Legislative schedule - week starting 1/14/2024

It may be early in the session, but that won't stop the ideologues in the Arizona legislature.

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday, 1/15 - nada.  It's a holiday and one that the bigots in the legislature may hate but since no one else will be there, neither will they.

On Tuesday, 1/16 

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Senate Transportation, Technology, and Missing Children meets at 9 a.m.in SHR2.  On the agenda: Six measures and some presentations.

What isn't on the agenda: anything related to missing children.  The committee's chair, Sen. David Farnsworth, postured early this month on missing children.

Evidently, his posturing was meaningless to him.

Lots of red meat for the base, though -

Joint Appropriations (the Appropriation committees from both chambers) meets at 10 a.m. in HHR1 to receive the Governor's budget proposal.

House Commerce meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: Seven sunset reviews and one bill.

House Education meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda:  Six bills, some of which are problematical.

House Natural Resources, Energy & Water meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda:  Nine bills, most of which read as if they were written by industry lobbyists for the purpose of protecting or even increasing industry profits to the detriment on average Arizonans.

Senate Appropriations meets at 2 p.m. in SHR109. No bills on the agenda; receiving a presentation from JLBC about the state's budget.

Senate Health and Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda:  Three presentations and four bills,  most of which don't seem problematical.

On Wednesday, 1/17 

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House Ways and Means meets at 9 a.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: no bills.  This committee will be acting as the Ways & Means Committee of Reference and be conducting some sunset reviews.

House Government meets at 9 a.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: four bills.  Most seem to be conventionally bad but not pure ideology.

House Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in HHR4.  On the agenda: six bills.  Some very bad; some less so.

Senate Government Committee of Reference meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: no bills; just sunset reviews.

Senate Government meets at 10 a.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: four bills; all ideological garbage.

House Appropriations meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.   On the agenda: one bill.  Doesn't seem to be a problem.

House Regulatory Affairs meets at 2 p.m. in HHR5.  On the agenda: Nine bills, including some very bad ones.  Making a return: the infamous "tamale" bill in the form of HB2042.  Rep Alma Hernandez has proposed an amendment to the bill.  She's a Democrat, so her proposal may not pass.

House Transportation & Infrastructure meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: four bills.  Doesn't seem too bad.

Senate Education meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: one bill.  SB1058, requiring schools to add a personal finance course to their curriculum.

Senate Military Affairs, Public Safety and Border Security meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: one bill.

On Thursday, 1/18 

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House Appropriations Subcommittee on Budgetary Funding Formulas meets at 9 a.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda:  no bills, but there will be some ideologically-based presentations.

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Fiscal Accountability meets at 9 a.m. in HHR4. On the agenda: no bills but there will be a presentation on opioid settlement funds.

House Appropriations Subcommittee on State & Local Resources meets at 9 a.m. in HHR5. On the agenda: no bills, but there will be presentations on the Rs' favorite talking point, border security.

Senate Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: two bills, both very bad.  SB1007 would make it a class 5 felony for a public school employee or independent contractor of a public school to refer students to or use any sexually explicit material, while SB1017, exempting Tom Horne's Department of Education from a requirement to use the state attorney general's office for legal services.

Legislative schedule - week starting 1/7/2024

They're baaaacccckkkkkk.  On Monday, the Arizona Legislature gavels back into session.  

And while things will be relatively quiet this week, a few of the nuggets of ugly will start moving through the legislative process by Tuesday.

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday, 1/8 - No committee meetings are scheduled.  

That will change.

On Tuesday, 1/9 
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Senate Transportation, Technology, and Missing Children meets at 9 a.m.in SHR2. No bills on this agenda; just some ADOT-related presentations. 

I am wondering how transportation and technology are related to missing children.

House Natural Resources, Energy & Water meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: three bills that read as if they were written by industry lobbyists...but are sponsored by the committee chair, Rep. Gail Griffin.  

They'll pass committee.

The phrase "nuggets of ugly" doesn't only cover culture war stuff; sometimes it refers to other things.

On Wednesday, 1/10 

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House Ways and Means meets at 9 a.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: some sunset reviews; no bills.

House Government meets at 10 a.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: some sunset reviews; no bills.

House Transportation & Infrastructure meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: a couple of "technical correction" /future vehicles for strikers.

