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.

Measles comes to AZ

From the website of Navajo County -

First Confirmed Cases of Measles in Arizona for 2025 Identified in Navajo County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 9, 2025
First Confirmed Cases of Measles in Arizona for 2025 Identified in Navajo County

Navajo County, AZ — The Navajo County Public Health Services District (NCPHSD), in coordination with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), has confirmed four cases of measles within Navajo County. The individuals were not immunized and have a recent history of international travel. All individuals were exposed through a single source. These mark the first confirmed measles cases in both Navajo County and the state of Arizona in 2025.

Public health officials are actively working to identify locations where potential exposure may have occurred and are in the process of notifying individuals who may have been exposed. Those identified will be advised to monitor for symptoms for 21 days following the exposure period and to consider avoiding public spaces or high-risk environments during that time.

Potential exposure dates: May 17–28, 2025

Unvaccinated individuals, particularly those who may have been exposed, are urged to be vigilant in monitoring for early symptoms of measles, which typically appear 7–14 days after exposure.

Navajo County is a relatively remote county in NE Arizona but people in Maricopa County (and elsewhere) have to worry, too.

From the website of the Arizona Emergency Information Network -

Public Health Confirms Measles Exposure at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

Individuals who were at the airport during exposure timeframe should know and watch for symptoms

Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) has confirmed that a person infectious with measles traveled through Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. MCDPH is working with federal, state, and airport officials to protect travelers who may have been exposed.

“MCDPH is coordinating with other agencies to notify people who may have been exposed so they can watch for symptoms and get care if any develop,” said Dr. Nick Staab, Chief Medical Officer for MCDPH. “With a virus as highly infectious as measles, it’s a reminder that we all should stay up-to-date on our vaccines to keep ourselves and those around us safe.”

Details of the public exposure are:

• Location: Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Terminal 4, beyond security checkpoints, Concourses C and D
• Date: Tuesday, June 10, 2025
• Time: 5PM to midnight

Routinely, anyone who was on the same flight as a person with a confirmed case of measles will be notified directly by their local public health department.

Measles can linger in the air for up to two hours after the infectious person leaves, and the stated exposure window includes that time.

Measles spreads by direct contact with an infected person or through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. A person with measles can give the disease to other people even before they feel sick. Measles can cause serious illness, especially in young children, pregnant women and people with depressed immune systems.

Approximately 90% of unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to measles will become infected. Measles is preventable with two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, typically given during childhood. Adults need at least one dose of MMR vaccine given after the age of one. Individuals born before 1957 or who had measles as a child are considered immune.

Navajo County isn't *quite* the epicenter of anti-vaxxer sentiment in AZ (Yavapai County is), but it's pretty bad there.

From the Arizona Department of Health Services -

Note: This table shows vaccination rates in Kindergarten (since measles is supposed to be a childhood disease, it seems appropriate) in the 2022-2023 school year (the most recent for which a report was available).

More recent data is available here.

While Texas has been the hardest hit state, it's hardly the only state hit by a measles outbreak (notwithstanding the subject of this post).

From the CDC -

It's not just cases of measles that are on the rise in AZ.

From AZFamily, written by Alaina Kwan, dated 5/30/2025 -

Whooping cough cases up 80% from last year in Arizona

Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is on the rise in Arizona this year.

Cases have been surging nationwide; however, Arizona has seen an 80% increase compared to the same time last year, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Whooping cough is an airborne respiratory illness. Banner Health intensive care pediatrician Dr. Rahul Chawla said it can be dangerous for babies and young kids.

Since this is a political blog, I'll make the 2nd to last item a little political.

Also from the CDC -

The number of measles case nationally, 1267, are only exceeded by the number in 2019, 1274.

Cheeto was POTUS in both years.  Probably not a coincidence.

Oh, and the "1274" number is 2019 is thru the full year while this year's 1267 is only thru 7/1.

It'll get worse.

Before getting the disease, or even being being exposed to it, get vaccinated.  It'll protect you and any people around you.

If you have, or suspect you have, measles (or another communicable disease, self isolate and if you have to seek treatment, call your healthcare provider's office before you visit them, and follow their instructions before doing so (from an advisory from Coconino County Health and Human Services).

