Blog For Arizona

Arizona Legislature: The coming week

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

What started out as a quiet week last week became colorful in a hurry when the Arizona Senate passed a package of budget bills, including provisions for Medicaid expansion.

Now the whole package is scheduled to go over to the House for consideration.

As of this writing, there isn't anything in terms of committee agendas or floor calendars posted for the coming week for either chamber, so all that's left to do is speculate a little.

1.  The bills face a murky path in the House, but speculation is that they are likely to pass.  There just may be a little drama first. 

2.  On Friday's Horizon on KAET (PBS channel 8 in Phoenix), the journalists who were part of their weekly "Journalists Roundtable" speculated that the bills won't be heard (and voted on) until after Memorial Day.  According to them, this coming week may see House Speaker Andy Tobin try to push, or at least go through the motions of pushing, his proposal to put the Medicaid restoration before the voters.

However, while there do seem to be enough votes in the House to pass Medicaid restoration, it doesn't seem likely that there is any real support for putting the question before the voters - mostly because they think it will be approved by the voters anyway, and by a wide margin, making the legislature look worse for passing the buck on an easy decision.

Note: As of now, KAET has not posted Friday's episode of Horizon on its website, but will likely do so on Monday. 

Update on Special Action challenge to the consolidated elections bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last year, Rep. Michelle Ugenti (R-Scottsdale) sponsored HB 2826 (consolidated election dates; political subdivisions), a bill providing for the consolidation of elections in the fall of even numbered years only. The law will apply to elections in 2014 and thereafter.

The City of Tucson filed its special action for declaratory and injunctive relief on October 10, 2013 in the Pima County Superior Court, City of Tucson v. State of Arizona et al. (Case No. C20126272). The City of Phoenix Intervened as a plaintiff. The case is assigned to Judge James E. Marner.

On Monday, Judge Marner ruled on the motions for summary judgment. (For some reason I am unable to access the case documents online today, so the ruling is not attached).

I have tried to interest our local newspapers The Arizona Dail Star and the Tucson Weekly in reporting on this case, but apparently they no longer have an interest in court reporting. The Arizona Republic today has a report, from a Phoenix-centric perspective, naturally. Phoenix, Tucson fight change in election calendar:

Tucson and Phoenix are waging a legal fight to overturn a state law that would require local governments to move their elections to even-numbered years to coincide with statewide contests for president and governor.

If the law takes effect in 2014, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and other municipal elected officials could have their terms extended by several months or even a year.

A Pima County Superior Court judge on Monday denied the cities’ request for summary judgment in the case, saying that he needs to get more information than already submitted in court filings. A hearing will likely be scheduled in the next month, so the parties can debate the facts further.

Democrats for Education Reform: the local players

by David Safier

The national PAC Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) recently set up shop in Arizona. DFER is a pro "education reform" group funded primarily by hedge fund money that favors school choice, charter schools and vouchers with a bit of teacher union bashing on the side. It has clear connections to conservative groups pushing a nearly identical privatization agenda. By giving campaign cash and support to Democratic candidates and sitting legislators in exchange for them playing nice with conservatives on education legislation, DFER can pull in those few extra votes needed to pass legislation that moves funds toward charters and private schools and away from school districts. The California Democratic Party is concerned enough about the PAC's influence, it passed a formal resolution condemning DFER. For more information about DFER and relevant links, read my earlier post.

DFER Arizona has a State Director and six people sitting on its Board of Advisors. It's an interesting group. Most of them lean toward the moderate to conservative end of the Democratic Party but, so far as I can tell, they're genuine Democrats. The most suspect to me is the State Director, Christina María Martínez. Her connections with the conservative "education reform" movement appear to go beyond what you would expect from a Democrat, including serving as a lobbyist in Arizona for the very conservative American Federation for Children. Martinez and most of the others, no matter their Democratic credentials, have drunk the conservative privatization Kool Aid and want to spread the gospel amongst their fellow Democrats. This makes it even more important to make the group's agenda clear and to let people know who the Director and Board members are since they're often people working alongside us and voting with the rest of us on other issues.

DFER's Arizona State Director is Christina María Martínez. The Board Members, along with their thumbnail descriptions on the DFER website, are:

• Rhonda Cagle, Senior Vice President of Communications, Imagine Schools
• Victor Contreras, South Phoenix Community Leader, Arizona Licensed Realtor
• Mark Cardenas, Arizona State Representatives, LD-13 [Cardenas is actually in LD-19. The website has it wrong.]
• Julie Erfle, Writer and Speaker for Politics Uncuffed
• Mel Hannah, Chairman of Arizona African American Leadership and Legislative Council (AAALLC)
• Jaime Casap, Global Education Evangelist

Below the fold you'll find more details about the players that I've gleaned from Arizonans who know them and from the internet. The descriptions are incomplete, but they're a start.

Dear AZ Lege, Separation of Church & State is in the US Constitution

by Pamela Powers Hannley

"Amid a discussion of the Bible and the Promised Land, the state House voted Tuesday to let Arizonans vote next year on whether they want to be able to challenge the federal government," reported the Capitol Media Services in the Arizona Daily Star.

Both Craig McDermott and the AZ Blue Meanie have written about the SCR1016 vote which would insert a strict constructionist passage to the Arizona Constitution thus setting up the Legislature for future court battles with the feds (their favorite way to waste OUR money) if US government dares to do something not specifically listed in the Constitution by the founding fathers-- like providing universal healthcare, food stamps, Social Security, etc. You know what they're up to.

I would like to point out to the Lege that separation of church and state IS in the US Constitution.

What the heck are you doing discussing the "Bible and the Promised Land" while you are in session? These topics are irrelevant to the conduct of government. Period. Get back to work.

The Farley Report: Special Budget Edition

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Senator Steve Farley (D-LD 9) provides a special budget edition of The Farley Report UPDATE: Medicaid, Budget Pass Senate:

Here's the brief update I promised you during the last Farley Report:

I have served seven sessions in the Legislature. I have never before experienced a day like today. Together with five brave Republicans -- Majority Leader John McComish, Majority Whip Adam Driggs, Rich Crandall, Steve Pierce, and Bob Worsley, we 13 Senate Democrats amended and passed budget bills to invest in Child Protective Services, K-12 and Higher Education, State Parks and Arts Commission grants, Adult Education and Literacy, and above all, the Governor's Medicaid restoration plan to cover 300,000 more people in poverty, save our hospitals and boost our economy. The bills now move to the House for consideration.

