Sunday, March 12, 2023

Legislative schedule - week starting 3/12/2023

Next week should be very interesting - the deadline for most committees to consider bills is next Friday.  There are ways around that, though.  As such, no measure is completely dead while the legislature is in session.  Expect many long agendas next week and/or committees meeting more than once.


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, March 13 


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House Health & Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.   Four bills on the agenda, including SB1250, a piece  of anti-vaxxer propaganda, and SB1254, on reconsideration.

House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  Three bills on the agenda.

House Military Affairs & Public Safety meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  Six bills on the agenda, including SB1047 from John Kavanagh, a proposal to increase the criminal liability for someone who enters or remains in an area close to criminal activity or who declines to assist a police officer.

Senate Finance meets at 2 p.m. in SHR109.  Six bills on the agenda, including HB2014, a proposal to expand corporate tax credits for donations to school voucher organizations

Senate Transportation and Technology meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  Five bills on the agenda..


On Tuesday, March 14 


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House Commerce meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  Four bills on the agenda, all bad.

House Education meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  Two bills on the agenda; includes SB1145, creating a religious and/or moral out for paying student activity fees at public universities.

House Natural Resources, Energy & Water meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  Four bills on the agenda

Senate Appropriations meets at 2 p.m. in SHR109.  Five bills on the agenda.

Senate Health and Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  Nine bills on the agenda, including HB2469, a piece of propaganda about fentanyl and the border.


On Wednesday, March 15 

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House Government meets at 9 a.m. in HHR3.  Eight bills on the agenda.  A mixed bag of propaganda bills here.

House Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in HHR4.  10 bills on the agenda.  Also has a mixed bag of propaganda.

House Ways and Means meets at 9 a.m. in HHR1.  Six bills on the agenda.  At least 50% propaganda, including SB1243, an expansion of tax credits for individual donations to school voucher organizations.

Senate Commerce meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  Five bills on the agenda

Senate Government meets at 10:30 a.m. in SHR2.  Three bills on the agenda, one of which seems to be bad, just not propaganda, IMHO.

House Municipal Oversight and Elections meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  Eight bills on the agenda.  All propaganda (not a surprise, given this committee's history).

House Regulatory Affairs meets at 2 p.m. in HHR5.  Six bills on the agenda.

Senate Education meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  Four bills on the agenda.  Most propaganda.

Senate Military Affairs, Public Safety and Border Security meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  Five bills on the agenda.  Includes HB2309, a bill that (from the official summary [I really can't summarize this more effectively than this :) ] "Declares Arizona's sovereign authority over federal laws, treaties, orders, rules, regulations, actions and programs (Acts) that are inconsistent with the authority of state and local law enforcement. Permits members of the Legislature to direct the Attorney General to render an opinion on the constitutionality of a federal Act."

Apparently, the sponsor (Rep. Rachel Jones) thinks the feds, and Governor Hobbs, need a hearty laugh.


On Thursday, March 16 


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Senate Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  Five bills on the agenda, including a striker to HB2169 (text not available as yet), subject: "criminal classification; sexual offenses; prohibition ".

Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water meets at 9:30 a.m. in SHR2.  10 bills on the agenda, some of which read like they were written by an industry lobbyist and a couple of others that are just bad.

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Budgetary Funding Formulas meets at 10:30 a.m. in HHR4.  No bills on the agenda.


Saturday, March 11, 2023

Don't expect someone who represented Trump and his lies to be a decent human being...even one who has been publicly rebuked

Jenna Ellis, a former Cheeto attorney, has had a (very) busy week.

She was censured and cruel, all in the same week.


First, the "censure" part:

From Politico, via Yahoo! -

Trump 2020 lawyer admits misrepresenting stolen election claims

Jenna Ellis, an attorney for Donald Trump who helped drive his false claims about the 2020 election results, has admitted in a Colorado disciplinary proceeding that she misrepresented evidence at least 10 times during Trump’s frantic bid to subvert his defeat.

“Respondent made these misrepresentations on Twitter and on various television programs, including Fox Business, MSNBC, Fox News, and Newsmax,” Colorado’s top disciplinary judge Bryon Large wrote in a six-page opinion. “The parties agree that by making these misrepresentations, Respondent violated [a state attorney rule of conduct], which provides that it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.”

Large issued a public censure of Ellis for her stipulated conduct.

Then, the "cruel" part:

From HuffPost, via Yahoo! -

Ex-Trump Lawyer Posts Cruel Video Mocking Mitch McConnell’s Hospitalization

Jenna Ellis, an ex-legal adviser to former President Donald Trump, sparked anger on Thursday with another sick hot take.

The lawyer responded to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s hospitalization for concussion treatment after he fell at a dinner function with mockery.

