Coming up this week...

Note: all agenda info drawn from online sources and subject to change without notice. In fact, expect changes in state legislative committee and floor schedule agendas...

...In the U.S. House (courtesy The Weekly Leader from the office of Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) -

Lots of Post Office building namings and the like this week, but there will be a couple of interesting bills up for consideration.

- S. 383, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program Act of 2009. As can be deduced from the title, the bill that grants the "Special Inspector General (SIG) authority to conduct, supervise, and coordinate an audit or investigation of any action taken with regard to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) that the SIG deems appropriate." (Congressional Research Service summary).

In addition, the bill would give the SIG almost-police-like powers (carrying guns, power to arrest without a warrant, operating without the direct supervision of the AG).

The bill is being brought forward under a suspension of the normal rules of the House, so it will take a 2/3 vote in favor for the bill to pass.

- The House will also be considering Senate amendments to H.R. 146, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. The Senate amendments are here.

This bill will be "subject to a rule," meaning that the House will first pass a motion governing debate and other procedures applied to the measure.

- Also subject to a rule is H.R. 1404, the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act (FLAME Act). CRS summary here. Lots of money involved here, so expect a lot of Republican showboating, especially from Jeff Flake.

...In the AZ legislature, it's going to be a fairly quiet week on the committee front. That whole "no bills other than budget bills until the budget has been passed" thing has kept bills from moving through the Senate at all and has stalled bills that have passed the House.

However, there are a few signs of life.

On Monday, the House Rules Committee will be considering over 40 bills in HHR4 at 1:45 p.m. or when the House floor session adjourns, whichever is later. There are a number of controversial bills on that agenda, which should make for some colorful floor sessions later in the week.

On Wednesday at 10 a.m., House Health and Human Services will be hearing a presentation from AHCCCS concering Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments. Location: HHR4.

Over in the Senate, on Monday...

- The Senate's Natural Resources, Infrastructure, and Public Debt Committee will hear presentations on the Central Arizona Project and Salt River Project. Upon adjournment of the Senate's floor session in SHR 109.

- At roughly the same time, the Senate's Judiciary Committee will hear presentations regarding the service of felony warrants in SHR 1.

On Wednesday at 9 a.m., the Senate's Healthcare and Medical Liability Reform Committee will hear a presentation on Arizona Health-e Connection and hold budget-related discussions on health professional boards.

- At 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday in SHR 3, Senate Finance will hear a staff presentation on urban revenue sharing.

- On Thursday at 11 a.m., the Senate Government Institutions Committee will discuss the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and its transparency requirements and its effects on emergency food and shelter.

Floor session schedules aren't totally available as yet, but there are COW (Committee Of the Whole) agendas available for Tuesday here and here.

...The Governing Board of the Maricopa County Community College District will be meeting on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. (executive session) and 6:30 p.m. at the District Support Services Center, 2411 West 14th Street, Tempe. The agenda includes consideration and likely passage of a tuition and fee hike and a presentation on the proposed budget for FY 2009/2010.

Apparently not on this month's agenda? A move to stifle any freedom of the District's campus-based newspapers.

...In Scottsdale, the Scottsdale City Council will be meeting on Tuesday night at 5 p.m. in the City Hall Kiva (3939 N. Drinkwater in Scottsdale).

On the agenda for Tuesday night - liquor licenses, Conditional Use Permits, lawsuit settlements and, perhaps, a little territory marking.

Agenda items 28 and 29 address Mayor Jim Lane's unilateral creation of a new citizen advisory board governing content on Scottsdale's CityCable11 government access cable channel. The items were added to the agenda at the request of Vice-Mayor Ron McCullagh.

It seems that McCullagh has become the leader of the faction on the Council that could best be described as the "opposition."

Arizona Republic coverage here.

Later...