The drama was immense, as this coalition proved our strength in vote after vote and reconsideration after reconsideration as we held firm together, across party lines. Through it all, we stood tall for all our constituents.

Budget Update: Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan passes the Senate

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

In 2004, a handful of Republican senators joined with Democratic senators to wrest control of the Arizona Senate chamber from an obstructionist Senate President. It hasn't happened since -- until today.

A bipartisan Senate coalition, led by the Republican majority leader John McComish no less, gave tentative approval Thursday to Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposal to restore and expand Medicaid (AHCCCS). Ariz. moves closer to Medicaid expansion:

[The coalition beat back more than a dozen hostile GOP amendments sponsored by Senate President Andy Biggs and Sen. Kelli Ward, in a failed attempt to weaken the measure.]

The measure awaits a formal vote of the full Senate, which is expected to come later today. If it passes, as expected, it’s likely to run up against a buzzsaw in the House, where the fate of Medicaid expansion, and the budget it’s attached to, remain uncertain.

Senate President Andy Biggs, R-Gilbert, a steadfast opponent of the governor’s proposal, fought unsuccessfully to kill it with a slew of amendments, including requiring a two-thirds vote for approval, eliminating a hospital tax that will help pay for expansion, converting all state employee health insurance to Medicaid and repealing expansion if even one Medicaid patient is found to be an undocumented citizen.

* * *

But again and again, two members of Biggs’ leadership team and three other GOP senators stood with the chamber’s 13 Democrats to defeat Biggs’ amendment. Majority Leader John McComish, Majority Whip Adam Driggs and Sens. Rich Crandall, Steve Pierce and Bob Worsley joined Democrats to approve the Medicaid amendment on an 18-12 vote.

It may be time for the Capitol Police to start searching legislators for crack pipes...

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

...'cuz some of them seem to be killing off their brain cells at an alarming rate...

 

On Tuesday, the House gave its approval, by an almost-completely party-line vote, to SCR1016.

That SCR places a proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution on the ballot in 2014.  If passed by the voters, it would add a clause to that document stating that Arizona could "nullify", or ignore, any federal action, law or rule.  AZBlueMeanie at Blog for Arizona has a great rundown of that here.

This post is merely about a little over 40 seconds of the House debate on the measure, specifically Rep. Steve Smith's "explanation" of his vote.  He used his "explanation" of his vote to respond to the previous speaker, Democratic Rep. Albert Hale, the only Democrat to vote in favor of the measure.  Hale felt that such a measure would prevent the federal government from taking land and sovereignty from Native peoples and nations.

Note: There's no actual debate during final votes on measures at the lege, just legislators "explaining" their votes.  Some of the explanations get a little long-winded and even bombastic.  Smith was neither long-winded nor bombastic, but after watching his quiet certitude on the historical rightness of unbridled imperialism, I considered adding a third descriptor to the previous sentence - "drug-addled".  However, lacking the results of an independently administered and analyzed drug test, I chose not to go there.

Unintentionally funny headline

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Every once in awhile you run across a headline that the copy editor had to have read and approved, but is so unintentionally funny in print that you have to wonder, "what were they thinking?" Today's example comes from the Arizona Capitol Times:

Ariz. lawmakers want students to learn how to budget

This is so ROFL funny I almost spit out my coffee when I read it. Students to Ariz. lawmakers: "You first buddy! We'll learn when you do!"

Neo-Confederate dead-enders put the long discredited and unconstitutional theories of 'nullification, interposition and secession' on the 2014 ballot

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I posted about this previously, Arizona's Neo-Confederate dead-enders and secession:

Remember the "Checks and Balances in Government" citizens initiative aka the "nullification" initiative from a nutty Scottsdale millionaire businessman, Jack Biltis, that failed to qualify for the ballot due to an insufficient number of signatures last year? Businessman spends $1.2 million to put nullification measure on ballot.

Biltis has decided to bypass the expense of another initiative effort and to take the easy route of getting his fellow Neo-Confederate dead-enders in the legislature to repackage his "nullification" initiative as a constitutional amendment referred to the ballot by the Arizona legislature. SCR1016 is sponsored by the usual suspects, Sen. Rich Crandell (R-Heber), Sen. Judy Burges (R-Sun City West), and cosponsors Sen. Cap'n Al Melvin (R-Saddlebrooke), and Rep. Brenda Barton (R-Payson).

The ballot measure would amend the state Constitution to allow the state to reject any federal action the public deems to be a violation of the US Constitution by passing an initiative, referendum or bill, or by using any other legal remedy. The proposal also prohibits the state from using its employees or resources to enforce or cooperate with a federal action that’s rejected by the people.

It turns out that Jack Biltis has a lobbyist buddy who helped him out in getting these yahoos to sponsor SCR1016: the wannabe tinhorn dictator of Tucson, Jonathan "Payday" Paton. If there is a bad idea, you can bet this tool is behind it.

Action Alert: Call your state senator now to oppose SB 1493

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Craig McDermott posted earlier about Senate President Andy Biggs' budget package introduced yesterday, and mentioned the omnibus elections bill tacked onto the appropriations bills. Here's Biggs' deal: Medicaid restoration in exchange for reducing voting rights.

After a cursory review of SB 1493, it appears to me that Sen. Michele Reagan (R-Scottsdale) and Rep. Michelle Ugenti (R-Scottsdale) have abandoned earlier attempts to modify their so-called election "reform" bills to address the complaints of voting rights groups and Democratic legislators, and are now sticking with the earlier versions approved in committee in an attempt to ram these unnecessary and counter-productive measures through the legislature.

This is a middle-finger salute to voting rights groups and Democrats. It moves Arizona backwards on voting rights.

Each of the measures standing alone attracted unified opposition from Democrats and enough Republican opposition to stall these bills in the legislature. By combining all of these measures into a single omnibus bill and tacking it onto the budget appropriations bills, Senate President Andy Biggs is hoping to strong-arm this bill through the Senate by insisting on party unity. You can bet his whips are going to be working over Republican senators.

Your senators need to hear from you now. Pick up the phone and call your state senator to oppose SB 1493. The Senate directory is here: http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp?Body=S. Keep calling them until this bill is defeated.

The Farley Report: 5-14-13

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Time once again for The Farley Report from Senator Steve Farley (D-LD 9):

I believe I previously shared with you my analogy of the legislature as a middle school. That analogy is particularly apt as we approach approving a budget, as we began to do this morning.  