Ellis, who earlier this week was censured for spewing Trump’s 2020 election lies, shared a video featuring a turtle falling downstairs. McConnell has for years been likened to a turtle from both sides of the aisle.


For the record, I am NOT a fan of McConnell, but I don't wish physical injury on *anyone*, even him.  For this, I wish him a speedy recovery.

Electoral losses?

Of course. :)

Physical injury?

No.


Friday, March 10, 2023

Update to "If an R elected loses an R group. does that person stay elected?"

[start sarcasm}

I just LOVE dirty tricks.

[/end sarcasm]


On Sunday, I wrote a post about  State Sen. John Kavanagh and the Coalition Of Greater Scottsdale (COGS).

At 10:04 a.m. today, that post received a comment -






At 10:06 a.m. today, I received a rather interesting email -









Hmmm...Could these be related? :)


Two things:

A. The bill in question, SCR 1023, passed the Senate on a party line vote and John Kavanagh voted for it twice (it failed the first time, but was reconsidered, and after the sponsor allegedly made some promises to protect small charter cities that elect Rs, it passed).

As passed by the Senate, the proposal would affect all charter cities.


B. Is impersonating someone to alter their online preferences a crime?


A story from Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services has a story on the measure here.


Thursday, March 09, 2023

Short Attention Span Musing - Lawsuits Edition

...Here's a new saying for Fox News - "We whistle past the graveyard so you don't have to."


From CNN -

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch dismisses $1.6 billion defamation case revelations as ‘noise’

Fox Corporation CEO Lachlan Murdoch on Thursday dismissed the revelations from Dominion Voting Systems’ $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News as “noise,” throwing his support behind the right-wing talk channel in his first comments since the case enveloped the company in major scandal.

“I think a lot of the noise that you hear about this case, is actually not about the law and it’s not about journalism,” Murdoch told the audience at Morgan Stanley’s annual Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference.


...Apparently, elected officials probably shouldn't cry "Fraud!" when someone they don't like wins an election.  That someone may take some steps to address the lies, and the actions based on them.

From AP

Arizona attorney general sues to stop county election switch

Arizona’s attorney general on Tuesday sued to stop a transfer of election duties in a 

rural county where the leaders have embraced voting conspiracy theories.

The Republican majority on the Cochise County Board of Supervisors voted last 

week to transfer of all election functions from the nonpartisan elections department 

to the county’s elected recorder, also a Republican. The move follows the resignation 

of the elections director, who had objected to the board’s efforts to conduct a 

full hand count of last year’s vote.

AG Mayes' statement on the matter is here.


...Not really a lawsuit, but it involves lawyers and courts.

Apparently, even lawyers can't be liars.  OK, they can't be "seen" as being liars. :)

From Politico via Yahoo! -

Trump 2020 lawyer admits misrepresenting stolen election claims

Jenna Ellis, an attorney for Donald Trump who helped drive his false claims about the 2020 election results, has admitted in a Colorado disciplinary proceeding that she misrepresented evidence at least 10 times during Trump’s frantic bid to subvert his defeat.

“Respondent made these misrepresentations on Twitter and on various television programs, including Fox Business, MSNBC, Fox News, and Newsmax,” Colorado’s top disciplinary judge Bryon Large wrote in a six-page opinion. “The parties agree that by making these misrepresentations, Respondent violated [a state attorney rule of conduct], which provides that it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.”


Sunday, March 05, 2023

If an R elected loses an R group. does that person stay elected?

 If not, John Kavanagh has something to worry about.  


In 2022, he faced a primary challenge from the right, where there isn't much room.  Maybe in 2024, he'll be challenged on forsaking Scottsdale.

Earlier this week, The Coalition of Greater Scottsdale (COGS), an R-leaning group that focuses on Scottsdale, sent out an email.


From that email (emphasis added by me) -


Do you agree that LOCAL governments should NOT be controlled
by the Arizona state senate and house?

View this email in your browser

******************************************************************************************

ALERT: State of Arizona“representatives of the public” want to eliminate Charter cities
example? YOUR Scottsdale’s form of government.


:,
    What could change?
        If approved, the AZ legislature could decide
  • to change the model of government for the Scottsdale such as the number of council members,
  • whether council members are nonpartisan as we have now
  • the disposition of any preserved land. Without Charter City protection, the legislature could require the city to sell the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve thousands of acres for development.
  • …and more state-level negative-impact decisions like they have done to us on Short Term Rentals!


STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING:

Immediately send an e-mail to State Senator, JOHN KAVANAGH jkavanagh@azleg.gov who has forgotten that he represents Scottsdale residents. His support of this (and some other recent local power-grabbing bills) is unforgivable! Tell him NO NO NO on Concurrent Resolution 1023. .