Senate Education meets at 2 p.m.in SHR1.  On the agenda: a couple of board continuation measures.

Senate Military Affairs, Public Safety and Border Security meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda:  No bills but eight "fear of the other" presentations.

On Thursday, 1/11 

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Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee of Reference and House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee of Reference meets at 9 a.m. in SHR2.  On the agenda: some sunset reviews; no bills.

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Budgetary Funding Formulas meets at 9:30 a.m. in HHR3.  On the agenda: some presentations; no bills.

Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee of Reference and House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee of Reference meets at 10 a.m. in SHR2.  More sunset reviews.

Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee of Reference and House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee of Reference meets at 11 a.m. in SHR2.  More sunset reviews

Senate Health and Human Services Committee of Reference and House Health and Human Services Committee of Reference meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  On the agenda: some sunset reviews; no bills.

Legislative schedule - week starting 12/31/2023

Even though the week begins in 2023, six out of the seven days, and all meetings, occur in 2024.

One can tell it's near the end of the lege's intersession - there are lot's of sunset reviews this week.

But rest assured MAGA types - the Rs there will still find time to waste taxpayer money while promulgating some  R propaganda.

On Monday, 1/1/2024 - it's a holiday, so there are no meetings.

On Tuesday, 1/2 - Nada.

On Wednesday, 1/3 

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Senate Health and Human Services Committee of Reference and House Health & Human Services Committee of Reference meets at 9 a.m. in HHR1.   Three items on the agenda: sunset reviews of Arizona Department of Child Safety, Foster Care Review Board, and the Arizona Adult Protective Services System.

Joint Legislative Psychiatric Hospital Review Council meets at 2 p.m. or upon adjournment of the earlier committee in SHR1.

On Thursday, 1/4 

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Senate Transportation and Technology Committee of Reference and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of Reference meets at 8 a.m. in SHR1.  Sunset review of the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).

Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Freedom of Expression at Arizona's Public Universities meets at 10 a.m. or upon adjournment of the earlier committee in SHR109.

Propaganda-spewing on tap.

Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Study Committee meets at 1 p.m. in SHR1 to receive some presentations.

Legislative schedule - week starting 12/24/2023

The week of Christmas will be a quiet one at the legislature - nothing is on the schedule there.

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

Prefiling bills, or the AZ lege's way of getting an early start..

...Hey, it may be getting an early start on cravenness and insanity, but an early start is an early start, right?

State Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-Bigot) has proposed three measures, and two are related to banning the use of photo radar to enforce traffic laws, one proposed bill and one proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution.

This public hatred for photo radar that the legislature has is something that they've had for a while.

Mostly because they keep running into it.

The other bill (for now, I'm sure she has more nuggets of ugly to propose) is SB1004.

This one seeks to bar foreign ownership of agricultural land in AZ, but this appears to be meaningless Republican nativist propaganda.

While we've had our issues with that, specifically Saudi Arabia depleting groundwater in rural AZ, this proposal impacts neither water nor Saudi Arabia.

From Rogers' bill proposal -

There are other issues here that lead me to believe that is just nativist propaganda (e.g. - it's sloppily written) and isn't going to go anywhere, but it's an early sign that the AZ legislature intends to produce lots of garbage, and not much that will help the average Arizonan.

Hope Governor Hobbs has kept her veto pen close at hand.

Legislative schedule - week starting 12/17/2023

I was truly expecting that the week before Christmas would be a quiet one at the Capitol, but apparently, there are some things that can't be put off.

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday, 12/18 

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I normally don't cover non-legislative events here, but on Monday, Adrian Fontes, the Arizona Secretary of State, will conduct a drawing to set the order of the names on AZ's Presidential Preference Election (primary) ballots.

If Cheeto isn't listed first, I expect MAGA types will claim the process was fraudulent.

But  that's not what I'm thinking couldn't be put off.  That would be on 

Tuesday, 12/19 

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House Ethics meets at 9 a.m.in HHR4.  They'll be considering the matter of Democratic Rep. Leezah Sun.

On 12/20 and 12/21 -

Nada.

Legislative schedule - week starting 12/10/2023

It's shaping up to be a relatively busy week at the Capitol as they look to finish up some of their intersession work before the start of the new legislative session.  And before they take a break for the holidays.

