Arizona legislature: The coming week

Lots of presentations this week, probably more of them than bills under consideration.  That will change in subsequent weeks...

Notes:

All committees meetings and agendas are subject to change without notice, and frequently do.  If you plan to travel to the Capitol to observe or weigh in on the consideration of a particular measure, check with the lege ahead of time to confirm that the meeting that you are interesting in is still on schedule and your item(s) of interest is still on the agenda for that meeting.

Meeting rooms designated "HHR" are in the House of Representatives building.

Meeting rooms designated "SHR" are in the Senate building.

Some agendas are summarized as "looks harmless", but if they cover an area of interest to you, examine the agenda and the bills on it.  If I missed something significant, please leave a comment letting me know.


All House committee agendas can be found here.

All Senate committee agendas can be found here.



On Tuesday, both chambers' Appropriations committees will meet in joint session, 9 a.m., HHR1.  On the agenda:  a presentation on the governor's budget proposal.  Recommended footwear du jour: hip waders, because it is going to get deep in there.


Also on Tuesday, both chambers' Transportation committees will meet in joint session, 2 p.m., HHR1.  On the agenda: A slew of transportation-related presentations.  Considering that one of the presenters is a Republican firm that lobbies for private industry, expect a proposal from the lege this session that takes a boatload of taxpayer money be transferred to some private company or companies (yeah, I know, that one is like predicting a sunny day in Arizona).


On the Senate side of the Capitol -

Tuesday, Rural Affairs and Environment, SHR109, 2 p.m.  On the agenda: Presentations.  No bills, as of this writing.

Wednesday, Public Safety, Military, and Technology, SHR1, 9 a.m.  On the agenda: Committee organizing activities and three bills -  SB1002 (relating to compensation for prison laborers); SB1063 (barring activating a walk signal for the purpose of slowing down drivers so that they can be solicited for a donation or for a business); and SB1073 (adding former judges to the list of people who can have certain information [i.e. - home addresses, phone numbers] redacted from public records).

Wednesday, Health and Human Services, SHR1, 2 p.m.  Items of interest on the agenda: SB1031 and SB1032.  Those measures are from State Sen. Kelli Ward (the committee's vice-chair) and seek to conscript AHCCCS contractors into the GOP's War on the Poor Drugs.

Wednesday, Government, SHR3, 2 p.m.  The agenda is short (2 items) and looks relatively harmless.  However, I say that with a big caveat: both measures are from Sen. John Kavanagh, someone who *isn't* known for his "good government" ideas (remember "show your papers before you pee"?).  This one may merit closer examination.

Wednesday, Financial Institutions, SHR109, 2 p.m. On the agenda: a presentation.

Thursday, Finance, SHR3, 9 a.m.  On the agenda: Four bills related to the state's public employee pension systems.  As I don't understand the nuances of those, I cannot comment on the substance of the bills.  However, given that these are proposed by legislative Republicans, who almost never do anything that helps public employees...

 Thursday, Judiciary, SHR109, 9 a.m.  On the agenda: SB1048, part of Kavanagh's ongoing jihad against "vexatious litigants".  His aim with this bill seems to be focused on poor litigants.

Thursday, Education, SHR1, 9 a.m.  On the agenda: a presentation from Diane Douglas, the state superintendent of public instruction (bring your popcorn :) ) and two bills - SB1052, expanding the ability of the state's community college districts to establish charter schools; and SB1065, adjusting the guidelines for school facilities projects (this one is from Sen. Jeff Dial, so it was probably written by some industry lobbyist ).


On the House side of the Capitol -

Tuesday, Ethics, HHR5, 1 p.m.  On the agenda: organizational activities.

Tuesday, Rural and Economic Development, HHR5, 2 p.m.  On the agenda: presentations.

Tuesday, Health, HHR4, 2 p.m.  Agenda looks harmless.

Tuesday, Banking and Financial Services, HHR3, 2 p.m.  On the agenda: presentations.

Wednesday, Commerce, HHR1, 9 a.m.  Agenda: looks harmless.

Wednesday, Insurance, HHR4, 10 a.m.  On the agenda: organizational activities.

Wednesday, Federalism and States' Rights, HHR5, 10 a.m.  On the agenda: organizational activities and a presentation from an ALEC-associated group that seeks to amend the US Constitution to take authority away from the federal government and give it to state governments (perhaps because those are more easily influenced [OK, more "cheaply bribed"]?)

Thursday, Military Affairs and Public Safety, HHR5, 9 a.m.  On the agenda: HB2089, making holders of "elective public office" a specially-protected class whereby a simple assault on one (normally a misdemeanor) is legally considered aggravated assault (a class six felony)

Thursday, Government and Higher Education, HHR1, 9 a.m.  Agenda: looks harmless.

Thursday, Agriculture, Water, and Lands, HHR3, 9 a.m.  On the agenda: a presentation.


As of this writing, no floor calendars have been posted.  When some are posted, they will be available here.

The Capitol Events calendar is here.

Public meeting notices from the Arizona Department of Administration here.