Arizona Legislature 101: The Double Standard

Newbies at the Arizona State Legislature (or perhaps people who are newly-minted lege-watchers) may have an idealized view of it, thinking that it's a legislative body looking out for the best interests of the people of AZ.

The reality of the AZ lege is somewhat different.

If there were a course on it, the syllabus for that course would include a section on "The Double Standard."

To whit (because this stuff would be certain to be covered in such a course) -

From KXNV (Phoenix channel 15), written by Rachel Louise Just, dated 9/5 -

Sen. Analise Ortiz faces ethics investigation over ICE warning repost

State Senator Analise Ortiz is facing an ethics investigation and calls for expulsion from the Arizona Senate after she reshared a post that included the location of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation.

This week, State Senator Jake Hoffman, R-LD12, formally asked for an ethics investigation into Ortiz, hoping it would lead to her expulsion.

"I think it's a clear violation of that oath of office," Hoffman told ABC15.

Yet, 

From AZMirror, written Jerod MacDonald-Evoy -

Ethics Committee won’t investigate Islamophobic comments from Republican representative

The House Ethics Committee will not investigate an ethics complaint by Democratic leaders against Kingman Republican John Gillette, after he called Muslims “f***ing savages” and posted a series of Islamophobic comments on social media calling members of the faith “terrorists” from “sh*t hole countries” intent on destroying America.

House Ethics Committee Chairman Lupe Diaz, R-Benson, said he would not be taking the matter further and claimed that Democratic leaders were “weaponizing” the House Ethics complaint process. Diaz has not responded to multiple requests for comment about Gillette’s comments or the ethics complaint from the Arizona Mirror.

 

Whatever could be the difference between the two members? (that's sarcasm folks - I know what the difference is)

Legislative schedule - week starting 9/14/2025

Did anything interesting happen this week or is expected to happen next week? :)

Nothing is on the schedule at the Arizona Legislature -

Legislative schedule - week starting 9/7/2025

Basically, a rerun of last week's post -

Nada is scheduled for the week...

Legislative schedule - week starting 8/31/2025

Nada is scheduled for the week..

Legislative schedule - week starting 8/24/2025

Wow!!!

There's two whole committees on this week's schedule at the Arizona legislature this week!  Two!

Of course, there's a holiday the following week, so they may be doubling up in lieu of doing anything in the aftermath of the holiday.

On Monday, 8/25 - Nada.

On Tuesday, 8/26 

-

Joint Ad Hoc Study Committee on Correctional Practices and Facility Safety meets at 10 a.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: no bills; two presentations/testimony about the Arizona Department of Corrections. 

One of the entries on the agenda is a rather vague "Expert testimony relating to the Department of Corrections".  The agenda states that no public testimony will be taken at the meeting.

The press release from House Rs on the meeting says some of the testimony will be from "subject matter experts".  Which may be the R way of saying "Who needs facts?  We're just going listen to want to hear."

The press release states one purpose of the meeting will be to examine a rise in inmate deaths in state prisons.  What the press release *doesn't* state is if the Rs controlling the committee want that number reduced or increased.

The press release goes on to say that another "focus" of the meeting will be to look into a "growing number of custody-level overrides".

Wonder if Ghislaine Maxwell will be one of the "subject matter experts" giving testimony.

On Wednesday, 8/27 

-

Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: no bills; just testimony.  Unlike the other meeting, the Rs running this one actually want testimony from members of the public...so long as they felt the "impact of" (OK, disagree with) an order from a family court.

On Thursday, 8/28 - Nada.

Legislative schedule - week starting 8/17/2025

Well, unlike the last couple of weeks when there was nothing on the schedule at the legislature, there's a little going on.

But only a little.

And it's on the schedule for Monday.

On Monday, 8/18 

-

Senate Health and Human Services meets at 2 p.m.in SHR1.  On the agenda: no bills; presentations from Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS), Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), Arizona Attorney General's Office (AZ AG), and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office (MCAO).

On Tuesday, 8/19, Wednesday, 8/20, and Thursday, 8/21 - Nada

Legislative schedule - week starting 8/10/2025

As with last week, there's nothing on the schedule at the legislature.

Legislative schedule - week starting 8/3/2025

There's absolutely nothing on the legislative schedule at this point.

