We've reached the part of the legislative season when a lot of "bad" bills will be quietly moving forward. This may be the best time to stop, or at least weaken, them. The lack of attention paid to them now that allows them to move without much opposition also allows changes to them before the R base can be rallied around those bad bills.
Notes:
All committees meetings and agendas are subject to change without notice, and frequently do. If you plan to travel to the Capitol to observe or weigh in on the consideration of a particular measure, check with the lege ahead of time to confirm that the meeting that you are interesting in is still on schedule and your item(s) of interest is still on the agenda for that meeting.
Meeting rooms designated "HHR" are in the House of Representatives building.
Meeting rooms designated "SHR" are in the Senate building.
Some agendas are summarized as "looks harmless", but if they cover an area of interest to you, examine the agenda and the bills on it. If I missed something significant, please leave a comment letting me know.
All House committee agendas can be found here.
All Senate committee agendas can be found here.
On the House side of the Capitol:
Elections, Monday, 10 a.m., HHR4. One bill on the agenda: HB2023, making it a class 6 felony (one year in prison, $150K fine) for collecting another person's early ballot. This anti-voter measure is from Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita (R-of course), the committee chair.
Rules, Monday, 1 p.m., HHR4. Rubber stamp time.
Ways and Means, Monday, 2 p.m., HHR4. Caveat time: a lot of this stuff is very technical and I am almost certainly missing some nuances here. If tax code and related stuff is of interest to you, examine this stuff closely. Having said that, among the items of interest on this agenda: HB2008, allowing people who pay a fee for a student to participate in a public school-sponsored extracurricular activity to take a tax credit for such fees.
Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources, Monday, 2 p.m., HHR1. One bill on the agenda: HB2325, a bill that seems to primarily impact how fees collected for wastewater and drinking water operator certifications are expended. However, there are clauses impacting the allowable lead content in pipes. Given the water quality disaster (and mass lead poisoning of residents) in Flint, Michigan, this one bears close examination by people who are more knowledgeable in this area.
County and Municipal Affairs, Monday, 2 p.m., HHR4. Looks harmless so far.
Children and Family Affairs, Monday, 2 p.m., HHR5. Looks harmless so far.
Transportation and Infrastructure, Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR1. On the agenda: HB2080, lowering the age minimum for driving learners' permits from 15 1/2 years old to 15; HB2250, allowing ADOT to create an advertising program utilizing non-highway assets and to sell sponsorships for their facilities. Looks to be privatization by baby steps.
Rural and Economic Development, Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR5. HB2133, exempting agricultural aircraft (think: cropdusters) from sales tax. Retroactive to 1985.
Health, Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR4. On the agenda: HCM2001, a love letter to Congress urging is to gut the Affordable Care Act by repealing a tax on health insurance.
Federalism and States' Rights, Wednesday, 9 a.m., HHR5. The tin foil hat caucus will meet to tell each other about how bad the federal government is.
Commerce, Wednesday, 9:30 a.m., HHR1. On the anti-environment agenda: HB2035, a cosmetology "omnibus" bill from House Speaker David Gowan (R-Tin Ear); HB2130, repealing one section of Arizona law barring municipalities and counties from requiring commercial buildings, apartment complexes to report energy usage and conservation, and replacing that with language that looks to be broader (but still bans energy usage/conservation requirements); conditional on the passage of HB2131, barring the regulation of the use of "auxiliary containers" (trash bags, recycling bins, etc.); and HB2132, relating to fees associated with the sale of lead acid batteries.
Judiciary, Wednesday, 10 a.m., HHR3. On the agenda: HB2015, imposing requirements related to publicity pamphlets and early ballots, upon municipalities and counties; HB2224, barring the implementation of any restrictions, including fees, taxes, etc. on private firearms transfers.
Insurance, Wednesday, 10 a.m., HHR4. On the agenda: HB2002, accelerating the reduction of the rate of the tax on insurance premiums, paid by insurance companies; for the most part, I don't understand the effects of the changes proposed by the bills on this agenda. Please examine the agenda closely if this is an area of interest to you.
Education, Wednesday, 2 p.m., HHR4. One bill on the agenda: HB2190, titled "education omnibus". "Omnibus" bills are supposed to contain only non-controversial changes. However, this one is the brainchild of Rep. Paul Boyer and Sen. Sylvia Allen. One highlight: if this bill becomes law, local school boards will be able to apply pesticides to their schools without consulting anyone who knows what they are doing or even notifying the people affected by the pesticides.
Appropriations, Wednesday, 2 p.m., HHR1. Two bills on the agenda: HB2111, requiring state agencies to go to a "zero-based budget"; and HB2468, appropriating $1.8 million to AZAG Mark Brnovich from the internet crimes against children enforcement fund.
Military Affairs and Public Safety, Thursday, 9 a.m., HHR5. Looks harmless so far.
Government and Higher Education, Thursday, 9 a.m., HHR1. (Relatively) Long agenda. Highlight, so to speak: HB2115.
You decide -
Agriculture, Water, and Lands, Thursday, 9 a.m., HHR3. At this point, presentations only.
Elections, Thursday, 2 p.m., HHR4. Special meeting. On the agenda: HB2121, restricting what "voter education" efforts the Clean Elections Commission can fund.
On the Senate side of the Capitol -
Natural Resources, Monday, 10 a.m., SHR109. At this point, only executive nominations and a presentation by an industry lobbyist.
Rules, Monday, 1 p.m., Senate Caucus Room 1. Rubber stamp time.
Commerce and Workforce Development, Monday, 1:45 p.m., SHR1. Looks harmless so far.
Water and Energy, Monday, 2 p.m. SHR3. Looks harmless so far.
Transportation, Tuesday, 2 p.m., SHR1. On the agenda: SB1228, relating to DUIs, removing the requirement for ignition interlock devices for non-alcohol related DUIs; SB1241, banning the use of photo radar (traffic law enforcement) on state highways, even if the "state highway" serves as a local road.
Appropriations, Tuesday, 2 p.m., SHR109. One bill on the agenda: SB1143, appropriating $1.8 million to AZAG Mark Brnovich from the internet crimes against children enforcement fund.
Public Safety, Military, and Technology, Wednesday, 9 a.m., SHR1. On the agenda: SB1017, Sen. John Kavanagh's gambit to preempt Phoenix' move toward issuing ID cards that would serve as sufficient to access municipal services.
Finance, Wednesday, 9 a.m., SHR3. There are four bills on this agenda, and three of them are related to the state's public pension systems. I freely concede my utter lack of understanding of them.
Health and Human Services, Wednesday, 2 p.m., SHR1. Looks harmless so far.
Government, Wednesday, 2 p.m., SHR3. Looks harmless so far.
Financial Institutions, Wednesday, 2 p.m., SHR109. Presentation only, at this point in time.
Education, Thursday, 9 a.m., SHR1. Looks harmless so far. SB1197 brought a smile to my face, though - it would require that cursive writing be taught in Arizona's schools.
Judiciary, Thursday, 9:30 a.m., SHR109. On the agenda: SB1047, which would allow county attorneys to do work for other counties; and SB1132, making positions on the executive clemency board full time employment.
Floor Calendars:
There is a Senate COW calendar for Monday.
There will be floor calendars later in the week, but those are generally posted the day before, or even the day of, consideration.
The lege's Capitol Events calendar is here.
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