NO: Each city should decide its own unique characteristics as determined by the local residents
NO  Legislators who live in other parts of Arizona should not be making Scottsdale decisions.
NO  Senator Kavanaagh needs reminding WHO he is suppose to represent---PEOPLE not political party negative-impact  bills

 
Thank you for taking action NOW
Your COGS Board of Directors


Well. if we ever need a gas lamp lit, we'll know where to look

Because certain folks are very accomplished at one thing - gaslighting.


From Daily Beast, via Yahoo! -

GOP Leader Now Claims He Didn’t Make Ugly Comment About Biden’s Dead Son

Rep. James Comer (R-KY), the new House Oversight Committee Chairman who lamented this week that President Joe Biden’s dead son was never prosecuted in a long-settled campaign financing case, has now tried to claim he said no such thing.

In an appearance on former Fox Business host Lou Dobbs’ podcast on Tuesday, Comer bemoaned that U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David Weiss, a Trump-era appointee, never indicted Beau Biden in a campaign financing scandal in which Biden was cleared of wrongdoing.


Legislative schedule - week starting 3/5/2023

This week mark a return to "normal" - most legislative committees will be considering propaganda bills, though a couple of agendas will be pure propaganda.

The only difference is that now the bills the will be considering started off in the other chamber.


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, March 6 


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House Health & Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  Five bills on the agenda, including SB1600, an anti-choice proposal.

House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  Four bills on the agenda.  Seems light on propaganda.

House Military Affairs and Public Safety meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  Three bills on the agenda, including SB1024, John Kavanagh's proposal to prohibit habitation structures in public rights-of-way and SB1234 (from Wendy Rogers, but Kavanagh is a cosponsor), a proposal to bar the use of photo radar.

Senate Elections meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  Six bills on the agenda.  It may not be the utter slanderous shitshow that the last meeting of Senate Elections was, but this agenda is 100% propaganda.

Senate Finance meets at 2 p.m. in SHR109.  10 or 11 bills on the agenda, including HB2472, a scheme/proposal from Steve Montenegro to bar the state from requiring banks or financial institution to use use a "social credit score" when evaluating a potential loan recipient's creditworthiness.

Senate Transportation and Technology meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  Three bills on the agenda.  Seems light on propaganda.


On Tuesday, March 7 


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House Commerce meets at 2 p.m.in HHR3.  Two bills and two presentations on the agenda.

House Education meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  Five bills and two presentations on the agenda,; lots of conservative/anti-public education propaganda in both.  One striker to SB1564 to allow private school students to participate in public school interscholastic activities.

House Natural Resources, Energy & Water meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  Two bills on the agenda.

Senate Appropriations meets at 2 p.m. in SHR109.  Two bills on the agenda.

Senate Health and Human Services meets at 2 p.m.  Three bills on the agenda, including some anti-vaxxer propaganda.


On Wednesday, March 8 


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House Government meets at 9 a.m. in HHR3.  Five bills on the agenda, including John Kavanagh's proposal to protect Confederate flags from HOAs.

House Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in HHR4.  10 bills on the agenda, including multiple examples of pro-gun propaganda

House Ways & Means meets at 9 a.m. in HHR1.  Nine bills on the agenda, including a couple of proposals to reduce General Fund revenue.

Senate Commerce meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  10 bills on the agenda.

Senate Government meets at 9:30 a.m. in SHR2.  Six bills on the agenda, including HB2394, a piece of pro-gun and anti-federal government propaganda.

House Appropriations meets at 2 p.m.in HHR1.  Four bills on the agenda, including one very bad bill.

House Municipal Oversight & Elections meets at 2 p.m. in HHR4.  13 bills on the agenda, all bad.

House Transportation & Infrastructure meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  Three bills on the agenda, including one that seeks to reduce municipal revenue.

Senate Education meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1.  Five bills and two propaganda presentations on the agenda.

Senate Military Affairs, Public Safety & Border Security meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  Five bills on the agenda.


On Thursday, March 9 


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Senate Judiciary meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  Seven bills on the agenda, including some propaganda.

Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water meets at 9:30 a.m.in SHR2, including a couple of transmission line proposals from Gail Griffin that read like they were written by an industry lobbyist.

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Budgetary Funding Formulas meets at 10:30 a.m. in HHR4.  No bills and one presentation on the agenda.


Thursday, March 02, 2023

Welcome to FL, where they attack bloggers before Ron DeSantis' presidential run

Pointed at this by Taegan Goddard's Political Wire.

Maybe coming to the next session of the AZ Legislature or even to a striker this session; either way, expect the proposal to  be sponsored by State Sen. John Kavanagh or someone else who has been equally criticized by bloggers.

