Legislative schedule - week starting 1/08/2023

 Hide your children and small animals - the Arizona Legislature will reconvene this week.

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 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, January 9,  the state legislature will reconvene and, as such, the respective chambers' respective Rules Committees aren't scheduled to meet.  They will have nothing to rubberstamp/stop.

On Tuesday, January 10 -

The House and Senate Commerce Joint Committee of Reference meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  No bills on the agenda.

House Natural Resources, Energy, and Water meets at 2 p.m. in HHR3.  No bills on the agenda.

Senate Appropriation meets at 2 p.m. in SHR2.  No bills on the agenda

Senate Health and Human Services meets at 2 p.m. in SHR1. 2 bills on the agenda that look to be relatively non-controversial.

On Wednesday, January 11 -

House Way and Means meets at 9 a.m. in HHR1.  One bill on the agenda, and it's a bad one - HB2003, a proposal to cut corporate income tax rates by almost 50%.  Ideologically driven to the point that there isn't yet a fiscal note attached to this one.

From a presentation by Doug Ducey's Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting -

NOT a problems that needs to be solved.

House Appropriation meets at 2 p.m. in HHR1.  Same bad bill on the agenda.

Senate Commerce meets at 9 a.m. in SHR1.  No bills on the agenda.

Senate Education meets at 2:30 p.m. in SHR1.  No bills on the agenda.

On Thursday, January 12 -

The Health and Human Services Joint Committee of Reference meets at 9:30 a.m. in HHR1.  No bills on the agenda.

Arizona Legislature 2023: Guessing that Governor Hobbs will need multiple veto pens

On tap at the legislature: More helping corporations, more ignoring the will of the voters, and more efforts to undermine democracy...and trying to distract from those things with culture war fights.

The "helping corporations" part?  

Rep. Livingston has introduced HB2003, a proposal to reduce the corporate income tax rate by almost 50%..  This measure is already scheduled for consideration by two committees this week.

The 'ignoring the will of the voters" part?

Livingston has also introduced HB2014, a proposal to expand tax credits for school vouchers, and also expand vouchers themselves.  In 2018, the voters soundly rejected Proposition 305, a attempt by the legislature to expand vouchers.

The "undermine democracy" part?

Sen. Kern has introduced SCR1002, a proposed amendment to the state constitution to require that any changes to it would require the votes of 60% of voters in an election to pass.

The "culture war fights" part?

The ever-reliable Sen. John Kavanagh (R-Demonize) has introduced SB1026, while Kern (who seems obsessed) has introduced SB1028 and SB1030; all of which would redefine, regulate, or otherwise restrict drag shows.

Others of note:

Kern has introduced SB1031, seeking to bar the state or other political subdivisions from firing employees based on their vaccination status.

Kavanagh has been busy - he's introduced SB1024, which would criminalize homelessness; SB1022, which would criminalize begging, asking for donations, and/or selling goods from inside a traffic median; SB1023, which would criminalize picketing or demonstrating outside a private residence; and SB1021, requiring the state's AG to defend all laws passed by the legislature and signed by the governor unless each chamber's judiciary committee grants relief from that requirement by a 2/3 vote (not gonna happen).

The way this is worded it covers measures passed by previous iterations of the lege and signed by previous governors.  And Governors Ducey and Brewer signed a LOT of bad bills.

Governor Hobbs doesn't needed unsolicited advice from a rank amateur like me, but I'm going to offer some anyway (of course :) ).

Her default position on any measures proposed by a legislative R should be "Veto It!"

Not every such measure will be bad, but her first question when considering any measure her desk should be "does this help Arizona?"

For most of the output of this legislature, the answer will be No!"

January 6, 2021 may be over, but the violence and threats of violence are not

From CNN -

Albuquerque police are investigating five shootings at Democratic officials’ homes and offices

Officials in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are investigating a fifth shooting that may be connected to a string of shootings involving the homes and offices of local Democratic elected leaders as targets.

The New Mexico Attorney General, two state senators, a current county commissioner, and a former commissioner have been affected by the five separate shootings, the Albuquerque Police Department said in a press release.

Matt Gaetz is a tease

From The Hill -

Gaetz says he ‘will resign’ if Democrats help elect a moderate Republican for Speaker

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), one of the main opponents to House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) becoming Speaker, said Thursday that he “will resign” from Congress if Democrats help to elect a moderate Republican Speaker instead.

Fox News’s Laura Ingraham asked Gaetz in an interview if he would be alright with an outcome in which there’s “ultimately a deal” struck with moderate Democrats on a consensus candidate in exchange for some kind of co-control of House committees.

If any Democrat is seen as aiding and abetting the circular firing squad otherwise known as the House Republican caucus, that person will be forever tainted...if only for taking away a great source of entertainment from the rest of us.  The GOP tantrum is the best thing on C-SPAN right now.