Just like 7th and 8th grades, for the last few days rumors of all kinds have run rampant, cliques have formed and broken, fights have broken out then healed almost as quickly, and adrenaline is reaching a peak. Huge lines in the sand are easily crossed and then forgotten, reputations are made and then broken, and hope and fear fight over the same space in our consciousness.  

The Medicaid restoration has heightened the stakes dramatically this year, so this next couple of weeks is really gonna be something to witness.  

Yes, the logjam of the past couple of months is finally broken, and the end is in sight. This may be due to the Governor's threat to veto all bills until progress is made, or perhaps due to today being the day legislators' per diem reimbursement is slashed, but either way the result is welcome after weeks of stagnation.  

Here's how it is going down so far, subject to change at any moment: 

Ten separate budget bills--covering different aspects of the budget--were introduced by special dispensation of the Senate Rules Committee today. This is a surprise in and of itself, since the previous assumption was that budget would start in the House, given President Biggs's declaration weeks ago that he would not let Medicaid get a vote on the Senate floor.  

None of these bills (SB1483-1492) include the Medicaid restoration. However, the general understanding is that one of them will be amended (by a Republican) during Committee of the Whole on Thursday to include the Governor's restoration plan (with no language against Planned Parenthood), and there are more than enough bipartisan votes to pass it.  

Here's Biggs' deal: Medicaid restoration in exchange for reducing voting rights

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

Correction added on 5/15 - during my initial perusal of SB1492, it appeared as if some Medicaid expansion provisions were included in it already.  While there are some changes to AHCCCS provisions contained in it, they are minor and *not* part of a Medicaid restoration package.

 

Well, the Senate has introduced its budget package, placing the Medicaid restoration plan in the budget itself but adding a kicker, SB1493.

It has the rather innocuous subject of "elections; omnibus".

It really should be called "extortion; all-in-one; every bad election-related scheme offered by the Republicans this year".

There's summarily removing voters from the permanent early voting list (PEVL), effectively barring most schools from serving as polling places, making successful recall elections all but impossible, barring organizations and campaigns from collecting and returning early ballots, elevating administrative barriers to initiative petition drives, and more.

Any one scheme would render a bill "unpassable" (and has, many times during this session); placing them all in one bill means that the Senate leadership (read: Andy Biggs) expects factors other than the merits of the proposals to influence legislators' votes on the bill.

The other bills in the package are:

So how's that GOP rebranding working out?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

On Sunday, the Arizona Republic for some reason felt compelled to publish a guest opinion (and video) by the disgraced and recalled former Senate President, Russell Pearce, writing on behalf of his anti-immigrant nativist hate group, BanAmnestyNow.com.

Pearce discloses a continuing working relationship with the anti-immigrant nativist hate group,  Federation of American Immigration Reform (FAIR), whose lawyer Kris Kobach wrote SB 1070 for Pearce.

Pearce also cites the widely discredited Heritage Foundation report (.pdf) released last week, which was drafted, in part, by Jason Richwine, who subscribes to the controversial "science" of hereditarianism and eugenics. Richwine was forced to resign from the Heritage Foundation on Friday, presumably after Russell Pearce submitted his guest opinion to the Republic.

Ol' Russel writes, Immigration tug-of-war: Reform effort is a sham:

The 3-year-old Senate Bill 1070, America’s toughest anti-illegal immigration law, has had a dramatic impact on Arizona. We are a better place.

* * *

According to information from the Federation of American Immigration Reform, Arizonans pay $2.6 billion per year to educate, medicate and incarcerate illegal aliens. According to the Heritage Foundation, the billions we pay today are but one-third of our eventual tab a decade from now if the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill becomes law.

* * *

However, despite the many advances we have made, the burdens of illegal immigration still are too high. This is why I call upon my fellow citizens to join me in opposing the latest amnesty/citizenship bill. The group of eight U.S. senators’ legislation (including Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake) risks America’s financial and national security. This bill is the epitome of everything that is wrong, backward and corrupt in Washington.

More on the possible AZ Senate budget deals

by David Safier

Tom Prezelski and I chimed in about rumors of some Senate Democrats playing Let's Make a Budget Deal with Republican Senate President Andy Biggs. AZ Blue Meanie has the Capitol Times take below. The other country heard from is Steve Moratore at the Arizona Eagletarian. He's got a similar take, but he's naming possible names.

Scuttlebutt has it that Biggs has been meeting with Senate Minority Leader Leah Landrum Taylor (D-South Phoenix) and Assistant Minority Leader Linda Lopez (D-Tucson) and a handful of other Democrats to do some wheeling and dealing to peel off enough of the opposition to get his bills passed.

[snip]

There are possibly as many as six Democratic votes in the Senate that Biggs will target for this clandestine operation. But the two top Dems in the Senate are pretty much a lock as to with whom Biggs is working to make deals.

It may be worth noting that overall, the Arizona Senate has 17 Republicans and 13 Democrats. Biggs needs 16 votes to send any Senate bill to the House or House bill to the Governor. Seventeen minus five is twelve. So, Biggs has to pick up at least four Democratic votes to make his plan work.

Oh, and as to Medicaid expansion, everyone outside the legislature expects Biggs to oppose it. He has said so on several occasions. However, the scenario described to me had Biggs including Medicaid expansion in his budget bill(s) with the very strong expectation that it would be stripped out in the House.

All the stories are similar in the big picture but somewhat different in the details, which makes it sound like they come from different sources.

I'm not sure if back rooms are still smoke-filled, but they're definitely as dark as they always were. The best way to knock down the walls and let the sun shine in is for journalists to ask questions of the appropriate senators and for constituents to get on the phone and/or write emails to let legislators know they're supposed to be doing the people's work, and we're paying attention.

Budget Update: Happening Now

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

David Safier and Tom Prezelski reported on the existience of a possible "secret' budget deal in the works in the Senate earlier. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports that the Senate Rules Committee is meeting at 1:00 p.m. today to allow for the late introduction of budget bills. Heads up, people. Sources: Senate to move on budget this week:

Sources confirmed that the Rules Committee will meet at 1 p.m. today to allow for the introduction of the budget package. It would then be assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee by Senate President Andy Biggs when the chamber meets for today’s session at 1:30 p.m.

The Senate, which for the past several weeks has operated on a three-day work schedule, intends to approve a budget bill by Thursday, according to the source. The plan is for senators to hear the budget package in the Appropriations Committee on Wednesday and then advance it to the floor for debate and a vote on Thursday.

It’s unclear if the bill would include Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposed Medicaid expansion plan, a measure that Biggs opposes.

