Much like last week, there aren't many things scheduled down at the lege, not because things won't be happening, but because we've reached the point in the session where the main activity is going on behind closed doors - the ongoing negotiations between the Rs in the lege and the governor over the budget.
Still, a couple of events of note will take place:
- The Daniel Patterson mess may come to a head. He has until Tuesday to respond to an investigation into allegations against him. After that, there may be a move to expel him from the lege, though the Rs may try to draw out the drama. Some of them (to be fair, on this one, some are on the right side) think that the longer they can keep Patterson, a former D, in the lege, the more that they can embarrass the Democrats.
However, it just highlights the difference between the Rs, who proclaimed that their former colleague Scott Bundgaard was the actual victim when he assaulted a girlfriend by the side of a Phoenix freeway, and the Ds, who want their colleague removed over his assault of his former girlfriend.
- In a non-legislative event, but taking place Tuesday morning, just east of the Capitol at the Arizona Courts Building, the panel investigating Andrew Thomas, the former Maricopa County Attorney, and Lisa Aubuchon, and Rachel Alexander, his former assistant CAs, and their ethical transgressions will release its decision. The possible punishments range from a simple reprimand through a suspension to disbarment. The most common speculation is that Thomas and Aubuchon are most likely facing disbarment and Alexander is most likely facing a suspension of her license to practice.
While the proceeding is open to the public, seating is extremely limited. It may be easier to watch the livestream of the hearing online, available here.
In the small bit of regular business that the lege has already posted agendas and floor calendars for...
- Senate Education will meet Monday at 11:30 a.m. in SHR3. The highlight, so to speak, will be the consideration of the appointment of Greg Patterson to the Arizona Board of Regents. Patterson is a lawyer, lobbyist, former legislator, and blogger. He has no experience with education (something that most of us would like a Regent to possess) - in fact, he is anti-higher education, and he has no experience in business (something the Arizona Republic would like a Regent to possess). There has been some controversy over his appointment - first he was on the agenda, then he wasn't, and now he's back. Look for the appointment to be approved.
...House Rules will meet Monday at 1 p.m. in HHR4.
...Conference committee schedule for Monday is here.
...House Final Read (re-approval of bills already approved by the House but later amended by the Senate) is here. A few bad bills, including HB2557, which the Senate amended into Frank "Scofflaw" Antenori's scheme to end photo radar traffic enforcement by municipalities.
...House Third Read is here.
...House COW (Committee of the Whole) is here; includes SB1449, the Republicans' plan for
...Senate COW is here; includes HB2664, allowing debt collection companies to collect credit card debts based on no more evidence than a bill.
...The Senate schedule for the week is here. Summary: Monday's floor session will start at ~ 1:30 p.m.; from Tuesday thru Thursday, at ~ 10 a.m.
...The House schedule for the week isn't posted as yet, however, last week's schedule showed a similar pattern to this week's Senate schedule - Monday floor session at 1:30 p.m, and the remainder of the week's floor sessions in the a.m.
In short, anyone planning to venture to the Capitol this week to watch a floor session live should plan to be there early (say, 9:30 a.m.) and pack for a long day, as floor sessions may be recessed and later called back into session after some behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing on particular bills.
The lege's Capitol calendar of events is here.
The Arizona Capitol Times' Capitol Calendar is here.
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