Sunday, March 17, 2024

Legislative schedule - week starting 3/17/2024

Friday is the last day that bills can be heard in committee, though there are ways around that restriction (bills can still be considered in the respective chambers' Appropriations committees.  Other committees can meet to consider bills, but they'll need the permission of the respective chamber's Rules committees/head.

Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one.





On Monday, 3/18 


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House Health & Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: 15 bills.

House Land, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: seven bills, including a proposed striker for SB1410, relating to the interstate transfer of marijuana and its products.  Requires a 3/4 vote to pass.

House Land, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs meets upon the adjournment of the first LARA meeting in HHR3.  On the agenda: one bill, SB1403, which, with certain exemptions, would bar a "foreign principal" from a designated country from owning land in AZ.  The report containing the list of countries is here.

House Military Affairs & Public Safety meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: 11 bills, including a proposed striker for SB1196.  There two, related but different, strikers listed; I think that I've linked to the one that will be considered, but the other one is here.  Includes SCM1040, a love letter to Congress urging the creation of a Space National Guard.

House Military Affairs & Public Safety meets at upon the adjournment of the first MAPS meeting. in HHR1.   On the agenda: one bill.

Senate Elections meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: 11 bills, including a proposed striker for HB2497.  The agenda looks to be mostly propaganda.

Senate Finance and Commerce meets at 2 p.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda:15 bills, including HB2504, allowing insurers to not pay for genetic sequencing, organ transplants, etc., if a "foreign adversary" is involved and HB2661, mandating that all tablets and smartphones manufactured after 1/1/2026 that filter out "obscene" material for minors. I initially thought that this bill was pure propaganda...but as I was writing this a TV ad came on for a company that provides devices that do just this.  To many members of the lege this is just political propaganda; to others, it may be corruption.  To me, it's evidence that many legislators are capable of multi-tasking.

Senate Transportation, Technology and Missing Children meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: nine bills, including a proposed striker to HCR2049.  It, like much of this agenda, is pure propaganda.  On the plus side, this agenda includes a bill about missing children, which is kind of rare for this committee.  HB2479 seems to be about requiring DCS to do what it does in response to reports of abducted, missing, or runaway children...only quicker. There is a clause at the end of the bill that looks to be about enabling corruption -





Legislators get to decide if someone is following the laws crafted by the legislators themselves, and will siphon public funds into private pockets in response.

Hmmm...


On Tuesday, 3/19 


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House Commerce meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: five bills, three of which have proposed strikers.  While one seems bad, the really bad one is a proposed striker to SCR1040, a scheme fronted by Rep. Justin Wilmeth to allow employers to pay tipped employees 25% less than the mandated minimum wage.

House Education meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: two bills; both are propaganda.

House Natural Resources, Energy & Water meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: six bills, including two with proposed strikers.  Both seem bad, but the one for SB1242 would siphon public money into private pockets.  Both these and the other bills on the agenda read as if they were written by industry lobbyists.

Senate Appropriations meets at 2 p.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: 11 bills, including HB2506, mandating that people acting as agents of a "country of concern" register with the state's AG.

Senate Health and Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: 12 bills.


On Wednesday, 3/20  -






















House Judiciary meets at 8:30 a.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: Lots of ugly. 13 bills, including SB1687, expanding the definition of drive by shooting.

House Government meets at 9 a.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: seven bills.  Lots of usurping of municipal authority here.

House Ways & Means meets at 10 a.m. is HHR1.  On the agenda: eight bills. mostly running the gamut from pure propaganda, thru conduits for corruption, to simply bad government.

House Appropriations meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: six bills.

House Municipal Oversight & Elections meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: nine bills, mostly propaganda.  My personal favorite (that's sarcasm, folks) - SCR1044, removing term limits from judges subject to specific term lengths or retention elections, with specified exceptions.

House Regulatory Affairs meets at 2 p.m. in HHR5.  On the agenda: five bills.

House Transportation & Infrastructure meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: nine bills.

Senate Education meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: four bills, including HB2095, expanding eligibility for STO scholarships (school vouchers).

Senate Military Affair, Public Safety and Border Security meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: eight bills, including two with proposed strikers (text not available as of this writing.)  The one that raises the most red flags has a working title of  "military; public safety".  This agenda has lots of propaganda on it, including two bills to make undocumented immigration a state crime, HB2748 and HB2821.