Beware of Democrats Cutting Unproductive Deals

By Tom Prezelski

Re-Blogged From Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

Note: Between writing this and posting this, my colleague here at Blog For Arizona, David Safier, posted his own take on this issue. My arguments are only a little different from his, but it seems that this is sufficiently urgent that there is no reason why this point should not be made twice.

Rumor has it that Senate President Andy Biggs (R-Atlas Shrugged) will be unveiling a "Tea Party" budget later today. Among other things, it reportedly includes a petulant $15 million cut to the Universities, and does not include the Governor's proposed Medicaid expansion, despite the fact that it has bipartisan support.

The proposed budget was apparently drafted largely without the participation of his own Republican caucus. Even Majority Leader John McComish (R-Ahwatukee) was apparently kept in the dark, and reportedly members of the Governor's staff were calling Democrats to find out what was up. Given all this, it should come as some surprise that a handful of Senate Democrats are rumored to be supporting this thing.

Are some Senate Democrats cutting a budget deal with Andy Biggs?

by David Safier

Rumors are circulating that a group of Southern Arizona Democratic senators are cutting a deal with Republican Senate President Andy Biggs over the budget. The deal is, if Biggs gives the Democrats the Medicaid expansion they want, they'll vote for his Tea Party budget, no matter how repugnant it may be to progressive values.

If a few Senate Dems give Biggs their votes, it will allow him to cut out some of the more moderate Republicans who object to parts of his far right budget and still have enough votes to pass it.

I'm confused about why any Democrats would consider playing Let's Make a Deal at this stage of the budget game. Brewer is playing hardball with members of her own party over the Medicaid expansion and it's looking like time is on her side, so why would Democrats make a Medicaid deal they very possibly will get without giving away the rest of the budget? Doesn't it make more sense to allow the Republicans to fight this one out and force the Tea Party wing to make budgetary concessions to members of their party who've retained a bit of their sanity, or even give Democrats a bit of leverage if the Republicans can't pull together a majority on their own?

You have to wonder what the Democrats in question have to gain personally from this kind of maneuver. What, if anything, have they been promised?

This is still in the rumor stage, but it's not idle gossip. It may make sense for Southern AZ Democrats to contact their senators and ask them straight out if they're making a deal with Biggs.

More B.S. from the Goldwater Institute and Tea-Publicans on Gov. Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

You can file this one under stupid shit the Goldwater Institute says and that reporters unquestionly repeat as mere stenographers. You can cross-file it under stupid shit that Tea-Publicans believe but which has no basis in the reality based world (they believe in confidence fairies and unicorns, i.e., the entirely disproved and discredited faith based supply-side "trickle down" GOP economic theory).

The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports Medicaid expansion critics question viability of hospital tax:

Opponents of Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion plan are concerned the proposed hospital tax that would pay for Arizona’s share of the new AHCCCS coverage may not last long, leaving the state on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

Christina Corieri, a health care policy analyst at the conservative Goldwater Institute, said the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, often referred to as the Simpson-Bowles commission, has proposed eliminating states’ ability to use hospital taxes to pay for their share of Medicaid costs. Even President Obama and leading congressional Democrats have floated the idea of scaling back provider taxes, she said, which are currently capped at 5.5 percent of a hospital’s revenue.

Arizona Legislature: The coming week

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

As with the previous few weeks, there just isn't much on the schedule -

- Tuesday's House COW (Committee of the Whole) calendar is here.  Two bills on the agenda, and one of them is a neo-secessionist special: SCR1016, a proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution declaring that Arizona can ignore any federal action that it doesn't like.

- On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce, Energy, and Military Committee is meeting to consider executive branch nominations.  9:30 a.m., SHR1.

- On the lege's Capitol Events calendar, there is only one scheduled event - a pro-Medicaid restoration rally and press conference, planned for 11 a.m. Wednesday.

That's it.  Even the governor isn't putting in much effort these days, as she has announced that she won't be signing any bills until progress is made on expanding Medicaid coverage and completing the state's budget.

One senator, Steve Gallardo (D-Phoenix), has suggested that the lege hold impeachment hearings, looking into the actions of Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne.  It won't happen, but only because Horne is a Republican, not because they have anything better to do.

Still, this is the week that we could start seeing things break on the Medicaid and budget fronts - as Arizona Republic writer Mary Jo Pitzl pointed out in her article linked in the paragraph referring to the governor above, this is the week that legislators start seeing reduced per diem payments (funds to help defray their daily living expenses).

Less money for being at the Capitol = Less interest for being at the Capitol.

 

Basically, it's "hurry up and wait time" redux; I'd say "quintdux", but I'm pretty sure that isn't a word. :)

Buyer Beware! "Democrats for Education Reform" has arrived in Arizona

by David Safier

The term "education reform" is conservative shorthand for the vast, well funded education privatization movement. So why would a Democratic PAC adopt conservative educators' favorite term and call itself Democrats for Education Reform (DFER)? The answer is, DFER, which gets most of its funding from hedge fund billionaires, is interconnected with a number of conservative "education reform" groups, and its purpose is to woo Democratic legislators over to the education privatization side by weaving together bits and pieces of the Democratic agenda with support for vouchers and charter schools while throwing in a bit of teacher-union-bashing on the side.

DFER just set up a branch here in Arizona. Democratic legislators beware. Someone from DFER will be knocking on your door, pitching the PAC's "education reform" agenda as if it's a Democratic program and plying you with campaign contributions.

How non-Democratic is DFER? The California Democratic Party passed a resolution opposing the group, saying it "is funded by corporations, Republican operatives and wealthy individuals dedicated to privatization and anti-educator initiatives, and not grassroots Democrats or classroom educators."

This post is a very compressed version of information I've found about DFER, with links allowing you to read further if you wish.

Democratic legislators have pretty much made peace with the charter school movement and usually do little more than try to counter its excesses and add more oversight -- if that. So DFER's support of charter schools doesn't raise many eyebrows. But DFER's support for school vouchers is another thing entirely. In Wisconsin, DFER supported the expansion of Milwaukie's voucher program. The Wisconsin chapter is led by a former Democratic state representative, Jason Fields, who fought for vouchers alongside Republicans. He and DFER are encouraging the state to raise the per-pupil allotments for both  voucher students and charter schools. We can expect similar activity from DFER in Arizona where the charter and voucher roots are deeply planted.

Repeal Citizens United movement gaining momentum

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Maybe the Arizona legislature would like to jump on the bandwagon? Oh right, they do the bidding of the Goldwater Institute, a charter member of the "Kochtopus," and a big supporter of its dark money organizations and Citizens United v. FEC, and also gutting Arizona's Citizens Clean Elections. "Power to the Plutocrats!"