That may change, so keep an eye out, but as it's August, I don't expect that to change.

Legislative schedule - week starting 7/27/2025

There's no legislative activity scheduled to take place at the Capitol, but there is one committee meeting scheduled in Payson.

Can you say "Taxpayer-funded road trip"?!?

On Monday, 7/28 - nada.

On Tuesday, 7/29 

-

Fire Preparedness Committee House Ad Hoc meets at 10 a.m. at Gila Community College - 201 N. Mud Springs Rd, Payson, AZ 85541.  On the agenda: presentations from the Department of Forestry and Fire Management and SRP.  

Legislative schedule - week starting 7/20/2025

Now that the legislature has adjourned, there isn't much going on down there, but there a little bit going on this week.

OK, just a little bit. :)

On Monday, 7/21 

-

At 9 a.m. Joint Legislative Audit Committee meets in HHR1.  On the agenda: three presentations, one of which involves ESAs (school voucher scam).  One portion will be given by the state's office of the Auditor General (controlled by the ESA enablers in the legislature) and the other portion will be given by the Arizona Department of Education (headed by ESA apologist Tom Horne).

It doesn't seem to be unreasonable to expect an ESA propaganda session.

Legislative schedule - week starting 7/13/2025

Again, nothing on the schedule this week -

Legislative schedule - week starting 7/6/2025

Not much to report this week, as the lege is out of session and many members are still on vacation.

Actually, nothing is scheduled for this week - no interim, ad hoc, or "special" committees.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/29/2025

The Senate passed a budget to avoid a government shutdown and Governor Hobbs signed it into law, and the lege has gone home, so there is absolutely nothing scheduled for next week.

The Independence Day holiday next Friday may have have something to do with that.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/22/2025 UPDATE

I'm guessing that a special session of the state legislature is coming our way.

On Tuesday, 6/24 

-

House Appropriation meets at 10 a.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: 13 bills, all related to the House Budget. all to be considered as part of a single motion.  No public comment need be solicited.

House Rules meets at noon in HHR4..  On the agenda: the 13 House budget bills.

The Committee of the Whole (COW) sessions 2 -8 are all pertaining to the House budget bill; COW1 has two bills on it that seem to have to be returned to the Senate, which has adjourned already.  So that COW session may (or may not) be cancelled.

No amendments to the House budget have been posted as yet, so if passed as is, the House budget will differ from the Senate budget. 

Meaning that, as of the end of the month, the State of Arizona will have no budget.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/22/2025

Well, the Senate has adjourned for the year without the House passing a budget.  The House slated to consider one on Monday, but if they don't, or if anything they pass differs from what the Senate has passed, a special session may be necessary.

From AZ Mirror, written by Caitlin Sievers -

Political chaos erupts as Arizona Senate passes budget and ends session unilaterally

The Arizona Senate has officially ended its work for this legislative session after passing its budget bills in a marathon of amendments and votes on Thursday, just hours after a tentative agreement with Republicans in the House of Representatives fell apart and that chamber went home. 

The day was marked by long-winded speeches and fiery disagreements both between and within political parties. Just minutes after voting on the final budget bill a little before 2 a.m. Friday,  the Senate took a bipartisan vote to end the session — also known as sine die. That vote comes before the House has voted on the budget bills that just passed through the Senate, forcing the chamber to confront the June 30 deadline to pass the budget on its own. 

Schedules can, and frequently do, change at any moment when the legislature is in session.  So pay attention.

Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill become a very bad one. 

On Monday, 6/23 

-

Senate Director Nominations meets at 1:15 p.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: no bills; one director nomination, Karen Peters, AZ Department of Environmental Quality.

It's on the schedule for now, but given that Senate has bugged out, this one may be cancelled.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/15/2025 UPDATE

Like an infestation of athlete's foot fungus, THEY'RE BAAACK.

The lege isn't on hiatus any longer and the people of Arizona are back in jeopardy.

Well, as predicted, the committee schedule has changed.

On Tuesday, 6/17  

-

Senate Appropriations meets at 9:30 a.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: 18 bills, including 16 budget bills.  There are two SCR bills on the agenda; SCR1041 would lift the aggregate expenditure limit for public schools in FY2026 and SCR1042 would do the same for FY2027.  Both have clauses requiring a 2/3 vote for passage.