On Thursday, 3/21 


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Senate Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: eight bills. including two with proposed strikers.  The texts aren't available as of this writing, but one has a working title that raises red flags - "elected officials."  Lots of propaganda on this agenda.

Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water meets at 9 a.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: two executive branch nominations and 17 bills, three with proposed strikers  (texts not available as yet).  All bills read as if they were written by industry lobbyists.

Senate Government meets at 1 p.m. or upon adjournment of the other committees in SHR1.  On the agenda: 21 bills. Includes HB2591, barring public entities and public power entities from entering into or renewing contracts with persons or companies that utilize forced labor or "oppressive child labor."  I don't disagree with the sentiment but have to ask -

Would this impact companies controlled by Cheeto or Vanky?


Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Cheeto actually *likes* the RNC. Imagine what he'll do to the USA if he returns to the White House.

From Politico -

Bloodbath at RNC: Trump team slashes staff at committee

Donald Trump’s newly installed leadership team at the Republican National Committee on Monday began the process of pushing out dozens of officials, according to two people close to the Trump campaign and the RNC.

All told, the expectation is that more than 60 RNC staffers who work across the political, communications and data departments will be let go. Those being asked to resign include five members of the senior staff, though the names were not made public. Additionally, some vendor contracts are expected to be cut.

Cheeto's gambit is not without historical precedent.


Sunday, March 10, 2024

Legislative schedule - week starting 3/10/2024


Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one.





On Monday, 3/11 


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House Health & Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: 11 bills, including a couple of pure propaganda bills - SB1407, expanding the religious exemption for employer required vaccines and SB1511, an anti trans bill.

House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: five bills, including SB1146, an anti animal vax propaganda bill.

House Military Affairs & Public Safety meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: 10 bills, including a proposed striker to SB1196, allowing the use of first responder flashing lights under specified conditions.  Also includes SCR1042, a love letter from Arizona's legislative Republicans to Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressing support for his craven (and homicidal) anti-Mexican acts.

Senate Elections meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: four bills, almost all propaganda.

Senate Finance and Commerce meets at 2 p.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: one presentation and 14 bills, including a proposed striker to HB2199.  Most of the propaganda will be in the presentation - a lobbyist for cryptocurrency will be giving it.

Senate Transportation, Technology and Missing Children meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: eight bills, including HB2545 and HB2546, exempting vehicles built after 2018 from emissions testing and HB2586, making commercial entities liable for damages for providing "material harmful to minors" without also performing a "reasonable", but unspecified age verification process.


On Tuesday, 3/12  -


















House Commerce meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: five bills. 

House Education meets at 2 p.m.in HHR4.  On the agenda: four bills, all bad.

House Natural Resources, Energy and Water meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: two bills that read as if they were written by an industry lobbyist.

Senate Health and Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: 12 bills, including HB2502, requiring SNAP recipients participate in, with certain exceptions, a work training program.  One of the exceptions?  Working already.  Also includes HB2503, barring DES from granting waivers to that requirement and HB2621, stipulating that states are responsible for securing their borders with another country.


On Wednesday, 3/13 


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House Judiciary meets at 9 a.m.in HHR4.  On the agenda: six bills.

Senate Government meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: 14 bills; at least half of the agenda is propaganda of the anti-Maricopa County, ant-UN, anti-affirmative action, anti-federal government variety...actually, anti any level of government other than the state legislature and pro-hatred.

House Government meets at 10 a.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: seven bills.  Two or which are pure propaganda and five of which (including the two) are simply bad government.

House Ways & Means meets at 10 a.m.in HHR1.  On the agenda: three bills.

House Appropriations meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: three bills, including SCR1020, an example of the legislature trying to get around the governor by abdicating their budgetary duties.

House Municipal Oversight & Elections meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda:10 bills, mostly propaganda.

House Regulatory Affairs meets at 2 p.m. in HHR5.  On the agenda: 11 bills, at least five of which fall under the "bad for society/buttress corporate profits" heading

House Transportation & Infrastructure meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: six bills, including SB1299, increasing the requirements that municipalities (and others) must meet in order to designate a traffic light-controlled intersection as a "no right turn on red" one.

Senate Education meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: four bills and two presentations.  Tom Horne is slated to give one of them, so it should be a colorful one.

Senate Military Affairs, Public Safety and Border Security meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  17 bills, including HB 2506, barring people from acting as foreign agents for "countries of concern," unless they're registered with the Attorney General. As Russia is listed as one such country, certain members of the lege may have to register.