John Nichols at The Nation reports that Maine, a pioneer of publicly financed campaigns, has become the thirteenth state to pass a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. As Maine Goes… a Bipartisan Call to Overturn 'Citizens United':

When the Maine State House voted 111-33 this week to call for a constitutional amendment to overturn the US Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the support for this bold gesture was notably bipartisan. Twenty-five Republicans joined four independents and all eighty-two Democrats to back the call.

Similarly, when the Maine State Senate voted 25-9 for the resolution, five Republicans joined with nineteen Democrats and independent Senator Richard Woodbury to “call upon each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation to actively support and promote in Congress an amendment to the United States Constitution on campaign finance.”

What happened in Maine this week was a big deal for several reasons:

1. Maine became the thirteenth state to urge Congress to develop an amendment to address the money-in-politics crisis that is unfolding as a result of Supreme Court rulings that that have effectively struck down campaign-finance regulations and ushered in a new era of unlimited spending by wealthy individuals and corporate interests. Maine joins West Virginia, Colorado, Montana, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, California, Rhode Island, Maryland, Vermont, New Mexico and Hawaii in calling for an amendment. Washington, DC, has also backed the drive.

The Farley Report: 5-7-13

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Time once again for The Farley Report from Senator Steve Farley (D-LD 9):

Before we launch into this week's legislative (in)action, I want to share my sadness at the loss of a truly great Tucsonan, Mort Tuller, known to generations as the owner of Tuller Trophy. He died last Wednesday at age 91, and you can read more about Mort in this Star story about his life.

I first met Mort when I called him up to let him know that I'd selected his street photograph as one of the 14 featured on the Broadway Underpass murals just east of Downtown Tucson. The photo was an easy choice for me out of the 217 that were submitted by the public -- he and his wife Sylvia beamed joy and hope as they strutted proudly down Congress Street arm in arm, clad in white, celebrating their decision that day in 1953 to get out of jewelry and into trophies.  

Mort reacted to my happy phone call by telling me this was more proof that he led a charmed life. He earned 10 battle stars during World War II without suffering injury, won the lottery, had the best family ever created, built the biggest trophy business in Southern Arizona and counted the White House among his clients, and always told the best worst jokes imaginable. He was a true treasure of a man, and will be missed. I am grateful that Mort lives on in our hearts and up on that wall.  

Update on Special Action challenge to the consolidated elections bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last year, Rep. Michelle Ugenti (R-Scottsdale) sponsored HB 2826 (consolidated election dates; political subdivisions), a bill providing for the consolidation of elections in the fall of even numbered years only. The law will apply to elections in 2014 and thereafter.

The City of Tucson filed its special action for declaratory and injunctive relief on October 10, 2013 in the Pima County Superior Court, City of Tucson v. State of Arizona et al. (Case No. C20126272). The City of Phoenix Intervened as a plaintiff. The case is assigned to Judge James E. Marner.

Last Monday, the Court heard pending motions in this special action. I am not sure why it took a week for the Minute Entry for that hearing to be posted, but here it is. Minute Entry dated April 29, 2013.

The posture of this case is as follows:

There being no objections,

IT IS ORDERED that Defendant State of Arizona’s Motion for Leave to File Consolidated Response to Motions for Summary Judgment Filed by Plaintiff City of Tucson and Intervenor-Plaintiff City of Phoenix is GRANTED.

* * *

As to the Goldwater Institute's Request to file Amicus Brief,

The Court did not find a rule, either cited or un-cited, statute, case law or law review article that would have supported the notion that an Amicus Brief could be filed at the trial court level. Further, there was not a rule that was directly on point or even tangentially.

IT IS ORDERED that Goldwater’s Request for Amicus Briefing is DENIED.

And these high-priced suits call themselves constitutional law experts. They just make up their own rules as they go along. Such arrogance.

Arizona legislature: The coming week

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

Another week of steadily twiddling thumbs at the state capitol.

The hangup still seems to be AHCCCS/Medicaid restoration.

Many of the Rs in the legislature, led by Senate President Andy Biggs (R-Gilbert) have dug in their heels, blocking anything.  It's gotten so bad that the Arizona Republic published an editorial advising Biggs to get the hell out of the was of progress (OK, so they chose to be more tactful than me :) ).

Negotiations are ongoing - now it appears that Governor Jan Brewer is placing anti-family planning language into her proposal, which is OK.

If you believe that Arizona's teen pregnancy rate isn't high enough.

 

Anyway, the lege is on a three day schedule this week, starting Tuesday.

As of this writing, no floor calendars have been posted, and only one committee agenda - Senate Rules, Tuesday, upon adjournment of the floor session, Caucus Room 1 - is up on the lege's website.  The agenda for that is short, only two bills, but one of them, HCR2026, is a backdoor measure aimed at undermining Clean Elections.  I expect that we'll see more of these bad bills now that most of the "good" bills that have any support among the Rs have already passed.

Let's be clear - while this week is shaping up to be another quiet week, things could change at a moment's notice. 

They eventually will change, but it's still anybody's guess as to when that will happen.

 

BASIS on MSNBC: The Truth vs. The Legend

by David Safier

As part of its Education Nation series, MSNBC sent Chuck Todd to Phoenix for a discussion with a panel consisting of John Huppenthal (Superintendent of Education), Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor (Senate Minority Leader), Joe Thomas, (Vice President of the Arizona Education Association) and Rep. Andy Tobin (House Speaker). The conversation ranged all over the education landscape. Not surprisingly, one segment was about BASIS, where I saw a fascinating transformation take place. First came The BASIS Legend from the mouths of two media people who've heard it so often they've memorized it, followed by Julia Toews, Head of BASIS Tucson North, and Hupp, who repeated and embellished it. Then came Joe Thomas -- the man is ready for prime time, he did a great job all through the discussion -- who busted out with The Truth and deflated The Legend.

The best line came from Joe near the end. When they were talking about whether the BASIS method could be scaled up or transported whole to other schools, Joe said, "If we could scale up BASIS, BASIS would have scaled up in Tucson, and they would be 10,000 strong by now." Perfect.

