News - AZ FREE NEWS

Budget Bill Strips Secretary Of State Katie Hobbs Of Duties

May 26, 2021

On Tuesday, while hammering out the budget, members of both the Senate and House Appropriations Committees stripped Secretary of State Katie Hobbs of her ability to defend election lawsuits. Hobbs' responsibility for the oversight of the Capitol...

Release Of Budget Spending Plan Triggers Legislative Posturing

May 25, 2021

By Terri Jo Neff | Arizona’s forecasted budget surplus of $1.5 to $2 billion means a lot of potential massaging of the $12.8 billion budget spending plan released Monday after months in negotiations with Gov. Doug Ducey. The surplus also means...

It’s Official: Department Of Interior Approves Tribal-State Gaming Compact Amendment

May 25, 2021

The U.S. Department of Interior has given its approval to the amended tribal-state gaming compact, finalizing an agreement to modernize gaming in Arizona that was signed in April by Governor Doug Ducey and the state’s tribal...

U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Encourages Companies To Promote Vaccines

May 24, 2021

By Terri Jo Neff | The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is providing tips to employers in an effort to use the fact that businesses in many communities are often seen as “trusted sources of information” who can persuade employees and customers to receive...

Questions Raised About Census Method That Estimated Data For Some Households

May 24, 2021

By Terri Jo Neff | Questions remain in the aftermath of the U.S. Census Bureau’s release last month of the 2020 Decennial Census which put Arizona’s official population at nearly 7.16 million. That figure, up more than 746,000 from a decade...

Employers Must Tell OSHA Of Employees’ Adverse Reactions To Mandated Vaccinations

May 23, 2021

By Terri Jo Neff | Business owners thinking of requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment may want to consider the latest advisory from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). According to OSHA, an...

Attorney General Believes Supervisors’ Judicial Appointment Was Unlawful, But Does It Matter?

May 23, 2021

By Terri Jo Neff | The Arizona Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments next month in a case that involves whether the Cochise County Board of Supervisors violated one or more state laws in appointing one of their own to a coveted court position...

Letters Outline Objections To DOJ Comments About Senate Audit

May 22, 2021

By Terri Jo Neff | Four members of the U.S. Congress -including two from Arizona- sent a letter this week to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) criticizing one of its deputies for “unnecessarily” weighing in on the Arizona State Senate’s ongoing...

New Survey Shows Strong Support For Tax Reform

May 22, 2021

A new survey showing that the vast majority of Arizonans support reducing the personal income tax rate was released this week by Americans for Prosperity-Arizona. Voters believe a tax reduction is important to spur economic growth and allow...

Bill Allowing To-Go Cocktails Signed Into Law

May 22, 2021

On Friday, Governor Doug Ducey today signed legislation, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Weninger, that allows bars, liquor stores and restaurants to sell cocktails to-go. The bill is intended to mitigate the damage done to businesses due to the governor's...

Arizona Senators Sinema, Kelly Voted Against Continuation Of Border Wall

May 21, 2021

By Corinne Murdock | Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) both voted against an amendment prohibiting the cancellation of the border wall contracts back in February. Yet, both senators have since lamented President Joe Biden’s...

Arizona Senate Fails To Pass Vaccine Passport Ban Bill

May 21, 2021

On Thursday, Sen. T.J. Shope, a Republican, joined all the Senate Democrats to kill HB 2190, a bill intended to protect individual medical privacy rights. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Bret Roberts, would have made it a misdemeanor to refuse services...