Still...if he agrees to take Paul Gosar with him I'll advise him to not let the door hit him in the ass on the way out.

Kevin McCarthy, the man who desperately wants to be Speaker of the US House, has achieved one thing. Insanity.

Widely attributed to Albert Einstein (but possibly not said by him), the main quote is "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Kevin McCarthy has crossed that threshold.

Actually, the only way that he even sees it is to look into his rear view mirror.

From Politico -

McCarthy fails on 11th ballot amid hopes for tentative deal with conservatives

Kevin McCarthy and his conservative opponents have reached a tentative breakthrough after a days-long standoff, giving the California Republican’s speaker bid a needed momentum boost.

Conservatives will get more time to look over the details after Republicans agreed to adjourn the House until noon on Friday. But it’s a sign of life for McCarthy, who has struggled to show public strength after three days of 11 speaker ballots that have seen him fail to flip any of his opponents.

After 11 ballots, it seems to be time for McCarthy to seek professional help.

The President goes bipartisan when honoring people who defended the Capitol and the country from Cheeto's machinations

I would NEVER vote for Rusty Bowers, but any who stands up to a bully who a wannabe tinhorn dictator gets a little admiration from me, and apparently, Joe Biden agrees.

From CNN -

First on CNN: Biden to honor 12 people with Presidential Citizens Medal on two-year anniversary of January 6 insurrection

President Joe Biden on Friday plans to mark the two-year anniversary of the January 6, 2021, insurrection by awarding for the first time in his presidency the Presidential Citizens Medal to 12 people.

The individuals include law enforcement officers who were injured defending the Capitol, a Capitol Police officer who died the day after rioters stormed the building and election workers who rejected efforts by former President Donald Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

From ABC15 in Phoenix -

Arizona politician Rusty Bowers to receive Presidential Citizens Medal at the White House

Arizona politician Rusty Bowers is set to receive a Presidential Citizens Medal this week at the White House.

Bowers was the Arizona House Speaker during the 2020 election and "(resisted) pressure from those seeking to overturn the election results,” according to the White House.

The ceremony will take place at the White House on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023.

The ABC15 article has a complete list of recipients.

The Lake platform can be summed up in one word. That one word? "Wahhh!"

From the Tucson Sentinel -

Kari Lake wants the Arizona Supreme Court to order a new election

But only for her race & only in Maricopa County

Kari Lake still wants a "redo" of the governor's race that she lost by more than 

17,000 votes, even after Katie Hobbs was sworn in as governor Monday.

Lake has called for the Arizona Court of Appeals or the Arizona Supreme 

Court to throw out the results of the governor's race and for a new election 

to be conducted — but only for her race in Maricopa County, according 

to court documents filed late last week.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson ruled against Lake 

Dec. 24 in her initial election challenge.

Short Attention Span Musing

...Am I the only one who thinks that Congress-elect George Santos is the incoming Congress' version of Madison Cawthorn?  Just as creepy, but with even more baggage?  And not just US-based baggage?

...It's been popcorn-riffic to see Republican Kevin McCarthy's desperation to be Speaker of the US House of Representatives.  He's made a lot of concessions to the MAGA types in his caucus in order to gain the support, but at this point, he could offer to step into the well of the house chamber and publicly kiss the ass of each member of the GQP's "Freedom" Caucus, and many of them still wouldn't vote for him.

...USSC Chief Justice John Roberts is desperate, too.  Unlike McCarthy though, he's worried about the legacy of his court.

It's too late - his time as chief justice will be remembered with neither fondness nor respect.

Hobbs takes the reins as AZ governor. That works.

From AP via Yahoo! -

Democrat Katie Hobbs takes office as Arizona governor

Katie Hobbs took the oath of office Monday to become Arizona’s 24th governor and the first Democrat to hold the office since 2009.

Hobbs was sworn in during a private ceremony at the state Capitol as she formally took over from Republican Doug Ducey. A public inauguration for the governor and others taking statewide offices is scheduled for Thursday.

From KTAR

What's old is new again for the NRA

Found this in my email from ConservativeIntel, a conservative fundraising organization -

Appealing to fear is NOT a new tactic for the NRA, especially against Democrats.  And there's one in the White House now.

From CNBC

In 2012, they went after then-president Barack Obama.

From Billboard.  Not a pic of him as president, but I like the pic.

From Politifact, dated 6/15/2012 -

Is the NRA right that Obama is 'coming for our guns'?

[snip]

"The gun control debate is over," said Rick Wilson, a GOP political consultant. "We live in a country where guns are a fundamental part of mainstream American culture. The moment I saw that Walmart now sells AR-15s (a type of semi-automatic rifle), I knew the debate was over."

