As usual, all info gathered from the websites of the relevent political bodies/agencies, except where noted, and subject to change without notice.
These schedule posts have become intermittent, due in part to the lack of interesting tidbits to cover, as well as election year deadlines in Arizona (
sigs are due Wednesday!) cutting into available blogging time. However, this week, there will be a *lot* of budget-related action and other interesting matters up for consideration, especially in D.C. and with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
Stuff that is definitely post-worthy.
On to the important stuff...
On the federal level -
- The
U.S. House will be
handling a number of bills this week as they get ready for the holiday break next week. The highlight this week will be
H.R. 5136, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2011 (CRS summary
here). There will be a massive amount of election-year posturing over this one, whether of the "fiscal responsibility" or the "I'm a patriot" variety. Still, it's only an authorization bill, not an appropriations bill, and they all will want to make the earliest possible flights out of town on Friday. The posturing will be loud, but efficient.
Also on the agenda: Consideration of a Senate amendment to
H.R. 4213, the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010 (most current CRS summary
here);
H.R. 5175, the DISCLOSE Act (CRS summary
here - it's designed to limit corporate control of election campaigns); and further consideration of
H.R. 5116, the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (previously
blocked by the House GOP when the measure came to the House floor under "suspension of the rules," requiring a 2/3 majority to pass, it's coming back in a way that will require only a simple majority to pass).
- The
U.S. Senate will be doing, you know, "Senate" stuff this week. That includes a committee
schedule with hearings on the
massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico,
impacts of consolidation on the airline industry, and more (lots of executive branch nominations). There will also be floor consideration of
H.R. 4899, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010.
...Back here in Arizona -
- The
Arizona Corporation Commission will be holding a
public comment session in Prescott Valley on Tuesday. The subject will be
Public Comment in the Matter of the Application of the Commission’s, Docket No. E-00000J-10-0044, inquiry and potential rulemaking regarding line extension policies of electric utilities, including but not limited to, alternative rate designs related to apportionment and rate recovery of cost of construction and installation of electric utility line extensions, the use of free footage and/or dollar allowances in line extension tariffs, the treatment of proceeds associated with line extensions as contributions in aid of construction (CIAC) and/or revenue, and the ability for third-party vendors to contract to install line extensions for electric utilities.
The ACC will be holding a regular "Utilities" meeting on Wednesday and Thursday, agenda
here.
The Commission's regular hearing schedule is
here.
- The
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has a busy and "colorful" week on tap.
-- Monday's
Informal meeting is dedicated to budget matters, including the tentative adoption of next year's budget.
-- Later on Monday, the Supes will be holding a
Special meeting dedicated to a financial review of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. This one could include a contempt hearing over Sheriff Joe Arpaio's refusal to turn over financial records for the review. There is
some question about the procedures for the contempt hearing, so the hearing schedule may yet be changed or be cancelled entirely. More AZ Republic coverage
here. This one could be the most interesting event of the week, or it could fizzle completely.
- - On Wednesday, the Supes have a Formal meeting scheduled. The
agenda is a long one.
- The
Board of Directors of the Maricopa Integrated Health System will be holding an
executive session on Monday (relating to legal matters and contracts - the agenda items are rather vague, intentionally so, I think) and a
regular meeting on Wednesday (highlight:
budget-related stuff). MIHS'
Legislative summary will also be on the agenda. Like most of us, their primary focus is on the state's budget situation.
- The
Governing Board of the Maricopa County Community College District is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, agenda
here. It looks pretty mundane thus far, though there is an
item to change the length of the terms of the Board President and Secretary from one to two years. After the regular meeting will be an executive session regarding employment of the Chancellor of the District,
Rufus Glasper. There have been issues of contention between the Chancellor and certain board members, so this particular exec session could be one that most MCCCD observers wish was a public session. Look for public fallout from this meeting to reach an agenda in June.
- The
City Councils of Tempe and Scottsdale aren't scheduled to hold regular meetings this week, though Tempe will hold a
special meeting on Friday to accept the results from last week's election. Tempe's Council Calendar is
here; Scottsdale's Community Meetings Notice is
here.
Not scheduled to meet this week: Citizens Clean Elections Commission, Arizona Board of Regents, Board of Directors of the Central Arizona Project
Later...