On Thursday, 3/14 


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Senate Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: 13 bills, including HB2843, expanding the definition of "premises" for the purposes of self-defense.

Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water meets at 9 a.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: 21 bills, including HB2628, working title "department of environmental quality; omnibus".  Omnibus bills always worry me, and this one seems sneaky bad.  There are a few clauses that appear to be worrisome, like the one that repeals section 49-257 of AZ law, which concerns the applicability of federal definitions regarding the underground injection control program in the safe water drinking act.


On Friday, 3/15 


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Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee meets at 10 a.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: no bills, but there will be much propaganda spewed here.  The committee membership includes Congresscritters Eli Crane and Paul Gosar, AZ state legislators Sens. Janae Shamp, TJ Shope, and Rep. Steve Montenegro, and Peter McCullough, a cardiologist who's a noted trafficker in Covid lies.  And if that rogues' gallery isn't convincing of the propagandistic purpose of this misuse of public facilities and funds, the chosen acronym for this committee (NCSWIC) is a QAnon invention.


Friday, March 08, 2024

Know what the most "liberal" thing about Texas is? Their definition of "disaster."

Wonder if Ted Cruz has bought some tickets to a resort?

From KXAN in Austin -

Travis County issues disaster declaration ahead of total solar eclipse

Travis County said it would take emergency measures ahead of the total solar eclipse set to take place in exactly one month.

The declaration was in anticipation of large crowds, increased traffic and strains on first responders, hospitals and roads related to the eclipse. Travis County Judge Andy Brown issued the declaration.

The total eclipse will miss AZ, but not everywhere else.  

From NASA -













According to TimeandDate.com, AZ will see a partial eclipse starting at 10:08 a.m., peaking at 11:20 a.m.., and ending at 12:35 p.m. 

Wednesday, March 06, 2024

Sen. Sinema says "goodbye" to the people of Arizona

Maybe the people of Arizona should advise her to not let the door hit her in the ass on the way out.

From CNN -

Kyrsten Sinema announces she is retiring from the Senate

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent, announced Tuesday she will leave the Senate at the end of her term this year, a move that will shake up the battle for control of the chamber in November and remove a key player who has been central to major negotiations in Congress.

Sinema has been an influential yet polarizing figure in the Senate and has frequently worked to broker compromise between Democrats and Republicans. In announcing her decision not to seek reelection, the Arizona senator said, “I believe in my approach, but it’s not what America wants right now.”

The headline should be rewritten as "Kyrsten Sinema has figured out that she has no way of getting re-elected".  Or maybe as "Kyrsten Sinema has realized that getting tens of thousands of nominating signatures in less than a month is an unrealistic task."

Of course, "independent" just means (allegedly) "for sale to the highest bidder," while "polarizing" means "she's despised only by people who who have seen her in action."

While many folks have said that her "retirement" helps Ruben Gallego, I think it helps presumed R nominee Kari Lake more - a few months ago, she polled closer to Gallego when Sinema wasn't considered.

It will be interesting to see a poll taken after Sinema's announced withdrawal.

Saturday, March 02, 2024

Legislative schedule - week starting 3/3/2024

 

Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one.





On Monday, 3/4 


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House Municipal Oversight & Elections meets at 1 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: one bill, and in a change of pace for this committee, it seems to be relatively non-controversial and not election denier propaganda.

Senate Elections meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda:  11 bills.  Remember what I wrote about the House MOE agenda?  Not true here.  Includes HB2719, a proposal to limit when municipal (and other political subdivision) bond elections can be held and requiring a minimum voter turnout then for that election to be valid.

Senate Finance and Commerce meets at 2 p.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: a presentation and 20 bills, including HB2477, designating Pluto as the official state planet.  Pluto still isn't a planet.  The agenda also includes HB2042, this year's version of last year's infamous "tamale bill."

Senate Transportation, Technology and Missing Children meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: three bills.

House Health & Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: a presentation and four bills.

House Military Affairs & Public Safety meets at 2 p.m.in HHR1.  On the agenda: four bills, including SB1025, a proposal to make it a DUI when having a BAC of greater than .04 or higher  when driving or it physical control of a vehicle for hire.  This seems redundant as police and prosecutors in AZ already have a CYA clause in AZ law to enforce.  From ARS 28-1381 (emphasis added by me) -

A. It is unlawful for a person to drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle in this state under any of the following circumstances:

1. While under the influence of intoxicating liquor, any drug, a vapor releasing substance containing a toxic substance or any combination of liquor, drugs or vapor releasing substances if the person is impaired to the slightest degree.

