Monday, February 22, 2010

The coming week: Legislative Edition, Chapter 4 - Tuesday

Because of some unexpected developments, I wasn't able to do a complete examination of this week's committee schedule, nor was I able to visit the lege on Monday (missing some interesting happenings like Sen. Jonathan Paton's resignation from the Senate in order to run for Congress, and Tom Horne's demonstration of why he doesn't have the temperment or professionalism to be the state's Attorney General.) Fortunately, those events were covered in other blogs.

Here are Tuesday's committee schedule and highlights:

On the House side of the quad -

- House Public Employees, Retirement, and Entitlement Reform will meet at 2 p.m. in HHR3. The agenda is a short one (two items). The more interesting of the two seems to be HB2344, barring "public employees" from engaging in lobbying or political activities during work hours. This one seems to be directed at teachers and others such as day care or health care workers who have objected to some of the lege's attacks on their areas of the budget.

- House Government will meet at 2 p.m. in HHR4.

Highlights:

HB2382, a bill that mandates that schools report all sorts of data regarding students who are unable to "prove lawful presence in the United States." Nativist election year posturing.

HB2395, barring school boards from authorizing payroll deductions for union dues. More payback for last year's criticisms and protests from the educators in the state.

HB2441, a "birther" bill regarding qualification of presidential candidates that must be proven before a candidate's name can be placed on the ballot.

A striker to HB2641, to override local regulation of "consumer fireworks." I don't know which lobbyist is paying for this one, but they must be paying well - this one has died before but it keeps coming back. This time it has been resurrected by Rep. Judy Burges.

HCR2039, a proposed amendment to the AZ constitution that would allow the lege to "suspend" voter protected funding via a majority vote of the lege. Given that this lege has proven beyond any doubt that it is utterly incapable of governing responsibly, or of even wanting to do so, this one is badbadbadbadBADBADBADBAD.

HCR2041, a proposed amendment to the AZ constitution to require a periodic reauthorization of voter mandated spending. Another legislative attempt to completely wrest control of the state away from the voters, particularly when those voters approve something that the Kool-Aid drinkers don't like.


- House Environment will meet at 2 p.m. in HHR5. Looks quiet thus far.


On the Senate side of the quad -

- Senate Commerce and Economic Development will meet at 1:30 p.m. in SHR1.

Highlight:

SB1126, Sen. Al Melvin's assertion that the federal government cannot regulate nuclear fuel that is produced and used in Arizona. Even if this one passes into law, the feds may have a slight difference of opinion with Melvin on the matter.

- Senate Appropriations will meet at 1:30 p.m. in SHR109; that agenda was covered in an earlier post.


Later...

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