House Rules meets at 1 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: two bills, neither budget-related.

House Appropriations meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: five bills, four with strikers. The striker to HCR2031 would change it to a proposal to submit to voters a pay raise for teachers, including those employed by charter schools; the one for HCR2058 would, conditioned on voter approval of the first measure and this measure, do many things, including increasing reporting requirements related to teacher salaries on schools; the one for SB1082 would bar a "foreign principal from a designated country" from owning or acquiring real property in AZ (without identifying the country); and the one for SB1470 would freeze enrollment in and reduce funding for AHCCCS.

On Wednesday, 6/18 

-

Senate Director Nomination meets at 10 a.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: no bills, one director nomination - Karen Peters for the Department of Environmental Quality.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/8/2025 UPDATE

Well, the budget logjam seems to have been broken, though the original Senate and House versions of the budget may have some differences.

First, the Senate activity.

On Friday, 6/13 

-

Senate Rules meets at 11:45 a.m. in (Senate) Caucus Room 1.  On the agenda: no bills, one item.

The House has introduced 15 budget-related bills, starting with HB2947.

Now the fun/popcorn eating begins. :)

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/8/2025

Not much is on the lege's schedule as yet, though the budget could drop at any time.

Schedules can, and frequently do, change at any moment when the legislature is in session.  So pay attention.

Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previo

On Monday, 6/9 - Nada.

On Tuesday, 6 10 

-

Senate Education and Technology meets at 9 a.m.is SHR1.  On the agenda: no bills, two board nominations:

Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera for the State Board of Education 

Felipe Jose Garcia for the Arizona Board of Regents

Senate Director Nominations meets (finally!) at 10:30 a.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: no bills, one director nomination - 

Kimberly Ann O'Connor for the Arizona Department of Homeland Security

It's not yet on the schedule, but the legislature has been conducting floor activity on Wednesdays.  They did so last Wednesday and I expect that they will continue to do so, at least until a budget drops.

Then all hell will break loose.

One bill that may make a return is SB1230.  It failed last Wednesday on a roll call vote, but was approved for reconsideration by a voice vote.

The bill would mandate funding for clinical trials of marijuana, and as it would alter a voter-passed measure, it needs a 3/4 vote from each chamber of the legislature to pass into law.

It reached that threshold in the Senate (barely!) but didn't quite reach that threshold in the House.

My guess? 

Even if the supporters of the bill get the votes of every member who missed the original vote AND are are able to change the minds, and votes, of a few of the opponents, they still won't reach the needed threshold of 45 votes.

In other words, it may not actually return

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/1/2025 UPDATE

Tomorrow, 6/5, Senate Director Nominations was scheduled to meet, but that's been pulled from the schedule.  

Guess the nominee for the Arizona Department of Homeland Security doesn't have strong enough ties to neo-Nazi movement to suit the Rs on the committee.

On Friday, 6/6 -

Joint Legislative Audit Committee meets at 9 a.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: no bills; reviews and discussions of three audits.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/1/2025

Right now, there's nothing on the official schedule, but Rs in the legislature and the Ds in Governor Hobbs' office are busily negotiating a budget deal, which could drop at any time.

Schedules can, and frequently do, change at any moment when the legislature is in session.  So pay attention.

Note: HHR refers to a hearing room in the House building; SHR refers to one in the Senate building.

Note2: Generally, I'll only specify bills that look to spread propaganda.  Other bills may be more conventionally bad (think: corrupt or other misuses of public monies and/or authority).  My recommendation is that if an agenda covers an area of interest to you, read the entire agenda.

Note3: Each chamber's respective Rules Committee meets on Monday, the House's in HHR4, generally at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, generally also at 1 p.m.  Both committees serve as rubber stamps for bills leadership wants to be advanced and gatekeepers for measures that leadership wants stopped.

Note4: Meeting start times may be listed, but are flexible.  Before journeying to the Capitol or viewing the meeting online, verify the start time.

Note5: Watch for strikers, or strike everything amendments.  Those involve inserting language that replaces the entirety of a bill.  Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill become a very bad one.