But not so busy they won't have time to engage in some propaganda-spewing.

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday, 12/11 

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Joint Study Committee on Statewide Animal Control Standards meets at 1:30 p.m. in SHR1.  

On Tuesday, 12/12 

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House Ad Hoc Committee on Antisemitism in Education meets at 9 a.m. in HHR1.  The agenda is sparse (it only has a call to order, public testimony, and an adjournment on it) but this should be colorful.  To put it mildly.

Just a guess:  State Sens. Justine Wadsack and Wendy Rogers probably won't be there.

House Committee on International Trade meets at 10 a.m. on the House Floor.  They're scheduled to receive presentations from a Consul and other luminaries.  But none from Mexico, Arizona's largest trading partner.

That wouldn't comport with the Rs' bigoted ideology.

On Wednesday, 12/13 - Nada.

On Thursday, 12/14 

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Joint Legislative Budget Committee meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  They'll be avoiding the public at this one.  There's both an executive session (no public attendees) and a consent agenda (no testimony from the public) on the meeting agenda.  Nothing else.

Joint Committee on Capital Review meets at 2:15 p.m. or when the first committee adjourns.  Nothing here but a consent agenda.

Legislative schedule - week starting 12/3/2023

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday 12/4 and Tuesday 12/5 - 

Nada.

On Wednesday, 12/6 

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Joint Legislative Audit Committee meets at 9 a.m. in SHR109.

On the agenda and scheduled to present to the committee/be in for a grilling:

The office of the state's Auditor General (a legislative employee, so probably not going to get grilled too hard)

The Governor's Office (considering how much the Republicans in the lege hate Governor Hobbs, this is probably going to be where the Rs on the committee practice their bile-spewing)

Department of Administration

Department of Economic Security

AHCCCS

There are other items on the agenda, too.

On Thursday 12/7 - 

Nada.

And the first one out of the gate at the AZ Legislature is...

Democratic State Rep. Quantá Crews.or Democratic State Sen. Priya Sundareshan.

There have been 16 bills introduced in the AZ House and one bill introduced in the AZ Senate; both first bills were introduced by Democratic members.  Both were pre-filed on 11/15, but as no time was listed, I cannot determine which of them was first.  Both were first in their respective chambers, though.

HB2001, from Crews, is a measure to create a day of racial healing.  Pardon my cynicism, but I have to ask - has she seen the characters of the members of the majority party in the legislature?

SB2001, from Sundareshan, is a measure for a continuation of the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind.  Currently, it is scheduled to end on July 1, 2027; this bill would extend that to July 1, 2033.  This one may pass - but don't hold your breath.  If anything similar passes, it will be for a shorter term, have poison pill provisions in it, be passed at the last minute, and be sponsored by a Republican

The remainder of the House bills, 15 in all, were pre-filed by Rep. Gail Griffin, and as is typical for her, many look as if they were written by an industry lobbyist.

The others look to be anti-water conservation.

A combination which appears to be in keeping with the Republican priorities of protecting industry profits while sacrificing the best interests of the people they're supposed to represent.

Legislative schedule - week starting 11/26/2023

The Rs in the legislature commemorate the holiday season not by serving up ham and turkey to the hungry, but by acting like hams and turkeys while serving up red meat for the base.

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday, 11/27 

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Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Freedom of Expression at Arizona's Public Universities meets at 10 a.m. in SHR109.  They're scheduled to make some remarks, take testimony from some folks who'll claim to have been harmed by a university for espousing conservative views. And to make some more remarks.

With the R members of being who they are (Kern, Borrelli, Wadsack, Nguyen, etc.), the comments should be colorful.

To say the least.

Joint Study Committee on Statewide Animal Control Standards meets at 1 p.m. in SHR1.  I expect this meeting to be less colorful, but as the committee is chaired by John Kavanagh, "colorful" is a threat to happen.

Legislative schedule - week starting 11/19/2023

I admit, I was expecting next week to be very quiet, mostly because of the holiday.  As it turns out, I was wrong - there's one intersession meeting on Monday.

It'll be relatively quiet though - the spewing of propaganda/red meat for the Republican base is on tap for the following week

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday, 11/20 

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Joint Study Committee on on Statewide Animal Control Standards meets at 1 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: a presentation/Q&A session with the executive director of the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board and a discussion of standards of care in animal shelters

Happy Thanksgiving!