Betrayal - it may hurt Eli Crane the most

Yesterday, I wrote a post about how AZ's delegation voted on Cheeto's budget bill, crafted to devastate society by taking from the poor and giving to the wealthy.

Summary: the R members supported the scheme; the Ds opposed it.

Today, I compared district size (based on number of registered voters) and the number of AHCCCS enrollees in that district (AHCCCS is the acronym for "Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System", which is what Medicaid is called in AZ) -

Voter registration figures are as of January 2025 and courtesy the Arizona Secretary of State.

AHCCCS enrollee figures are as of January 2025 and courtesy AHCCCS.

(Pic below)

I wanted to include district median household income figures from the US Census Bureau, but while they indicate their data was from a couple of their 2023 surveys, they didn't put an actual date on the data, so I didn't use it here.

Member with the most registered voters in their district?  Eli Crane of CD2.

Member with the most AHCCCS enrollees in their district?  Yassamin Ansari of CD3.

Note: AHCCCS enrollees may NOT be registered voters.  Many are too young to vote.

Member with the highest ratio of AHCCCS enrollees to registered voters in their district?  Ansari.

Member with the lowest ratio?  Andy Biggs of CD5.

Democrat with the highest ratio?  Ansari.

Republican with highest ratio?  Crane.

As promised, the pic from the AHCCCS report -

No surprises among AZ's Congressional delegation when voting for Cheeto's budget.

The Republican members all favored gutting Medicaid, SNAP, science and everything except bigotry/ICE.  Basically, take from the poor, give to the rich, and in an effort to distract the poor from their betrayal of the public trust, blame immigrants..

The Democratic members all voted no.

The motion passed, 218 - 214; two Rs (neither from AZ) voted against it but otherwise, all Rs voted in favor of the bill and all Ds voted against it.

The AZ delegation to the House:

D Ansari N

D Stanton N

R Biggs (AZ) Y

R Ciscomani Y

R Crane Y

R Gosar Y

R Hamadeh (AZ) Y

R Schweikert Y

In the Senate:

Gallego D N

Kelly D N

Note:  Other than Abe Hamadeh, as of this writing none of the Rs have a press release up crowing about their votes on Cheeto's bill.

The votes may help the Rs in any primary they may face in 2026 (I'm looking at you, Andy Biggs, candidate for governor in AZ).  In the 2026 general election?

Not so much.

Competence: Thy name is not Justin Heap

Heap (R-MAGA ideology matters more than reality) is the Maricopa County Recorder.  

In 2024, he defeated incumbent Stephen Richer (R-knew what he was doing) in the Republican primary by nearly 9%. (A third candidate received nearly 22% of the vote).

He went on to win the general election by a little less than 4.5% of the vote.

Heap seems to be finding that actually doing the job well is more difficult than criticizing someone who did the job well.

From Arizona PBS' Horizon -

The Maricopa County Recorder’s Office mailed about 83,000 voters an incorrect letter warning them that they would be moved to the inactive voter list if they didn’t respond, a mistake the Recorder’s Office blamed on a printing error. The voters, roughly 3% of the total registered voters in Maricopa County, were supposed to receive a different letter entirely, according to Sam Stone, chief of staff in the Recorder’s Office. The letter’s recipients were incorrectly told that the Recorder’s Office had received notification from the Arizona Department of Transportation that they had obtained a driver’s license in a different state. The voters were also told they would be moved to the inactive voter list if they didn’t respond within 90 days. These voters will not be moved to the inactive voter list, Stone confirmed. It also drew sharp intraparty rebukes from two fellow Republicans on the county Board of Supervisors, who said their phones were swamped with angry calls.

Hmmm...

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.

The welfare for the wealthy bill is on Gov. Hobbs' desk

And I urge all Arizonans to let her know their feelings on the subject.  

I already did -

Please veto HB2704, the tax money giveaway to the already wealthy.  Like ESAs/school vouchers, not only doesn't it benefit society, it takes money away from public services.

Before final passage by the legislature, this was a topic for a post.

I was right about one thing - the House handled this bill, a giveaway of public monies to Ken Kendrick (passed on Monday) before doing a budget for the public (temper tantrum on this thrown on Tuesday).