2. If the person has an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more within two hours of driving or being in actual physical control of the vehicle and the alcohol concentration results from alcohol consumed either before or while driving or being in actual physical control of the vehicle.

3. While there is any drug defined in section 13-3401 or its metabolite in the person's body.

4. If the vehicle is a commercial motor vehicle that requires a person to obtain a commercial driver license as defined in section 28-3001 and the person has an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more.


On Tuesday, 3/5 


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House Education meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: three bills, including HB1477, a proposal to create a Grade Challenge Department in the Arizona Board of Regents if a student feels that they received a bad grade in a course due to political bias.

House Natural Resources, Energy & Water meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: four bills, at least two of which read as if they were written by industry lobbyists.

Senate Health and Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: four bills.


On Wednesday, 3/6 


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House Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: eight bills, some bad.  Includes SB1628, a proposal that purports to be anti-discrimination that actually enshrines it and SCR1007, a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would prohibit public entities from entering into a contract worth more than $100K with a company unless it provides a written certification that it doesn't discriminate against a firearm entity or a firearm trade association.

Senate Education meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: a presentation and nine bills.  Includes a proposed striker for HB2373 (text not available as of this writing) and HB2793, requiring school boards to create rule and policies regarding student access to the internet when that access is provided by the school and to limit the use of wireless devices by students during the school day.

Senate Military Affairs, Public Safety and Border Security meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: five bills.


On Thursday, 3/7 


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Senate Judiciary meets at 9 a.m.in SHR1.  On the agenda: two bills.

Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water meets at 9 a.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: three presentations and six bills, including HB2097, basically deregulating the use of "gray water" by rich people or those who live in rural settings (the "residential lots of two acres" clause merits that description).

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Budgetary Funding Formulas meets at 10 a.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: one presentation and no bills.


Friday, March 01, 2024

Committee update

This is about committees formed not placement on a ballot.  I'll do another of these posts when ballots come out.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive list; the people listed are people I have something to say about.  This is not intended as a slight toward the others, some of whom will win their races.  I just have nothing to say about them at this point.





Lesko is a former member (actually, she's a current member but isn't running for reelection this year) of Congress and the AZ state lege.

Heap is a current member of the state lege, and shockingly (OK, not really shocking news here) he has ethical issues.

Skinner was appointed as Maricopa County Sheriff and is now running for a full term.

Kamp is a former police officer and is running for a term as county sheriff.

Grove is a failed 2022 candidate for AZ AG, losing in the primary to eventual gen election loser Abe Hamadeh.



Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Legislative schedule - week starting 2/25/2024 Part 2


Because I was caught up in doing something else this week, this post will be done in two parts.  Part one covers Monday and Tuesday while part two (this one) covers Wednesday and Thursday. 

Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one.





On Wednesday, 2/28 


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House Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: nine bills, including SB1007, making it a class 5 felony for an employee or contractor of a public school or library to refer a minor to any material considered to be sexually explicit or to facilitate access to the same.  There are some other very bad bills on this agenda, too.

Senate Government meets at 9 or 9:30 a.m.(there's some discrepancy) in SHR1.  On the agenda: six bills.

House Government meets at 10 a.m.in HHR3.  On the agenda: four bills, at least three of which are pure propaganda.

House Ways & Means meets at 10 a.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: five bills, including some that reduce revenues.

House Appropriations meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: two bills including SCR1020, a proposed amendment to the state's constitution to would continue the previous year's general appropriations bill (budget bill) if no new budget bill has been enacted by the start of the new fiscal year.  If this passes at the ballot box, we should then delete the section of the state constitution creating the legislature;  a budget is the only real reason for the lege to exist.

House Municipal Oversight & Elections meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: five bills, four of which are propaganda from the school of  "Republicans have lost the last couple of elections and boy, are we PISSED."

Senate Education meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: six bills, including HB2178, a proposal to have university students decide to bar their tuition and fees from going to support organizations of which they don't approve.

House Government is scheduled to meet again upon the adjournment of the previous House Government.  The picture says "5 p.m." but I expect the meeting to take place far earlier that.  On the agenda: one bill.