Legislative schedule - week starting 11/12/2023

This week shouldn't be as busy as last week.  But what it lacks in interim committee activity it may make up for in fireworks.

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday, 11/13 

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Joint Study Committee on Statewide Animal Control Standards meets at 1 p.m. in SHR1.  This committee is chaired by Sen. John Kavanagh, so it'll produce whatever some industry lobbyist wants it to produce.

On Tuesday, 11/14  

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House Ad Hoc Committee on Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Governance and Oversight meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  This interim committee is chaired by the Speaker of the AZ House of Representatives, Ben Toma.  Of the committee membership, one is currently affiliated the corporate lobbying group, the Goldwater Institute, one used to be, and is currently with the AZ Charter Schools Association (AZ CSA), one is a director of AZ CSA, and the last one is one of Tom Horne's minions who is also scheduled to present to the committee.

Yes, the fix is in.

Toma is in the CD8 primary so the fireworks may come from when he justifies blowing a hole in the state budget in order to protect a fraud perpetrated upon the people of Arizona.

Which may help him win that primary, but would also show him to be a lousy public servant and human being.

Which also may help in that primary - he'd fit right in with the R caucus in the US House.

It sure seems like Alabama is trying to out-Arizona Arizona

 I would say that Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is the worst member of Congress and that would make AL the worst state in the Union, but Arizona keeps sending Paul Gosar to D.C.

Tuberville may be epically dumb, but Gosar is epically bigoted.

From the Atmore (AL) Advance -

County BOE board member, Atmore newspaper reporter arrested by ECSO

UPDATE: The following story was updated today to include additional information on the arrests of Escambia County Board of Education District 6 Board Member Sherry Digmon and Atmore News Reporter Don Fletcher. The update also includes clarification on their charges, and comments from District Attorney Stephen Billy.

An Escambia County Board of Education board member and an Atmore newspaper reporter were arrested Oct. 27 for publishing grand jury evidence, according to officials.

District 6 Board Member Sherry Digmon, 72, and Don Fletcher, 69, both of Atmore, were booked into the county detention center in Brewton at 5:33 and 6:04 p.m. Friday, respectively, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office jail report.

[snip]

Billy suggested Alabama State Code Section 12-16-214, which details about grand jury and the desirability of secrecy.  

The code by which both were arrested (12-16-215) states: Grand juror, witness, etc., prohibited from revealing, disclosing, etc., a juror’s questions, considerations, etc.; no person to directly, indirectly, etc., by any means obtain information as to juror’s questions, considerations, etc. No past or present grand juror, past or present grand jury witness or grand jury reporter or stenographer shall willfully at any time directly or indirectly, conditionally or unconditionally, by any means whatever, reveal, disclose or divulge or attempt or endeavor to reveal, disclose or divulge or cause to be revealed, disclosed or divulged, any knowledge or information pertaining to any grand juror’s questions, considerations, debates, deliberations, opinions or votes on any case, evidence, or other matter taken within or occurring before any grand jury of this state. Nor shall any person at any time, directly or indirectly, conditionally or unconditionally by any means whatever, corruptly or with intent to influence a grand juror or other person authorized by law to attend a grand jury, or by threat of harm to person or property, or by force applied to person or property, or by threatening letter or communication, or by offer of reward, remuneration, gift, benefit or thing of value of whatever nature or kind, obtain or endeavor to obtain, any information pertaining to, or any knowledge of any grand juror’s questions, considerations, debates, deliberations, opinions or votes on any case, evidence or other matter taken or transpiring within or before any grand jury of this state.

I'm not an attorney, so take the following with a grain of salt.

The way that I read the statute as cited, it doesn't actually apply to journalists publishing a story.

Of course, the DA there may just be petty enough to not let truth get in the way.

From AL.com -

Lawyer: Alabama DA who charged newspaper publisher, reporter targets ‘people he has a problem with’

The attorney representing a newspaper publisher and reporter arrested and indicted on charges they disclosed grand jury secrets says his clients are the victims of a prosecutor who is “after people he has a problem with.”

Ernie White, a Brewton attorney, told AL.com on Thursday that Atmore News publisher Sherry Digmon and reporter Don Fletcher – both who face felony charges of revealing grand jury evidence – are facing criminal charges over a dispute related to the non-renewal of Escambia County Superintendent Michele McClung’s contract.