From WFLA -

Florida bill would require bloggers who write about governor to register with the state

Florida Sen. Jason Brodeur (R-Lake Mary) wants bloggers who write about Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and other members of the Florida executive cabinet or legislature to register with the state or face fines.

Brodeur’s proposal, Senate Bill 1316: Information Dissemination, would require any blogger writing about government officials to register with the Florida Office of Legislative Services or the Commission on Ethics.


As a blogger, in the past I've written about DeSantis (more than once, actually). 

Selfish thought: Would a Florida law apply to me?

Less selfish thought: While the bill in question specifically states that it doesn't apply to a newspaper or other "similar" outlets, how long before they go after other journalists and publications? 


Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Short Attention Span Musing - hypocrisy and heartlessness edition

First, for the Christians out there, I should probably cite the relevant section of the Bible

From BibleGateway.com, Matthew 7:12 (New International Version) -

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

In other words, don't lie, don't hold others to higher standards that you are prepared to meet yourself, and don't be evil.


Speaking of lying.....from ABCNews -

Tennessee GOP congressman was 'mistaken' on college degree

Tennessee U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles says he was “mistaken” when he said he graduated with an international relations degree after a local news outlet raised questions over whether the Republican had embellished his education.

Ogles said this week he wasn't made aware of the mistake until he requested his transcript from Middle Tennessee State University to verify his degree.

“When I pulled my transcript to verify, I realized I was mistaken. My degree is in Liberal Studies. I apologize for my misstatement," Ogles said in a statement released Sunday.

Earlier this month, Nashville-based WTVF-TV reported that Ogles has also called himself an “economist" even though he only took one community college economics course. The station then raised questions over Ogles' claims that he has law enforcement experience and handled “international sex crimes.”

Speaking of higher standards...from the website of the AZ House Democrats -

House Democratic Leader Andrés Cano issued the following statement today after Democratic members with bills ready for a floor vote were told they must obtain signatures from at least 16 of 31 Republican members in order for their bills to get a full vote. In protest, Democrats voted no on all bills moving through the chamber throughout the afternoon.


"Democrats in this Chamber have had enough. Today a number of our bills cleared Committee of the Whole debate -- meaning they should be put on the board of truth to see if they have support from a majority of this body – but now we find that the goal posts have been moved yet again.


Our members did the hard work, getting stakeholders on board, gaining bi-partisan support to get these bills through committee. But apparently, a new and completely arbitrary rule has been imposed upon Democratic members.


That rule, which is written nowhere because it's completely antithetical to representative government, is that our members must get at least 16 Republican signatures on one of these green sheets – a majority of the majority – or else their bill will not be on third read.

That means if all 29 members of our caucus support one of our colleague's bills, but only 15 of 31 Republicans like the idea, then it's dead. A bill with a literal Super Majority plus four extra votes, will not move out of this chamber!


For example, one of the bills debated today has our full caucus support plus 12 Republican signatures. Over and over, this member was told by Republican on this floor 'I'll be the 16th signature, come to me when you have 15 signatures.'


That is wrong. That is not the process. Any bi partisan Democratic idea, no matter how valid, no matter how important to the future of our state, can be stopped because in this chamber the tail wags the dog.


We will not be taken for granted. Until this process is once again deliberative and representative, I vote no."


So unless a majority of Republicans in the AZ House support something, House R leadership deems it dead.

Wonder how loud their screams will be if/when their rule is applied TO them rather than BY them.


Speaking heartless and evil...from Politico (emphasis added by me)-

Why one state’s plan to unwind a Covid-era Medicaid rule is raising red flags

President Joe Biden is giving states a year to check whether millions of low-income Americans are still eligible to receive health insurance through their government’s Medicaid program.

Arkansas is planning to do it in half that time.

GOP Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former President Donald Trump’s press secretary, is pushing to remove people from “government dependency,” and this month her Medicaid agency started sending letters to tens of thousands of Medicaid recipients asking for proof of income and a host of other details to show they are still eligible for the insurance program.


She should probably forego her contempt for her constituents and tell that to the AR Senate.

From a press release dated 6/2/2021 -

American Rescue Plan to Send Billions in Federal Aid to Arkansas

State and local governments are preparing to receive a large infusion of federal aid, under the American Rescue Plan of 2021. Schools and universities in Arkansas also are receiving federal funds.

The amount of federal funding is unprecedented. State government will get $1.57 billion. The 75 counties in Arkansas will get $586 million. Arkansas cities will get about $425 million. Each city’s allocation will depend on its population. Arkansas schools are set to receive $1.25 billion. Universities and colleges will receive $363 million.

USASpending.gov has data how much different states receive from the federal government.