On Thursday, 2/29 


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Senate Judiciary meets at 2:30 p.m.in SHR1 (originally scheduled for 9 a.m., it's been moved a couple of times and serves as a reminder to keep an eye on meeting times.)  On the agenda: appointments to a couple of different judicial commissions and one bill.

Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water meets at 1 p.m.in SHR2.  On the agenda:  a presentation and 13 bills.  The bills read as if they were written by an industry lobbyist.


Sunday, February 25, 2024

Legislative schedule - week starting 2/25/2024 Part 1


Because I was caught up in doing something else this week, this post will be done in two parts.  Part one (this one) will cover Monday and Tuesday while part two will cover Wednesday and Thursday. 

Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one.






On Monday, 2/26 


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House Health & Human Services meets at 2 p.m.in HHR4.  On the agenda: three bills and a presentation,  Seem noncontroversial.

House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: three bills, including SB1475, taking a quarter million dollars from the state's budget and giving it to folks who have lost livestock to wolves.


On Tuesday, 2/27 


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House Commerce meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: four bills, including SB1366, proclaiming that blockchain is innovative technology and not subject to regulation while it is being tested.

House Education meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: five bills.  Seems to be noncontroversial.

House Natural Resources, Energy & Water meets at 2 p.m in HHR1.  On the agenda: three bills with all reading as if they were written by an industry lobbyist.  In other words, they don't benefit society.

Senate Health and Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: a presentation and six bills, including HB2183, a proposal to grant parents access to all of their minor child's medical records, even for those procedures that don't require parental consent.


Saturday, February 24, 2024

The Maricopa County Attorney says that any prosecutors who charge Cheeto are "soft on crime"

I say people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

From AP -

Republican prosecutor in Arizona takes swipe at New York district attorney prosecuting Trump

The Republican prosecutor of Arizona’s most populous county took a thinly veiled swipe at a Democratic counterpart in the East on Wednesday, saying she would not agree to extradition of a suspect in the death of a woman who was fatally bludgeoned in a New York City hotel room, and that he should be tried first in Arizona for stabbing two women here.

Raad Almansoori, 26, is being held without bond while Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell’s office decides how to charge him in connection with the stabbing of two women in the county in recent days, Mitchell said at a news conference. Those two women survived.

“Having observed the treatment of violent criminals in the New York area by Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg, I think it’s safer to keep him here and keep him in custody,” said Mitchell, referring to the prosecutor who brought the high-profile case against former President Donald Trump alleging that hush money was paid during his 2016 campaign to cover up an affair.

In Maricopa County Superior Court, Almansoori's case number is CR2024-108082-001.  This is not his first encounter with the justice system.

Mitchell absolutely *hates* violent criminals...unless they're well-connected.

From KJZZ, written by Matthew Casey, dated 2/9 -

Maricopa County attorney didn't charge former prisons director with aggravated assault. Here's why

After an armed standoff with police at his Tempe home, the former director of the state Department of Corrections was not charged with aggravated assault.

The Maricopa County attorney has kept a promise to explain that decision.

Tempe police said Charles Ryan pointed a gun at officers during a standoff at his home in 2022.

[snip]

Mitchell decided, based on a trove of body camera footage, Ryan’s medical records, and talks with Tempe police leaders, that prosecutors could not prove Ryan intended to make officers fear for their lives.

Ryan pleaded no contest to a gun charge, which prosecutors wanted labeled a felony.

In Maricopa County Superior Court, Ryan's case number was CR2022-001491-001.

Mitchell has a history of carrying Cheeto's water.

From PBS, dated 10/1/2018 -

Prosecutor Rachel Mitchell says she wouldn’t charge Kavanaugh

The sex crimes prosecutor who questioned a California women accusing Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault is explaining why she would not bring criminal charges against the Supreme Court nominee.

Rachel Mitchell writes in a new memo sent to Senate Republicans that she does not believe a “reasonable prosecutor would bring this case based on the evidence before the Committee.”

Mitchell is a Phoenix-based sex crimes prosecutor Republicans hired to question Christine Blasey Ford about her claims against Kavanaugh during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last week. Mitchell argues that that there are inconsistencies in Ford’s narrative and says no one has corroborated her account.

So...do they teach shameless hypocrisy in law school or was that already part of Mitchell's personality before her training?


Wednesday, February 21, 2024

The survey results (of presidential historians) are in! Unsurprisingly, Cheeto is considered to be the worst-ever POTUS.

