the 51st Legislature officially ended today at 12:56 pm. Only a single vote was cast against the CPS reform package, with Ward voting no on S1002 (appropriations; Dept of Child Safety)
The reason for the rubbernecking
There was a reason why yesterday’s first day of special session got off to a slow start – Biggs and other conservative lawmakers wanted to hold back some of the funding for more staffers until certain benchmarks were met, our reporter was told.
If the ducks aren’t in a row, suspend the rules
The House suspended rules in order to make up for lost time waiting on the legislation. The lower chamber suspended Rule 9(C)(7) requiring notice to lawmakers and the general public by 4 pm the day before a special meeting can be called, as well as Rule 33(B), which prohibits committees from taking action on a measure unless the measure is posted on a committee agenda by 4 pm the previous day.
Signed, sealed and delivered
Brewer issued a call today (May 22) for lawmakers to return to the Capitol May 27 for a special session to overhaul the state’s child-welfare agency and close out an ever-growing backlog of 14,777 abuse and neglect cases.
Brewer eyeing Ducey, Smith for endorsement
Brewer, who has expressed her desire to endorse a candidate in the gubernatorial primary, has narrowed down her choices to two. She conceded in an interview yesterday that one of them is Smith, the lone Republican in the race who supports her controversial proposal to expand Medicaid and to maintain the Common Core standards, but wouldn’t say who the other candidate is.
All it takes is a single spark
The relatively quiet CD1 Republican primary erupted yesterday (May 19), as Tobin called on Kiehne to end his campaign following comments at a debate Friday concerning guns and immigration.
Hitting two birds with one special session stone
Associated Press reporter Bob Christie broke the news late Friday afternoon that police and fire unions are pushing for a special session that would allow voters in November to vote on an overhaul of PSPRS to deal with the pension’s underfunding.
Pro-Ducey IE’s poll yields pro-Ducey result
Just one week after the Republic reported that Ducey was bringing up the rear in most gubernatorial campaigns’ internal polls, a new poll commissioned by the pro-Ducey IE Conservative Leadership for Arizona shows him not only leading the GOP primary, but with about twice the support of any other candidate.
Dearest judges whom I appointed…
Brewer and AHCCCS Director Tom Betlach today (May 14) asked the Arizona Supreme Court to reverse the appellate court’s ruling that the 36 Republican legislators who are challenging Medicaid expansion have standing to sue.
Add county attorney to the list of Horne investigators
Attorney Tom Ryan, who represents former AG staffer and Horne campaign volunteer Sarah Beattie, repeatedly declined to comment yesterday on whether he filed complaints against Horne with any law enforcement agency after submitting Beattie’s complaint to the secretary of state’s office and Citizens Clean Elections Commission.
