Another week of "hurry up and wait" at the legislature, but there will be more excitement this week than at last week's Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament mentioned in last week's post.
At least people could attend the tourney, though. There's a *lot* of secrecy going on this week at the legislature.
One might think that a public body like the legislature doesn't want the public to see what it's doing.
One would have to watch the legislature in action often to think that.
First, the stuff the public CAN view/attend -
On Monday (and probably Tuesday and Wednesday, but those calendars aren't posted yet) many anti-democracy and anti-education bills will receive floor consideration.
On Wednesday, 5/25 at 9 a.m., the Joint Legislative Audit Committee will meet in HHR1.
On Thursday, 5/26 at 2 p.m., the Ombudsman-Citizen Aide Selection Committee will meet in SHR1.
Now for the stuff that will be held behind closed doors.
On Tuesday, 5/24 at 9.a.m., the Joint Legislative Budget Committee will meet in SHR109. Two items on the agenda, one that's the approval of minutes, and one that's clouded in secrecy -"EXECUTIVE SESSION - Arizona Department of Corrections - Review of Inmate Healthcare Contract per to A.R.S. § 38-431.03A2."
On Wednesday, 5/25 at 1 p.m., the Senate Ethics Committee will meet in SHR1. Three "interesting" items on that agenda.
The complaints about Otondo and from Shope seem to be the very epitome of petty.
Shope is complaining about Sen. Juan Mendez (D-Tempe) and his desire to protect his newborn daughter from Covid by not being around Shope and the other unmasked anti-vaxxers at the Capitol.
From Ben Giles at KJZZ -
AZ GOP senator wants to investigate lawmaker with newborn who is avoiding the Capitol
Republican Sen. T.J. Shope filed an ethics complaint against a fellow lawmaker who’s avoided the Arizona Capitol out of concern for the health of his newborn daughter.
Sen. Juan Mendez and Rep. Athena Salman, a married pair of Tempe Democrats, welcomed their daughter in January, days before the beginning of a new legislative session. They’ve since avoided the Capitol — which rid itself of most COVID-19 mitigation policies this year — out of an abundance of caution.
I will say this much - Shope is consistent in his disregard for human life.
He supported Sen. Wendy Rogers in her quest to remain in the state senate over her comments about the mass murder of people in a Buffalo supermarket.
Full disclosure time: I have given money and support to Mendez in the past, and would do so again except that I no longer live in his district.
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 propagate 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 into the entirety of a bill. Those can be introduced at any time and can make a previously harmless bill into a very bad one.
No comments:
Post a Comment