LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

To date 14 bills have been sent to the governor. 13 of which make up the partisan skinny budget package. The 14th bill was sold as a tax cut for renters but, in reality, HB1184 prohibited cities and towns from taxing rental property owners (not renters). The bill contained no guarantee that the savings would be passed down to renters. It is an attempt to once again, restrict cities and towns from making some decisions to benefit their jurisdiction. The bill was fast tracked.

All 14 bills sent to the governor have been vetoed. The governor swiftly vetoed HB1184 and asked for real relief for renters.

Crossover week has begun. Bills that receive a pass in their original chamber are sent to the second chamber to start the process again. A bill passed in both chambers then makes it to the governor’s desk.

A resolution passed in both chambers that puts a question to voters goes straight to the secretary of state, by-passing the governor.

How many bills passed from their original chamber last week and are crossing over?

Senate 62 bills passed and will go to the House of Representatives

3 resolutions passed and will go to the House of Representatives

House 120 bills passed and will go to the Senate

1 resolution passed and will go to the Senate

5 memorials passed and will go to the Senate (a memorial urges congress or another government body to take a specific action.

This coming week should finish up bills in the beginning chamber and start committee assignments in the second chamber.

What’s happening with LD3 bills?

This is a tough one to call with a large degree of certainly. It appears the Rules Committee in both chambers will meet on Monday with the rest of the week devoted to Floor sessions. Of course, they change rules and schedules at the drop of a hat so it’s hard to tell. Any bill not heard in Rules late Monday should be dead. Based on that assumption the following tally is correct.

Senator Kavanagh

· Sponsored 86 bills. 14 of his bills have already passed. His additional 13 budget bills also passed and were vetoed by the governor.

· 5 of Kavanagh’s bills are scheduled to be discussed on the Floor then voted this week.

· 3 bills are scheduled for Rules on Monday and they could be voted on the Floor later this week.

- Included in the three scheduled for the Rules Committee is his drag show bill prohibiting any state money be used for a ‘drag’ performance. Bill is poorly written and excessively broad. Shakespeare performances in schools, many P.G. movies shown in school or libraries and school performances with any attire deemed drag would be prohibited.

Rep. Kolodin

· Sponsored 19 bills, one has passed.

· Kolodin’s bill to address the Rio Verde Foothill’s water situation is scheduled for Rules on Monday, Feb. 27, and could be voted shortly thereafter.

Rep. Chaplik

· Sponsored 5 bills this session. One has passed, HB2555, which requires all businesses to accept cash.

· HCR 2039 is scheduled for Rules on Feb. 27 and could be voted on the Floor this week. It modifies the governor’s authority in cases of state emergency giving the legislature more control.

On Feb 23 a special joint hearing was held with members of the senate committee on elections and the house committee on municipal oversite and elections. On Thursday Arizonans were learning about the hidden findings from former Attorney General Brnovich’s Elections investigation. While we all learned that 10,000 hours of research by the A.G. office could turn up no evidence of a stolen election, our GOP caucus was once again hearing about….the stolen election. The Democrats on both committees refused to attend the 5 hour hearing.

Outlandish accusations were made, with no corroborating information, stating laundered money was used for massive bribes. Not one committee member asked for any evidence, nor did anyone bring up the new information from Brnovich’s findings.