The highlight (so to speak) this week looks to be the eighth special session of the lege, called by the Governor to ask for permission to sue the feds over health care reform. More on that set piece here. No bill proposals or committee agendas have been posted for the special session as yet.
Regular session committee work is starting to wind down, and this week's agendas show it - while most committees are meeting, most of their agendas are short ones.
On the House side of the quad -
- Education is meeting on Monday at 10 a.m. in HHR3. Looks quiet so far.
- Rules will meet at 1 p.m. in HHR4. *Not* quiet, but this committee is a rubber stamp. If a measure makes it onto this agenda, it means that the Speaker supports the bill and it will be approved by the committee.
- Natural Resources and Rural Affairs will meet at 2 p.m. in HHR4. The agenda includes consideration of a strike-everything amendment to SB1154, relating to "underground storage tanks". The bill's language hasn't been posted online yet, but the fact sheet written by legislative staff is here. Also on the agenda is SB1349, which mandates that the director of the AZ Department of Administration allow the state parks board to enter into contracts with a "public or private entity or Indian tribes" to operate the state's parks.
- Banking and Insurance will meet at 2 p.m. in HHR5. The agenda is short, but includes SB1348, wreaking all sorts of mischief regarding regulatory rules and rulemaking.
- On Tuesday, Public Employees, Retirement, and Entitlement Reform will meet at 2 p.m. in HHR3. Quiet thus far.
- On Wednesday, Military Affairs and Public Safety will meet at 9 a.m. in HHR3. This one includes SB1070, the Russell Pearce-penned measure to direct law enforcement personnel in Arizona to ignore enforcement of other laws in order to become immigration police, outlaw "sanctuary city" policies, and reduce probable cause requirements for law enforcement officers stopping vehicles and persons, among other things. In short, SB1070 is a potpourri of ugly.
- Health and Human Services will meet at 9 a.m. in HHR4. This may be the longest agenda of the week, outside of the Rules agenda. On the agenda: SB1306 and SB1307, measures written by the Center for
- On Thursday, Water and Energy will meet at 9 a.m. in HHR5. Looks quiet so far, but a striker will be offered to HB2561 regarding "groundwater transportation; Big Chino sub-basin." No language posted online as yet.
- Transportation and Infrastructure will meet at 9 a.m. in HHR3. Very quiet so far.
- Judiciary will meet at 9 a.m. in HHR4. This one is full of parting gifts from Jonathan Paton, such as SCR1009, the plan to end Clean Elections in Arizona, and SCR1013, changing the job title of the Secretary of State to "Lieutenant Governor." SCR1013 also removes the requirement for a run-off election if none of the candidates for an executive branch office doesn't gain a majority of the votes in an election. Instead, the legislature would get to choose the occupant of the office, in the event of a tie. Otherwise, the highest vote getter for an office would win that office (I think so anyway - the measure isn't specific on that).
Over on the Senate side -
- Rules will meet on Monday in 1st Floor Caucus Room upon adjournment of the floor session.
- Natural Resources, Infrastructure, and Public Debt will meet at 1:30 p.m. in SHR109. This one contains SB1445, relating to "groundwater transportation; Big Chino sub-basin." I'm guessing that this measure is a match for the unknown striker listed above, but I have no idea what its real impact will be.
- Judiciary will meet at 1:30 p.m. in SHR1. Looks relatively quiet so far.
- On Tuesday, Commerce and Economic Development will meet at 1:30 p.m. in SHR1. This one contains HB2337, a measure declaring that incandescent light bulbs manufactured and used in Arizona aren't subject to any federal regulation.
- Appropriations will meet at 1:30 in SHR109. Relatively quiet so far.
- On Wednesday, Healthcare and Medical Liability Reform will meet at 9 a.m in SHR1. Quiet thus far.
- Public Safety and Human Services will meet at 10 a.m. in SHR3. The agenda includes consideration of HB2246, deregulating "consumer" fireworks. if this passes, look for a busy brushfire season in Arizona.
- Veterans and Military Affairs will meet at 1:30 p.m. in SHR2. Quiet thus far.
- Finance will meet at 1:30 p.m. in SHR3. This one has a lot of bad on it: a striker to SB2001, letting faculty members at the state's community colleges and universities carry concealed weapons on campus; HB2496, letting people who contribute to school tuition organizations this year by April 15 to claim it on last year's tax returns; a striker to HB2598 (language not yet available) regarding the repeal of photo radar; and HCR2056, phasing out the state's business personal property tax.
- Education Accountability and Reform will meet at 1:30 p.m. in SHR1. This agenda is a long one, but the highlights include HB2663 and HB2664, relating to STOs and tax credits (hint: these don't exactly increase oversight and accountability of STOs).
- Government Institutions will meet on Thursday at 10 a.m. in SHR1. Looks quiet so far.
Floor calendars for Monday have been posted -
House Third Read (final passage) is here; Senate COW is here; Senate Third Read is here.
Later...
1 comment:
I feel a bit cynical at times but when I see all the lobbying and 'help' the companies behind the photo radar devices are providing legislators, it's hard not to. Not to mention the shear amount of money they are making off of the Arizona Citizens! Do they really have an incentive to remain fair, or is their true motivations to line their own pockets, while provide safety data to help the cash strapped cities and state justify getting some $$$ as well?
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