[snip]

In a new campaign mailer -- the contents of which we expect to be repeated in emails and at dinner tables -- the gun rights group is casting Obama as a gun control crusader who is "coming for our guns."

In 2000, they went after then-president Bill Clinton.

From The White House

From CBS, dated 3/15/2000 -

NRA Targets Clinton

In televised ads and media interviews, the National Rifle Association has launched an all out attack on the Clinton administration as the president lobbies for more extensive gun laws in the wake of recent shootings.

But as CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart reports, that's not just hot smoke and insults the NRA is blowing at President Clinton. It's a tried and true political strategy.

In the past week, the president has blamed the NRA for influencing lawmakers to stall gun control reforms, and the rifle association has accused the president of dragging his feet on enforcing existing gun laws. Then the gun group charged the president tolerated gun violence for political advantage.

Observers say the strategy looks familiar.

Every time there's a school shooting or mass killing, Clinton urges passage of new gun control laws. And every time—in order to deflect from the carnage, say some observers—you can count on the NRA to attack Clinton.

In 2016, they went after then-presidential candidate (and former US Senator and Secretary of State) Hillary Clinton.

From the National Women's History Museum

From US News and World Report, dated 9/22/2016 -

NRA Ad: Hillary Clinton Could Get Rid of Your Guns

A new advertisement from the National Rifle Association asserts that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton will take away people's right to self-defense via firearm.

The ad, which runs for 30 seconds, features a woman in bed hearing the sound of breaking glass in her house and leaping up to call 911.

“She’ll call 911," a narrator says. "Average response time: 11 minutes. Too late.”

The woman reaches for a safe and inputs the code to get out a handgun, but then the safe and the gun disappear.

“She keeps a firearm in this safe for protection. But Hillary Clinton could take away her right to self-defense,” the narrator explains. “And with Supreme Court justices, Hillary can.”

It's been said that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.

The NRA is *very* consistent.

Taking out the trash/Friday newsdump: Az Supes side with the AZ Legislature against society

[start sarcasm]

I'm as shocked as I know you are.

[/end sarcasm]

On Friday, December 30, the justices on the Arizona Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision (justices Brutinel and Bolick recusing) upholding a decision by the Maricopa County Superior court, one overturned by the Arizona Court of Appeals, that summarily dismissed a 2019 lawsuit by some nonprofits against the Arizona Legislature.

From the decision by the supes -

Yes, they're ruling that (alleged) public servants acting in a manner that is contemptuous of the public constitutes a "nonjusticiable political question".

If this were football, that would be called "punting the ball away"...if the special teams unit for society and the officials for society were helping the other team.

The opinion by the AZ Supes is here.

The case number in Maricopa County Superior Court is CV2019-014945.  The case history page is here.

The opinion forom the AZ Court of Appeals is here.

The 2023 session of the AZ Legislature will be dominated by culture war attacks, but that shouldn't distract folks from attacks on societal infrastructure

They've already indicated that everything will be under attack; their culture war stuff will get most of the attention, but some of the more mundane stuff will be just as devastating to society.

First up: some culture war stuff -

Sen. John Kavanagh (R-Cathi Herrod's water carrier) has already introduced SB1001, a bill, which, if passed, would bar school district employees and/or school district contractors from referring to a student by their preferred gender pronouns if said pronouns differ from the student's publicly apparent physical gender.

But don't fall asleep on the pro-corporate/anti-society stuff -

Rep. David Livingston has already introduced HB2003, which, if passed, would reduce corporate income tax rates by almost 50%..

Hang on folks.

Legislatively, 2023 is going to be a bumpy ride.

A Christmas tale of two presidents

Pointed at this by Taegan Goddard's Political Wire.

I think Cheeto's handlers should do two things -

1 Take his phone away; if he can't post, he can't post ugly things.

2. Put him on a peanut butter and crackers diet with any water he needs admistered by IV; if he can't talk, he can't say ugly things.

AZ political predictions

 This is completely tongue-in-cheek (except for the parts that come true).  And mostly lege-oriented. :)

January -

Governor Katie Hobbs takes her oath of office with a speech filled with words and phrases like "cooperation" and "best interests of Arizona".

The Rs in the AZ legislature, led by House Speaker Ben Toma and Senate President Warren Petersen, respond with only "wanna bet?"

In one of her first acts as governor, Hobbs calls the legislature into a special session to address the aggregate expenditure limit looming over public ed.

The measure fails on a party line vote as the Rs in the legislature are upset it doesn't give more money to vouchers.

Kari Lake sues to overturn the 2022 election results.  She is represented by a reasonably reputable attorney.

Her lawsuit fails.

Kelli Ward is deposed as chair of the AZGOP.  Guess losing an election or two bothers R PCs more than being a party to treason.

