Sunday, January 15, 2017

Arizona Legislature - The coming week

They lege has "improved" its website, making it considerably more user-unfriendly.  As such, the format of this post may change over time as I figure out the best way to utilize the new website.

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 interested 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. 

When the phrase "looks harmless" is used, it only means that any harm to AZ that would be wrought by the bills on the agenda isn't apparent to me as of this writing.  However, if you notice any nuggets of ugly that I miss, please leave a comment that makes me and other readers aware of the situation.

Most bills are assigned to at least two committees - one standing committee and the chambers' rules committees.  A few are assigned to more than that because they cover areas that fall under the jurisdiction of more than one standing committee.  A select few are assigned to three or more standing committees.  That's the way that a chamber's leadership tells it membership that it doesn't want a particular bill to pass.

Because of the MLK holiday, many of the committees that meet on Mondays will not meet this week or will meet on days other than Monday.
 

House side -

Appropriations - Tuesday, 9 a.m., HHR1.  House Appropriations and Senate Appropriation will be holding a joint meeting to receive thgovernor's 2017 budget proposal.

-Appropriations Subcommittee on Education - Wednesday, 9 a.m., HHR4.  Budget presentations from Community Colleges, the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind, and the State Board of Education 

-Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Welfare - Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR5.  Budget presentations from JLBC, AZ Secretary of State, AZ Treasurer, and the state Exposition and State Fair Board.

-Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety, Infrastructure, and Resources - Thursday, 9 a.m., HHR5.  Budget presentions from JLBC, AZ Attorney General, Criminal Justice Commission, and Department of Juvenile Corrections.

Commerce - Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR1.  Two bills: HB2039, relating to apartment finders fees and tenants,   and HB2067, exempting assistants from real estate (and similar) licensing requirements.  Looks harmless.

Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources - Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR3.  Some bills from Rusty Bowers:  HB2093, that looks "sneaky bad", HB2095, compelling the granting of perpetual rights-of-way across public lands to private property, and HB2131, relating to emissions standards.  I don't really understand the impact of it, but since it is from Bowers, I assume it is bad.

Federalism, Property Rights and Public Policy - Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR4.  A couple of "tin foil hat" bills - HB2097, relating to the legislature overriding any federal executive order, regulation, etc. that it considers to be "commandeering"; HCR2006, a call for an Article V convention that would change the US Constitution in a myriad of ways, all being conservative "cause celebres" (legislative election of US Senators, voter ID laws, term limits for members of Congress and members of the Supreme Court, etc.).

Government - Thursday, 9 a.m., HHR1.  I don't understand all of the bills, but one to watch: HB2026, an "omnibus" bill of changes proposed by the Arizona Secretary of State,  Traditionally, omnibus bills are supposed to contained only "non-controversial" changes, but these can be havens for mischief when not carefully examined.

Health - Thursday, 9 a.m., HHR4.  Looks harmless so far.

Judiciary and Public Safety - Wednesday, 2 p.m., HHR4. On the agenda: HB2022, creating an exemption to laws prohibiting discharge of firearms within the borders of municipalities for shooting rats and snakes.  Also: HB2238, a bill making sex trafficking of a minor a class 2 felony (this one actually looks like a good bill).

Land, Agricultural and Rural Affairs - Thursday, 9 a.m., HHR3.  Looks harmless so far.

Local and International Affairs - Wednesday, 9 a.m., HHR5.  On the agenda: HB2013, the annual attempt to cut into newspaper revenue by weakening rules regarding publication of public notices.


Senate side -

Education - Thursday, 9 a.m., SHR1.  On the agenda: Eight bills, all looking to undermine public education, and each in their own special way.

Finance - Wednesday, 9 a.m., SHR1 - On the agenda: a couple of bills from John Kavanagh affecting ASRS (the state employee retirement system).

Government - Wednesday, 2 p.m., SHR109. On the agenda: SB1021, a hate-filled measure that attacks both Latino people and local control (it's from Kavanagh, who isn't afraid to multi-task) creating a list of specific rules regarding municipally-issued ID cards; SB1060, moving resolution of homeowner's association disputes to the state real estate department.

Health and Human Services - Wednesday, 2 p.m., SHR1.  Looks harmless so far (on the other hand, one of the bills is from Kavanagh, so take that characterization with a healthy dose of skepticism).

Judiciary - Thursday, 9 a.m., SHR109.  On the agenda: SB1045, changing the legal definition of "marijuana"Thursday, 9 a.m., SHR1; SCM1002, a love letter to Congress urging it to split the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, putting AZ in a more conservative circuit.  There are other bad bills on this agenda; my guess is that this will be a committee to keep an eye on for the entire legislative session.

Natural Resources, Energy and Water - Thursday, 9 a.m., SHR109 Thursday, upon adjournment of the floor, SHR109.  On the agenda: SB1032 from Kavanagh, expanding the legal definition of "renewable energy" to include hydroelectric power; and SCM1001, urging Congress to restrict the definition of "critical habitat" under the Endangered Species Act. Thursday, 9 a.m., SHR109 Thursday, 9 a.m., SHR109

Transportation and Technology - Tuesday, 2 p.m., SHR1.  Looks harmless so far (on the other hand, the one bill on the agenda is from Kavanagh, so take that characterization with a healthy dose of skepticism).
 1
R1Rules - Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. or upon the adjournment of the meeting of Joint Appropriation, Senate Caucus Room 1.  Two bills that were assigned directly to the Rules Committee.


No floor calendars for the House or Senate have been posted as yet.

The Capitol Events calendar is here.  It will take some work to identify the "outside" events at the Capitol, due to the changes in lege's website.
 

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