Chuck Todd led off with The BASIS Legend. It's the story he knows, because it's been repeated ad nauseum by the conservative "education reform" crowd that created it. Here's what Todd said, with my comments in brackets:

I've seen huge solutions from BASIS Schools [No you haven't. You've seen misleading stories about huge solutions]. Right now, BASIS Tucson North is considered the best high school in the country [No, there's nothing near universal agreement that BASIS is close to being the best high school in the country. U.S. News & World Report put out a deeply flawed high school ratings list that had BASIS Tucson as Number 2, and uninformed members of the media, prodded by conservative propagandists, swallowed it whole]. What are you doing right? [Better question: What are you doing, right or wrong, to get those high ratings?]

Ethan Orr defends his "Every gun is sacred" vote

by David Safier

Ethan Orr (R, LD-9) is my representative, so I emailed him criticizing his Yes vote on HB 2455 which forbids a city -- like, say, Tucson -- from destroying guns. As today's Republicans go, Orr is a reasonably reasonable guy who I've had reasonable conversations with, so it's not a wasted effort to email him. The problem is, after he hits on some lovely sounding general principles we agree on and gets down to specifics, he and I usually part company.

Orr sent me an email reply which you can read in full below the fold. The first paragraph is all about what a sensible guy he is, cosponsoring a bill with his Democratic LD-9 Rep Victoria Steele to put more money into mental health training -- a good bill that never made it to a vote. He's for expanding funding for school resource officers, meaning basically, more armed guards in schools, and -- I'm not sure exactly what this means -- "I'm currently working to change the allocation formulas to favor schools in the Tucson area."

We get to guns in the second paragraph. He says buyback programs are marginally effective at best, though I have no idea what that has to do with allowing a city to destroy guns it purchases in a buyback program. He then says he thinks nonprofits should organize buyback programs, though if they're ineffective, why bother, and if it's OK for them to destroy guns, why shouldn't the city have that option as well? He also writes, if the city buys back guns, it makes sense to sell them to a legitimate dealer to generate money for the police. Well, that's a fine idea if that's what the city wants to do, but that doesn't explain the need for a bill mandating the city resell the guns. This is classic Orr, semi-logical doublespeak that sounds like it puts us on the same side but means almost nothing.

Governor Brewer signs junk science bill affecting foster kids

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Governor Jan Brewer has signed Senate Bill 1108, a bill that would eliminate the requirement that foster families fully immunize their own children. See, When ideology endangers public health - call your state representatives. Even the the Arizona Republic editorialized against this bill. Junk science can harm foster kids.

Howard Fischer reports in Legislative briefs:

Brewer removes some foster care restrictions

Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation Thursday to allow foster children to be placed in homes with youngsters who are not immunized.

But how often that will actually occur remains in doubt.

The measure by Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, prohibits the Department of Economic Security from requiring foster parents to immunize their biological or adoptive children as a condition of being licensed as a foster home.

It is designed to overturn what has been the policy of the Department of Economic Security to avoid placements in homes where other children have not been vaccinated against common childhood diseases. Supporters said that is a luxury DES cannot afford, as there are about 1,350 children in group homes because of the shortage of qualified home placements.

States try to tackle 'dark money' groups

Posted by AzblueMeanie:

The Los Angeles Times reports, States try to tackle 'secret money' in politics:

Early last month, state lawyers and election officials around the country dialed into a conference call to talk about how to deal with the flood of secret money that played an unprecedented role in the 2012 election.

The discussion, which included officials from California, New York, Alaska and Maine, was a first step toward a collaborative effort to force tax-exempt advocacy organizations and trade associations out of the shadows.

* * *

"There is no question that one of the reasons to have states working together is because the federal government, in numerous arenas, has failed to take action," said Ann Ravel, chairwoman of California's Fair Political Practices Commission, who organized the call with officials from about 10 states. [The reporting does not disclose whether Arizona was one of the 10 states.]

Colorado passes model election reform legislation

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Longtime readers of this blog know the election reforms that I have been advocating for years. I cannot get a bill, let alone get a bill heard, in our Tea-Publican dominated legislature. All they care about is restricting your right to vote and making participation in the political process more difficult for voters.

But the Democratic controled legislature of the state of Colorado just passed several of the election reforms that I have long advocated for. Can you say "model legislation"? This is the bright-line policy divide in the Secretary of State race in 2014. Colorado Legislature Passes Major Voting Rights Expansion Bill:

Both houses of the Colorado legislature passed a major overhaul of state election law that would implement same-day registration and voting, automatically send mail-in ballots to every voter, and create a real-time statewide voter database to prevent fraud. [They stopped short of universal voter registration.] Proponents view the bill, written by a bipartisan group of county clerks, as a national model for other states.

Governor Brewer vetoes legal tender bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Birthers-Birchers-Secessionists of our Tea-Publican controled legislature have a sad today. Apparently some things are just too crazy even for Governor Jan Brewer to sign off on. The Governor vetoed the paranoid end-times apocalyptic fantasies of Glenn Beck conspiracy theorists. Brewer vetoes bill making gold legal tender:

Those gold and silver coins will have to stay hidden in the closet and locked in safety-deposit boxes for a bit longer. 

Gov. Jan Brewer on Thursday vetoed a bill that would have made gold and silver coins legal tender in Arizona.

“While I believe the concern over a devalued dollar as a result of an unsustainable federal deficit is justified, I am unable to support this legislation,” Brewer wrote in her veto letter. “The provisions in this legislation need to be more carefully examined.” 

Specifically, she wrote, it is unclear whether the legislation would provide income-tax exemptions to transactions involving gold and silver coins, giving certain businesses “an unfair tax advantage.” 

Senate Bill 1439 would have authorized the use of coins or bullion containing gold or silver to pay a debt. The coins must have been issued by the U.S. government or approved by a court, such as the American eagle gold-bullion coin. But no person would have been required to use or accept gold or silver as legal tender.

The bill mirrors legislation Utah passed in 2011 and was part of a conservative movement arising out of a lack of confidence in the Federal Reserve and a fear that paper money could become virtually worthless as U.S. debt deflates the value of the dollar.

What the hell is "9th-Grade Culture, Identity and Transformation: A Culturally Relevant Viewpoint"?

by David Safier

I think Tim Steller got it right in today's Star when he said the TUSD Board should reject the proposed course: "9th-Grade Culture, Identity and Transformation: A Culturally Relevant Viewpoint." The only reason I'm not sure Steller got it right is that I don't know what the hell the course is. Neither does Steller. Neither, apparently, does the Board. I'm not sure the folks at TUSD do either.

According to an earlier article in the Star, this is supposed to be a one semester course "to teach students to appreciate and value differences among people and the importance of sensitivity to other cultures." See if you can find a semester's curriculum -- or even two weeks' curriculum -- in any combination of the following words: appreciate; value differences; sensitivity; other cultures; culture; identity; transformation. I can't. There's no there there.

