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Arizona Supreme Court Rules Against Pinal County’s Transportation Tax

Mar 8, 2022

By Corinne Murdock | On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that Pinal County’s transportation excise tax was unlawful. The ruling affects two 2017 voter-approved measures from the Pinal County Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) Pinal...

New State Election Bill Signed Into Law Last Week Could Be Gutted This Week

Mar 8, 2022

By Terri Jo Neff | An internal conflict appears to be brewing over state legislation which passed through the House and the Senate on March 3 on combined votes of 85 to 0 and was immediately signed into law the same day. House Bill 2839 was...

Four Senate Republicans Join Dems To Kill Ban On Local Government Lobbyist Reliance

Mar 7, 2022

By Corinne Murdock | The Arizona Senate kicked off their Monday with a show of bipartisanship. Four Senate Republicans joined their Democratic colleagues in voting against a bill to prohibit local governments from using lobbyists: State Senators...

Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Linked to International Political Bribery Scandal

Mar 7, 2022

By Corinne Murdock | Democratic gubernatorial candidate Marco Lopez has ties to a massive foreign corruption scandal involving a global construction conglomerate Odebrecht and its bribes to politicians globally. According to an investigative report...

Curtailing Governor’s Unlimited Public Health Emergency Powers Clears House Committee

Mar 6, 2022

By Terri Jo Neff | Both chambers of the Arizona Legislature have been busy this week considering bills which originated in the other chamber, and one that is garnering a lot of attention would clarify and curtail the emergency powers of the...

Yee Pushes U.S. Energy Financing While Advising State Vendors Of Russia Sanction Obligations

Mar 5, 2022

By Terri Jo Neff | Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee wants to ensure all State vendors understand their obligations in light of economic sanctions put on the Russian Federation by the U.S. and E.U. following Russia’s military invasion of...

Senate Committee Approves Bill Banning State From Contracts Relying On Forced Uyghur Labor

Mar 5, 2022

By Corinne Murdock | A bill to prevent the state and public utilities from contracting with companies who rely on forced Uyghur labor, HB2488, passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee 8-1 on Wednesday. The only senator to vote against the bill...

Senator Sinema Votes Against Ending National COVID Emergency

Mar 4, 2022

By Corinne Murdock | In just under 15 days, it will be two years since Trump announced the national emergency over COVID-19: 730 days exactly. Of all the bills Sinema discussed on social media and in press releases, the resolution to end the...

House Committee Passes Bill Requiring Public Entities to Divest From Companies Boycotting Israel

Mar 4, 2022

By Corinne Murdock | The House Government and Elections Committee passed a bill requiring public entities to divest from companies boycotting Israel. The bill passed 8-5: those who voted against the bill were State Representatives Kelli Butler...

Religious Protections For Foster, Adoptive Parents and Providers Passes Senate

Mar 3, 2022

By Corinne Murdock | In a quicker turnaround than anticipated, a bill to prohibit the state from discriminating against the religious or personal beliefs of potential adoptive or foster parents or individuals who advertise, provide, or facilitate...

Closing Businesses During Local Emergencies Would Be Prohibited Under Bill

Mar 2, 2022

By Terri Jo Neff | A municipality’s mayor or the chairperson of a county’s board of supervisors would not have the authority to order any business closed during a declared local emergency, if a bill introduced by House Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci...

House Passes Bill Allowing Only Officials, Political Parties to Distribute Early Ballots

Mar 2, 2022

By Corinne Murdock | On Tuesday, the Arizona House passed a bill allowing only political parties, county recorders, or election officials to distribute early ballots or active early voter list request forms to voters. The bill, HB2786, passed 31-26...