He's certainly the worst of my lifetime*.

Technically, I was alive during the LBJ administration, but I don't have a memory of him as POTUS.  Though

From NPR -

In historians' Presidents Day survey, Biden vs. Trump is not a close call

President Biden is in a tight race to keep former President Donald Trump from reclaiming the White House, recent polls show. But that's not how 154 historians and presidential experts see it: They rate Biden in the top third of U.S. presidents, while Trump ranks dead last.

The 2024 edition of the Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey has Biden in 14th place, just ahead of Woodrow Wilson and Ronald Reagan. Trump comes in 45th, behind fellow impeachee Andrew Johnson and James Buchanan, the perennial cellar-dweller in such ratings due to his pre-Civil War leadership.


The historians rated Barack Obama highly, and as I consider him to be the best POTUS of my lifetime, I don't disagree with them on Obama or Cheeto.  In between, however, there are some differences.

They rated Obama 7th overall and the best of my lifetime (and the highest ranked living ex-president), so I agree with that one.

Bill Clinton and Joe Biden were ranked 12th and 14th, respectively.  Clinton's ranking is a little high for my taste - top half, certainly though.  As for Joe Biden, I think he deserves an incomplete because his term is ongoing.

Ronald Reagan is ranked 16th, which is way too high - he took advantage of Richard Nixon's criminality. Society was tired and wanted someone in the White House who reminded them of the "good ol' days".

George HW Bush was ranked 19th, which was a little high, but I think that his biggest failing was that he wasn't Reagan - most of the folks who voted for him were hoping for a 3rd Reagan term.  They didn't get that.

Jimmy Carter was ranked 22nd, near the middle of the pack.  I have always thought he was underrated as a POTUS

Gerald Ford was ranked 27th; I don't disagree with that, but since he was an unelected placeholder who replaced Nixon, an incomplete might be appropriate here.

George W. Bush was ranked 32nd (which was way too high in my estimation) and until Cheeto, was the worst POTUS of my lifetime and it wasn't even close (I don't believe that it's a coincidence that both people who were the worst at being POTUS in my lifetime have MBAs - POTUS isn't a gig where the concept of right and wrong synchs up with profitable and not profitable.)  Also, W was in charge of the most corrupt presidential administration ever.

At least until Cheeto came along.

The biggest reason that I rate W ahead of Cheeto is, as bad as he was, is that I never thought he was a traitor.

Nixon was ranked 35th, which I feel is too high.  He made cynicism about politicians part of the American psyche.

Cheeto was ranked 45th.  The main reason he wasn't ranked lower is because there aren't more Presidents.


Saturday, February 17, 2024

Maybe Cheeto expects to sell $350 million worth of sneakers

That's a *lot* of sneakers, even though I expect him to keep his material costs low and his labor costs lower.

He had a bad week and may be in dire need of cash.

From AP -

Trump avoids ‘corporate death penalty’ in civil fraud case, but his business will still get slammed


Donald Trump won’t face the corporate death penalty after all.

A New York judge on Friday spared the ex-president that worst case punishment as he ruled in a civil case alleging Trump fraudulently misrepresented financial figures to get cheaper loans and other benefits.

[snip]

Trump and his businesses were told they would have to pay $355 million for “ill gotten gains.” Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., who help run the business, were ordered to pay $4 million each. Trump’s former chief financial officer was ordered to pay $1 million, for a total judgment of $364 million

.

He has an "interesting" way of consoling himself.

From NBC News -

Trump launches a sneaker line

Former President Donald Trump launched a line of sneakers ranging in price from $199 to $399.

If anyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop in the upcoming presidential race, former President Donald Trump just did, launching his own line of tennis shoes on Saturday.

“I’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” Trump said when he announced the launch of a sneaker line at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia.


Ummm...Nike's Air Jordan 4s look to retail for $65 - $230.


Which puts the high end of that range just above the low end of the range for Cheeto's shoes.


So...should the countdown clock be started now or should it be put off a couple of weeks?

As in, the countdown clock on the sneakers going on clearance and being sold in countries that Cheeto calls "shitholes."  For pennies on the dollar.


Speaking of which, if Cheeto wants to market something that he'll sell a lot of, I have one suggestion to make.

And I make this suggestion with all due respect.

He should sell toilet paper...with his image emblazoned on each sheet.

Of course, it won't work - even disgusting things are repelled by things viler than them.