The ‘show me your papers before you pee’ bill is dead, for now

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: The "show me your papers before you pee" bill is dead, for now. Arizona transgender bathroom bill won’t move: The sponsor of an Arizona bill targeting transgendered people who want to use bathrooms of the gender they identify with says he’s giving up on the issue this Legislative session. Republican Rep. John … Read more

Action Alert: Election ‘Reform’ Bills being heard today

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The AP reports that Arizona Republican lawmakers are again working to revive a series of
divisive election bills that opponents say will limit Democratic and
Hispanic voter turnout. Arizona lawmakers move to revive election bills – Fox 10:

Lawmakers are slated to debate the election bills Thursday and opponents
are asking their supporters to lobby lawmakers against the provisions.

Democrats who support Gov. Jan Brewer's Medicaid expansion plan opposed by conservative Republicans say the GOP-leadership wants to revive the election bills to stall the budget approval process.

Some Senate Democrats have said they won't support the proposed Medicaid expansion plan in the state budget if it also includes the election bills. Brewer needs Democratic votes to get the Medicaid overhaul passed.

The election bills seek to trim the state's permanent early voting list, among other measures.

REVISED 2 CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SCHEDULE 6-6-13 (Senate)

Thursday,
June 6, 2013

 

 

Time

 

Room

 

Bill Number

On Agenda

 

Short/Now Title

 

Type

 

Senators

 

Representatives

11:00 AM

HHR 4

2305

initiatives;
filings; circulators

FCC

*MCCOMISH,
DRIGGS, HOBBS BURGESS, WARD

FARNSWORTH,
MESNARD, QUEZADA

*McComish
replaced by Burgess and Driggs replaced by Ward

REVISED 2 CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SCHEDULE 6-6-13 (House)

Thursday,
June 6, 2013

 

 

Time

 

Room

 

Bill Number

On Agenda

 

Short/Now Title

 

Type

 

Representatives

 

Senators

11:00
AM

HHR 4

2305

initiatives;
filings; circulators

FCC

FARNSWORTH,
MESNARD, QUEZADA

*MCCOMISH, **DRIGGS, HOBBS,

BURGES,
WARD

*  McComish
is being replaced by Burges

** Driggs
is being replaced by Ward

REVISED CONFERENCE COMMITTEE SCHEDULE 6-6-13 (House)

Thursday,
June 6, 2013

 

 

Time

 

Room

 

Bill Number

On Agenda

 

Short/Now Title

 

Type

 

Representatives

 

Senators

11:00
AM

HHR 4

2305

initiatives;
filings; circulators

FCC

FARNSWORTH,
MESNARD, QUEZADA

*MCCOMISH, DRIGGS, HOBBS,

BURGES

* McComish
has been replaced by Burges

Bisbee and Tucson advance civil union registries

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

EqualAfter the City of Bisbee and interested parties got together with Attorney General Tom "banned for life by the SEC" Horne to discuss the city's attempt to set up a civil union registry, they appear to have worked out their differences and come to an agreemment on the scope of that program to avoid unnecessary litigation.

This week, the Bisbee council approved civil unions measure:

The Bisbee City Council voted Tuesday night to approve a new version
of a proposed local law allowing civil unions for same-sex couples.

The 5-2 vote makes Bisbee the first Arizona town to recognize civil unions.

The
council had voted May 21 to formally propose a scaled-back version of
the ordinance that would legalize civil unions for same-sex couples.

In
April, council members approved an earlier version of the measure that
sought to give people in civil unions the same benefits as those in
marriages.

But city officials decided to rewrite the measure after
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne threatened to sue over provisions
that Horne said were in conflict with state law or went beyond the
city's authority.

Horne's office said he approves of Bisbee's new version of the ordinance and won't sue to try to block it.

High Marijuana Arrests: Signs of Racism & Over-Policing

by Pamela Powers Hannley The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has released a new report on arrests and incarceration for marijuana possession. The findings are startling– in light of new research showing multiple medical uses for marijuana, spread of states with medical marijuana, legalization of marijuana in two states, and widespread usage of marijuana by millions of … Read more

An excellent history lesson

by David Safier Alfredo Gutierrez, former minority and majority leader in the Arizona Senate, combines personal history with the history of racial prejudice and exclusion as it affected Mexican Americans over the years in a piece he wrote for the Republic. For someone like me who never had the advantage of taking a Mexican American … Read more