by Craig McDermott
Cross-posted from Random Musings…
Normally, this is part of a longer and more comprehensive post, but since the lege is in full swing now, they'll rate their own post for a while.
"For a while" will probably last until late March or early April, or until the leadership of one or the other chamber orders that no bills be considered until a budget is passed.
Anyway, the usual disclaimer applies – except where noted, all info gathered from the lege's website and subject to change without notice.
– On the House side, the committee schedule is pretty full. Monday is quiet due to the holiday, after that…
…Tuesday at 2:00 p.m., the Committee on Public Employees, Retirement, and Entitlement Reform will meet in HHR3. That agenda looks pretty sparse right now, with the highlight being a presentation on the financial condition of the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System.
…the Committee on Government will also meet at 2 on Tuesday, but in HHR4. The highlights here: HB2019, a plan by Jerry Weiers (R) to dock the per diems of legislators who miss votes; and HCR2001, a resolution asserting Arizona's sovereignty (in most instances) over the federal government, citing the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (basically, they want the feds to keep sending money to AZ, but without any strings attached). Sponsored by 47 out of the 53 Rs in both chambers of the lege.
Weiers' bill may actually violate the AZ Constitution, as it is phrased in such a way as to dock legislators a day's pay per missed vote, and if their daily per diem isn't enough to cover that amount, future per diems will be forfeited until the amount is reached. The problem with that is that only the voters can change legislators' pay. Some lawyers will need to look at this one to properly evaluate it.
…Banking and Insurance will meet at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday in HHR1. The agenda looks quiet thus far.
…Military Affairs and Public Safety will meet on Wednesday at 9 a.m. in HHR3. The highlight here could be HB2131, a bill relating to the continuation of the Department of Juvenile Corrections. Jan Brewer wants to shutter this department and pawn off its responsibilities onto the state's counties, so this bill could see some serious amending before it is through.
…Health and Human Services will meet Wednesday at 9 a.m. in HHR4. The interesting bill here seems to be HB2025, mostly concerning chiropractors and recordkeeping. The interesting part is that it sets forth recordkeeping requirements for chiropractors, but then pretty much exempts all chiropractors from those requirements.
…Commerce will meet at 9 a.m. in HHR5 on Wednesday. Looks quiet thus far.
…Joint Appropriations (the Appropriations Committees of both chambers) will meet at 2 p.m. on Wednesday in HHR1 for a presentation on the Governor's budget proposal. Should be the most colorful and interesting meeting of the week.
…Water and Energy will meet on Thursday at 9 a.m. in HHR5. Quiet thus far.
…Transportation and Infrastructure will meet on Thursday at 9 a.m. in HHR3. Highlights include HB2034, a bill to direct the AZ Department of Weights and Measures to include a list of all federal and state taxes on a sticker to be placed on gasoline pumps; HB2085, a measure designed to cripple photo traffic enforcement; and HB2213, barring any public agency of the state from entering into or renewing a photo enforcement contract without the express permission of the legislature.
…Judiciary will meet on Thursday at 9 a.m in HHR4. The highlight here is HB2042, a bill to ban the seeking of employment while standing on a road. A John Kavanagh nativist special.
– Over on the Senate side…
…Senate Rules will meet on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. in Caucus Room 1. John Huppenthal's SB1039, limiting the amount of information that schools have to report to parents, is getting fast-tracked.
…Commerce and Economic Development will meet at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday in SHR1. Most of the agenda relates to executive branch nominations.
…On Tuesday, Judiciary will meet at 2 p.m. (or thereabouts) in SHR1. Highlights here include SCR1007, repealing legislative term limits; SCR1009, barring publicly-financed elections; and SCR1013, changing the job title of Secretary of State to Lieutenant Governor.
Note: These SCRs have to be approved by the voters before becoming law.
…On Wednesday at 9 a.m., Public Safety and Human Services will meet in SHR3. Highlights here include SB1070, a Russell Pearce bill to bar "sanctuary city" policies and also to turn every government employee into an immigration enforcement agent; SB1084, a measure to allow charging a fee to folks petitioning a court for relief from harassment arising out of a dating relationship; and SB1087, weakening domestic violence laws.
…Healthcare and Medical Liability Reform will meet in SHR1 at 9 a.m on Wednesday. Quiet.
…Education Accounability and Reform will meet on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in SHR1. Highlights here are some executive nominations and consideration of SB1120, a bill to expand the teacher student loan program. Sounds good, right? Well, there is a lot going on in this bill, but the primary purpose of it seems to be to remove language restricting the loan program to schools supervised by the Arizona Board of Regents (which oversees U of A, ASU, and NAU) to schools overseen by the Commission for Post-Secondary Education.
Which oversees things like cosmetology and bartending schools.
…Government Institutions will meet on Thursday at 10:30 a.m in SHR1. Looks quiet, though Russell Pearce's SB1031, relating to voter registration drives, bears watching (as does everything else that Russell Pearce produces.