Sounds very Arpaio-esque.

Still, as craven as that is, it's not quite as bad as the fact that Alabama now has internal approval to kill people by suffocation.

From AP (emphasis added by me)-

Alabama can execute inmate with nitrogen gas, state’s highest court says

A divided Alabama Supreme Court said the state can execute an inmate with nitrogen gas, a method that has not previously been used carry out a death sentence.

The all-Republican court made its 6-2 decision without comment on Wednesday. The justices granted the state attorney general’s request for an execution warrant for Kenneth Eugene Smith, one of two men convicted in the 1988 murder-for-hire slaying of Elizabeth Sennett in northwestern Alabama.

[snip]

The decision moves Alabama closer to becoming the first state to attempt an execution by nitrogen gas, although there will likely be additional legal wrangling over the proposed method before it’s used. Oklahoma and Mississippi have also authorized nitrogen hypoxia for executions, in which an inmate would breathe only nitrogen and be deprived of oxygen needed live. While proponents have theorized it would be painless, opponents liken it to human experimentation.

How long before the AZ Legislature tries to go lower than that by reintroducing stoning as a method of execution?

Legislative schedule - week starting 11/5/2023

This week is going to be a relatively busy one at the Capitol for an intersession week.

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday, 11/6 

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House Ad Hoc Study Committee on San Tan Valley Fire Coverage meets at 10 a.m. in HHR1.  As San Tan Valley is unincorporated, the is no tax-supported firefighting organization there. The only firefighting coverage there is provided by Rural/Metro, a private, for profit, corporation.  The corporation has a representative on the committee who will be presenting to the committee as well.

On Wednesday, 11/8 

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House Ad Hoc Committee on Abuse and Neglect of Vulnerable Adults meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  This committee is actually chaired by a Democratic member, Rep. Jennifer Longdon,  As such, I expect that any recommendations put forward by this committee to be thoroughly ignored once the full legislature is back in session.

On Thursday, 11/9 

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Joint Legislative Budget Committee meets at 1 p.m. in SHR1.  On the agenda: A review of inmate healthcare contract rates at the Department of Corrections.  As this committee is chaired by Sen. John Kavanagh, I expect the recommendation here to be "let 'em die...just in way that most profits a corporation."

Legislative schedule - week starting 10/22/2023

This is basically another rerun of my post of 9/22.

Nada.

As in "nothing official scheduled as of this writing."

As in, "regular Arizonans should be verrrry worried."

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

Legislative schedule - week starting 10/20/2023

This is basically a rerun of my post of 9/22.

Nada.

As in "nothing official scheduled as of this writing."

As in, "regular Arizonans should be verrrry worried."

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

Legislative schedule - week starting 10/15/2023

There are going to be lots of interim committee meetings at the Capitol this week; many/most of them will be all about propagating Republican propaganda.

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 at 1 p.m. and the Senate's in Senate Caucus Room 1, 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 into a very bad one.

On Monday 10/16 

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House Ad Hoc Committee on Oversight, Accountability and Big Tech meets at 9:30 a.m. in HHR3 to hear diatribes presentations on technology companies.

Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Study Committee on Water Security meets at 10 a.m. in HHR1.  They'll be reviewing/accepting presentations on bills from previous legislative sessions.

Arizona Off Highway Vehicle Study Committee meets at 1 p.m.in SHR1.  It's a joint committee.  The fix seems be in here - not only is one of the committee members is giving a presentation, that person is an industry executive.

Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Study Committee on Air Quality and Energy meets at 3 p.m. in SHR1.  This one looks to be focused on gasoline.

Also, the two reservations for community events at the Capitol look to be part of the "propaganda" theme.

On Friday, 10/20 

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Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee meets at 8 a.m. in SHR1.  They'll meet to hear presentations from anti-vaxxers, including two from a lawyer who represents an anti-vaxxer group.

Oh, and the only testimony on the agenda is from a sports gambling writer who blames the Covid vaccine for her suffering a stroke.

What's not part of any meeting and/or agenda?

Fixing the state's budget.

Of course, the hole in the state budget is due to legislative irresponsibility so why should they start acting like responsible public servants now?