February -

There's a riot in a bingo hall in Oro Valley when a caller refuses to award a Bingo designation to someone who doesn't have one.  Mark Finchem says he wasn't there, but photographic evidence says otherwise.

Abe Hamedeh sues again to overturn the 2022 results.

The lawsuit fails.

March - 

Sen. John Kavanagh runs a bill allowing police officers to kill anyone they want for any reason they want.....so long as they don't kill rich people or white trumpkins.

It passes the legislature on a party line vote.  

Governor Hobbs vetoes it.

Cheeto appears at a rally in Cochise County.  It's well attended.  He and his hangers-on inflate the figures anyway.

Kari Lake sues to overturn the 2022 election results.  She is represented by a reasonably astute attorney who waits until the retainer check clears before going forward.

Her lawsuit fails.

April -

Sen. Wendy Rogers runs a bill changing voting eligibility so that only retired Christian Dominionists living in counties with fewer than 500,000 people in them can vote.

It passes the legislature on a party line vote.  Governor Hobbs vetoes it.

With that, Hobbs sets the record for number of measures vetoed by a governor.

Incensed by the veto, Rogers runs a proposal to change the state constitution.  If passed by the voters, it would bar governors from vetoing measures supported by Republicans.

It passes the legislature on a party line vote.

Changing things up, Kari Lake sues to overturn the 2020 election results.  She is represented by a reasonably reputable attorney.

Her lawsuit fails.

May -

The lege has entered it's silly season, aka - hurry up and wait season, aka2 - there's no budget but the lege is still in session.  And their boredom, and contempt for democracy, shows.

Rep. Leo Biasucci runs a bill barring Attorneys General from indicting or charging Republicans.

It passes the legislature on a party line vote.  Governor Hobbs vetoes it

Sen. Sonny Borrelli runs a bill barring Arizona SOS' from certifying any election results that the majority in the lege doesn't like.

It passes the legislature on a party line vote.  Governor Hobbs vetoes it.

Abe Hamedeh sues again.

And fails again.

June -

The lege, in the persons of Toma and Petersen, announces that budget deal has been reached and that it solves the aggregate expenditure limit issue.

By taking all of the state's education funding and giving it to private and charter schools.

And then they adjourn the lege sine die and get out of town before Hobbs, or anyone else, can say anything.

Governor Hobbs addresses that by using her line item veto power and calling back the lege into a special session.

When certain legislators make noises about not returning to Phoenix, Hobbs makes noise about sending DPS officers to retrieve them.

Since being in Phoenix in the summer beats being in a jail cell, the recalcitrant legislators return.

July -

And the parade begins.

One of the downsides of Arizona becoming a battleground state will be incessant trips by famous (and not-so-famous) Republicans looking for the 2024 nomination for President (and if Joe Biden gives any indication that he's not running for re-election, it'll be Democrats, too).  2024 will start in 2023 here.

August -

The Biden Administration announces the release of a vaccine for cancer that's 99% effective, one that will be named after Anthony Fauci.

Rs and other anti-vaxxers denounce the vaccine as an unscientific plot by Big Brother to control their lives and proudly refuse to take it.

Cheeto tells them to drink Laetrile-laced Kool-Aid, and it will cure the cancer,.  He'll claim that it's more effective than hydroxychloroquine.

But first, they should send him some money

Cheeto's followers die in droves, but he gets wealthier.

September -

Kari Lake sues to overturn the 2022 election results.  She is represented by an attorney who obtained a law degree from a crane game in a convenience store.

Her lawsuit fails.

October -

Kelli Ward announces her candidacy for the U.S Senate seat that will be on AZ's ballot in 2024.

She wants the support of crazies and others of Cheeto's rubes to coalesce around her.

November -

Cheeto makes another appearance, this time in Mohave County. This one is sparsely attended.

The next day, he cries "Fraud!" and ends his candidacy.

December -

The Rs in the legislature, in preparation for an election year session in 2024, sharpen their pitchforks and pour kerosene on their stakes...errr..."prepare their book bans and anti-LBGTQ legislation".

Kari Lake sues to overturn the 2022 election results.  She is represented by an attorney who obtained a law degree from Trump University.

Her lawsuit fails.

Hey! Fox News affiliates! Need a snowflake for your meteorological team? Found one!

And she used to work for you!

From The Hill, dated 12/18 -

Kari Lake calls for imprisoning Maricopa County election officials

Defeated Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake called for Maricopa County election officials to be “locked up” on Sunday as Lake gears up to contest her opponent’s certified victory in court hearings this week.

Speaking to a crowd of young conservatives at Turning Point USA’s America Fest, Lake discussed her election contest at length, repeating unproven allegations about both the 2020 presidential election and Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs’s (D) victory last month.

From Business Insider, dated 11/13 -