I suspect TUSD is designing this non-class while looking over its shoulders at two masters -- the "special master" who has been assigned by a federal judge to oversee the new deseg program and those "special bastards" up in Phoenix -- Huppenthal and his legislative cronies -- who want to make sure nothing at TUSD stirs up the brown people. Unless TUSD has something very special up its sleeve, it's designing a course that promises everything and delivers nothing.

Arizona's 'resign to run' law effectively nullified

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Constitutional provisions enacted by the voters through initiative or referendum can only be repealed by the voters through another initiative or referendum. At least, that is how it is supposed to work.

The ballot referendum proposed by the Arizona Legislature in 1979 to amend the Arizona Constitution to impose a "resign to run" law was approved by the voters at the 1980 general election. Article 22, Sec. 18 of the Arizona Constitution provides "Except during the final year of the term being served, no incumbent of a salaried elective office, whether holding by election or appointment, may offer himself for nomination or election to any salaried local, state or federal office."

The "resign to run" law was undermined a few years ago by an incorrectly decided court decision in the case of John Huppenthal, which has become known as the "Huppenthal rule": candidates can file an exploratory committee and collect money and signatures before "officially" declaring their candidacy.

A bill sponsored by Rep. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills), HB 2157, has effectively nullified what little remained of the "resign to run" law through legislative legerdemain, without referral of the measure to the voters.

The trouble with 'E.Orr' redux

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

During the 2012 campaign, Ethan Orr (aka "E.Orr") fashioned himself after moderate Tucson Republicans like former Reps. Pete Hershberger and Toni Hellon, and said he hopes to work with the southern Arizona Democratic delegation to pass legislation that can help the people and Tucson. The local media bought his act. Orr was elected to the House.

Rep. Orr (R-LD 9), voted in favor of HB 2455, which clarifies that local law-enforcement agencies must sell guns they acquire in situations such as gun buy-back programs -- even where the gun owner voluntarily surrenders his or her weapon for the express purpose that their weapon be safely destroyed by law enforcement.

HB 2455 is a bill that was introduced by the gun worshipers and fetishists in direct response to Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik's gun buy-back program earlier this year. It is a bill fashioned by our "big brother" colonial overlords in the state of Maricopa to subjugate the City of Tucson and to micromanage the affairs of this charter city. "Small government" conservative is just a lie.

CAP Christian Taliban threatens Governor Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan with specious claims about abortion

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Mullah Cathi Herrod and her Christian Taliban at the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) have emerged as a principal opponent of Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan. These fetus fetish anti-abortion extremists, who imagine abortion lurking in every bill in their fevered minds, have put forward specious claims that the Governor's plan will somehow "indirectly" provide funding for abortions, even though state and federal law has long prohibited such funding.

These radical extremists would rather see real live cancer patients and transplant patients in desperate need of AHCCCS healthcare coverage die, because they imagine a fictional fetus might somehow, someday be aborted. I fail to discern any "Christianity" in this position. WWJD?

The Arizona Republic reports, Arizona abortion issue heightens Medicaid standoff:

[Gov.] Brewer’s office is preparing language, to be amended onto a separate bill, that would ensure no federal expansion funding goes to health-care providers that perform abortions.

The move is a response to lobbying from Cathi Herrod, president of the Center for Arizona Policy, who says Medicaid expansion would subsidize abortions — a claim that puts in a political vise anti-abortion GOP lawmakers who back the governor’s proposal.

[Herrod first raised the abortion issue in late March in a letter to Brewer, using an opinion from a Christian legal-defense organization to argue that the draft Medicaid legislation should be amended to disqualify the non-profit women’s health provider Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers from receiving public money.]

“In response to some of the concerns raised by lawmakers, the governor has been willing to revisit this issue,” Brewer spokesman Matthew Benson said Tuesday. “It’s become clear that it would be difficult to move forward with Medicaid restoration until some of these legislative concerns about abortion are addressed.”

Tea-Publican controled Arizona legislature adopts wingnut end-timers apocalyptic fantasy

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

So how's that "De-Kook the Capitol" thing working out for ya, Laurie Roberts? The Glenn Beck conspiracy theorists, who apparently got burned in his Goldline fraud -- "The company’s business model was built on systemically swindling and scaring its mostly elderly clientele into purchasing overpriced gold coins, prosecutors in California alleged, leading the company to settle for $4.5 million in refunds to its customers," Beck-backed gold fraud? - Salon.com -- have found a way to unload their gold coins while living out their paranoid end-times apocalyptic fantasies. And just in time, too, because The Price of Gold Is Crashing. Here's Why - Bloomberg Businessweek.

The Tea-Publican controled Senate gave final approval Tuesday to Senate Bill 1439 which would make Arizona only the second state in the nation to recognize gold and silver as legal tender. The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports, Arizona bill making gold legal tender sent to Gov. Brewer:

If signed into law by Gov. Jan Brewer, the measure would take effect in 2014.

The state Department of Revenue opposed the measure. It passed in the House only after an amendment was added to exempt the department from having to accept gold or silver as tax payments.

The Farley Report: 4-30-13

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Time once again for The Farley Report from Sen. Steve Farley (D-LD 9):

Welcome to the new Monday, according to the legislative calendar. This is the first week of who-knows-how-many in which we will meet only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays due to the dwindling number of bills and the holdups on Medicaid restoration, the budget, and the TPT simplification.  

It certainly would be more advantageous to the people of Arizona if we could get those three things done and then go home, but lord knows the people of Arizona don't run this place. 

The longer we stay in session, the more bad things come out of the woodwork. Yesterday Rep. Brenda Barton's (R-Payson) HB2455 was signed into law, outlawing the destruction of firearms obtained by cities in voluntary gun buyback programs. Tucson's own Charles Heller, founder of the Citizens Defense League, said before the session bragged that he would void Councilmember Steve Kozachik's Tucson gun buyback program by getting "his" bill passed, and he has now delivered. 

You may remember Mr Heller from his infamous appearance on the Daily Show wherein he compared gun destruction to the Holocaust, and it was not an April Fools' joke. http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-april-1-2013/standing-up-for-guns. 

Thoughts on the election consolidation bill now in court

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last year, Rep. Michelle Ugenti (R-Scottsdale) sponsored HB 2826 (consolidated election dates; political subdivisions), a bill providing for the consolidation of elections in the fall of even numbered years only. The law will apply to elections in 2014 and thereafter.