There were a few Democrats who voted for the measure; they're all members of "The Usual Suspects" caucus.

HB2704 is here.

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.

Another Biggs looks to enter the family business

From State Affairs, written by Reagan Priest -

For Andy Biggs, Arizona elections are a family affair

U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who is running in the Republican primary for governor, might not be the only member of the Biggs family hitting the campaign trail in Arizona next year.

Mylie Biggs, the Congressman’s daughter, filed a statement of interest to run for Senate in Legislative District 14 to fill the vacant seat left by Senate President Warren Petersen, who is term-limited and running for attorney general. 

Mylie currently works at the Arizona Free Enterprise Club.

The rest is behind a paywall.

She filed a statement of interest on 6/18 -

She formed a committee for the run on 6/20 -

If she wins election to the state legislature, we may learn the answer to one question -

Does the Arizona Free Enterprise Club issue 1099s to its pet legislators, or do they just use brown paper bags?

As of right now, she's only candidate for LD14 State Senate (no SOIs or committees), but it's early still.

The highest priority of the Arizona legislature seems to be welfare for the wealthy

While the Republicans in the Arizona State Senate and the Republicans in the Arizona State House are involved in a bit of tiff over the state's budget (crafting competing budget proposals), they agree on one thing - public monies should be used not for public benefit, but for lining the pockets of the already wealthy.

Neither budget proposal reins in the state's budget-busting school voucher/ESA program.

Also, HB2704 is still alive.  That bill originated in the House, but was amended in the Senate.  As such, it has to be returned to the House for them to approve the changes.  Since those changes make a heretofore bad bill worse (for the public, anyway), I expect them to do so, maybe even doing so before they vote on a budget.

The bill is all giving public money to billionaire Ken Kendrick.

From Fourth Estate 48 on Substack -

Amended Chase Field Deal Still Favors Team, Raises Long-Term Taxpayer Burden

Arizona lawmakers advanced a heavily amended version of HB2704 late last night, significantly reshaping the stadium financing bill but retaining many of the same concerns raised in earlier versions. While the new amendment adds clearer oversight and more guardrails, it ultimately extends and inflates public funding for Chase Field upgrades — offering the Diamondbacks flexibility while placing a larger long-term burden on Arizona taxpayers. The Senate didn’t vote until very late, but approved it with bipartisan support 19-11. The bill now awaits a House vote — which won’t happen until at least Monday, as lawmakers adjourned without taking action on the $17.6 billion budget package.

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.

Former legislator Eric Descheenie forms a committee to challenge Eli Crane for a seat in Congress

Guessing that he may run on a "not a bigot" platform.

Crane can't.

On 5/30, Descheenie filed with the FEC for a Democratic run at the AZ2 Congressional seat that's current held by Eli Crane (R-Stone Bigot)

Crane may be a Trumpkin, but Descheenie has dealt with Trumpkins before.

Arizona: Far more pro-choice than anti-choice

From Pew Research Center -

Americans’ views on abortion differ by state

Nearly three years have passed since a 2022 Supreme Court decision overturned the constitutional right to an abortion. The ruling gave states new discretion to restrict or ban abortion.

Today, public opinion on whether abortion should be legal or illegal varies considerably from state to state, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. That survey, the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, was large enough to break out results in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, although the margins of error for the state-level estimates are much larger than for the survey’s national estimates.

Arizona was covered later in Pew's article.

.

.

.

I'd say Pew's research/polling on this topic is pretty accurate - they have pro-choice views in AZ leading by 28% over anti-choice views and in 2024, Proposition 139 (regarding constitutionally guaranteeing access to abortion services) passed by, wait for it... just over 28%.

From the AZ SOS -

Glad we don't live in Arkansas.

[Edited on 6/15 to add] -

The proposition passed by a little less than 24%.  Still a resounding victory, but when I make an error, I'll correct it and own it.

[ /End edit]

Gotta love it when extremist Rs eat other Rs

Maybe the new GOP symbol should be from Medium (note: I don't agree with the author's "both sides" premise. but I like the pic)- 

From Arizona Capitol Times, written by Reagan Priest, dated 6/10 -

Freedom Caucus announces primary challengers for 

Arizona Corporation Commission

Two Republican state representatives announced their plans to challenge two incumbent Corporation Commissioners in 2026, saying the two commissioners have not done enough to support President Donald Trump’s energy agenda and protect ratepayers. 

Reps. David Marshall, R-Snowflake, and Ralph Heap, R-Mesa, were recruited by Arizona Freedom Caucus Chair and state Senator Jake Hoffman to run against Republican commissioners Kevin Thompson and Nick Myers. The two commissioners were first elected in 2022 and are eligible to run for a second term next year.

Note: Ralph Heap is the father of Justin Heap (R-MAGA), the current Maricopa County Recorder.

Hoffman recruited Marshall and Heap to run in the R primary because he feels that Thompson and Myers, as bad as they are, aren't Trumpy enough.

He's also recruited Kimberly Yee, the current (and termed out) AZ state treasurer, to mount a primary challenge to Tom Horne, the incumbent AZ Superintendent of Public Instruction.

He has recruited Rep. Alexander Kolodin to challenge incumbent Democrat Adrian Fontes for AZ Secretary of State.  Kolodin may face a primary is his quest to the R nominee for SOS.

Hoffman has endorsed Andy Biggs in the R primary for governor (Dear Leader hedged his bets and endorsed the two major candidates in that race which kind of obviates that move by Hoffman),  Given Biggs' noted inability to fundraise means that he'll need Hoffman more than the basically self-funding Karrin Taylor Robson will.

In fact, the only race where Hoffman hasn't issued an endorsement (at least, not that I can find) is the race for AZ Attorney General.  Fellow state senator Warren Petersen is running in that one.  Or maybe I should say "Senate President Warren Petersen."

Hoffman isn't likely to do something to tick him off while both are members of the state legislature.

Note: as of this writing, neither Marshall nor Heap have formed committees for their runs at ACC slots; however, both have filed Statements of Interest with the SOS.

Legislative schedule - week starting 6/15/2025

There's only one committee meeting on the schedule at this point, but the budget bills have dropped.  Things could be added to the schedule at any time.  And even if they're not, there will lots of glad handing/arm twisting going on behind the scenes.

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, 6/16 

-

Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Family Court Orders meets at 9 a.m. in SHR109.  On the agenda: no bills, no presentations.  Just some remarks and public testimony about orders from family court.

On Tuesday, 6/17, Wednesday, 6/18, and Thursday, 6/19 - Nada.  For now.

The House version of the budget is about a certain faction in the House membership getting their hate on for the "other."  I expect that the final budget will change,  Their hate won't.

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. :)

If MAGA ideology can't win elections, simply bypass elections

Anyway, according to MAGA types, elections that they don't win are rigged.

From Arizona Agenda, written by Nicole Ludden and Hank Stephenson -

The classroom coup

In the whirlwind of last year’s elections, you probably weren’t too focused on the Maricopa County School Superintendent race.

In case you missed it, MAGA Republican Shelli Boggs won the position, which comes with the power to appoint new school board members to vacant seats across the county's 58 school districts.

From the website of the Maricopa County School Superintendent -

Nine current school board members have been appointed to their positions, but at least a couple were appointed by Boggs' predecessor, Steve Watson.

Caveat: I live in Phoenix Union High School District's Ward 3 (PUHSD), whose representative was, in fact, appointed by Watson.. She seems to be well qualified for the gig.

On the other hand, that can't be said about Jeremiah Cota,  Boggs' most recent appointee.

From the website of the PUHSD governing board -

As near as I can tell, he's never held public office or even run for one (to be fair, I only looked at general election results in Maricopa, Apache and Yavapai counties, so I could have missed something).

In other words, it seems that his only education-related qualification is profiteering from the privatization of schools.  From the AZ Corporation Commission -

He may not be an honorable public servant or even a decent human being, however.

From a 2020 Arizona Republic article, written by BrieAnna Frank, about him costing the job of an employee at a Scottsdale Bath and Body Works store -

Supporting a candidate IS NOT a bad thing, usually.  

However, given Cheeto's propensity for committing crimes while in office, that support doesn't speak well of the character of his supporters.

Edited on 6/9 to add -

As of this writing, he hasn't formed a committee for a run at an elected term.

End edit.

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