This legislation purportedly is the first of its kind enacted in the nation -- a strong indication that it is an ALEC drafted bill, as it was also supported by other "Kochtopus" funded groups such as Americans for Prosperity, the Goldwater Institute, and the Tea Party. (In fact, the Goldwater Institute moved to file an amicus curiae brief in the case below).

The City of Tucson filed its special action for declaratory and injunctive relief on October 10, 2013 in the Pima County Superior Court, City of Tucson v. State of Arizona et al. (Case No. C20126272). The City of Phoenix Intervened as a plaintiff. The case is assigned to Judge James E. Marner.

I was not able to attend the motion hearing scheduled for yesterday, April 29, 2013, because I have a job. I have not seen any reporting on this hearing, despite the fact that I posted the details about this hearing so that reporters could put it on their calendar and cover the hearing.

Gov. Jan Brewer appeases her GOP crazy base

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

So how's that "De-Kook the Capitol" thing working out for ya, Laurie Roberts? Gov. Jan Brewer, engaged in a civil war in the Tea-Publican Party over her Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan, appeased her GOP crazy base by signing several bills on Monday.

HB 2455 clarifies that local law-enforcement agencies must sell guns they acquire in situations such as gun-buyback programs -- even when the gun owner desires that their weapon be destroyed, in violation of their private property rights.

House Bill 2326 would prohibit local governments from keeping a list of gun owners (there is no evidence that any city is keeping such a list). This is prophylactic paranoia.

It is now official. Idolatrous gun worship is the official state religion in Arizona. Guns are sacred objects and holy relics that are protected from destruction.  Bill signed preventing Tucson from destroying 'buyback' guns:

Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation aimed specifically at halting Tucson's practice of allowing police to destroy guns that people voluntarily surrender through buyback programs.

Instead, the state law, which takes effect later this year, will require that any weapons that come into a city or county's possession must be sold off, with the profits used to bolster the local treasury.

Arizona Legislature: The coming week

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

Kind of a repeat of last week's post.

"Hurry up and wait" will be the main activity this week.

Tuesday's House Committee of the Whole (COW) calendar is here.  As of this writing, no other floor calendars, for either chamber, are posted.

The Senate Health and Human Services committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday, 1 p.m., SHR1, for executive nominations.

The House Rules committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday, 1 p.m., HHR4.  Short agenda.

Nothing is scheduled for Monday; the only event on the Capitol events calendar for Monday is the annual schmoozefest softball game involving lobbyists and electeds (and lege staffers and interns).  However, that's after hours and offsite at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Ask Governor Brewer to veto SB 1108

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Earlier this week I posted about Senate Bill 1108, a bill that would eliminate the requirement that foster families fully immunize their own children. When ideology endangers public health - call your state representatives. The bill passed on a 33-24 party-line vote in the Tea-Publican-controlled House, but it wasn’t enough of a margin to tack an emergency clause onto the bill that would have it take effect immediately if the governor signs it.

Today the Arizona Republic editorializes that Governor Jan Brewer should veto SB 1108. I agree. Junk science can harm foster kids:

Lawmakers were wrong to ease vaccination rules for potential foster parents.

Plain wrong.

They caved to people who believe junk science.

Arizona has a duty to protect the children who come into foster care.

Yet lawmakers passed a bill that forbids the Department of Economic Security from requiring people to immunize their own children before they become licensed as foster parents.

This reverses a smart rule that existed to protect foster children.

Laurie Roberts on the need for Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

It looks as if the GOP insane clown posse rally against Governor Jan Brewer's Mediciad (AHCCCS) restoration plan did not sit well with the voice of the GOP establishment, the Arizona Republic's Laurie Roberts. The only exception I take is that the Tea Party tools she names would relish being the one to inform people that they are being kicked off of AHCCCS. Roberts gives them way too much credit for being caring human beings. Why is Medicaid expansion even an issue at this point?:

Arizona Republicans in the Legislature held a press conference this morning to denounce Gov. Jan Brewer’s proposal to expand Medicaid to insure nearly 300,000 people, all  without doing massive damage to the state’s budget.

I wish I’d gone because I would have loved to ask those who oppose Brewer’s plan one simple question:

Which of you wants to be the one to inform 63,000 childless adults in this state  – people whom voters in 2000 said they wanted to cover with AHCCCS – that they’re being cut off?

Which of you wants to pull the plug on treatment for 5,000 cancer patients and for 2,000 people who suffer from serious mental illness?

Step right up.  You, President Biggs?  You, Rep. Montenegro? How about you, Sen. Ward?

Rep. Bruce Wheeler on the need for Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Rep. Bruce Wheeler (D-LD 10) wrote this op-ed for the Arizona Daily Star in support of Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan. Guest Column: Governor's AHCCCS plan provides critical coverage, keeps tax dollars here:

Arizona's Legislature has a momentous opportunity this year. We have the unprecedented ability to provide access to health coverage for nearly 400,000 Arizonans, many of whom are the most vulnerable among us.

Very few legislators will ever have the chance to participate in a legacy issue that will improve the lives of such a large number of our fellow residents. It has been said that "great moments are born from great opportunity." Expanding Medicaid is a watershed moment for the 51st Arizona Legislature and represents the opportunity for legislators to cast one of the most important and critical votes of any elected official's career.

The crux of the debate is Arizona's ability to leverage a reimbursable assessment on hospitals in order to draw down additional federal funds. That effectively eliminates the financial burden on the state's general fund to support the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, our state's award-winning Medicaid program, thereby allowing our limited resources to be diverted to other equally critical needs such as education.

The GOP insane clown posse rallies against Gov. Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Birthers-Birchers-Secessionists of the Tea Party, i.e., the GOP insane clown posse, held a rally yesterday in opposition to Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan. "Fringe" describes the unhinged from reality circus clowns who came up with this "genius" (sic) plan. AHCCCS might drop coverage for childless adults:

Thousands of Arizonans receiving health care through Medicaid could be thrown out of that program under one alternative offered by opponents of the governor's plan to expand coverage.

Senate President Andy Biggs, who joined a rally of Medicaid-expansion critics, vowed to do all he can to prevent a vote on Gov. Jan Brewer's proposal to expand coverage to those making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, with the state share of the increased cost coming from a special assessment on hospitals.

* * *

Other speakers outlined their objections.

"We have a choice: More socialism and bigger government or more freedom and fiscal stability," said Rep. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, one of the leaders of an ant-expansion rally on the Capitol lawn.

Sen. Kelli Ward, R-Lake Havasu City, called the care provided under Medicaid "substandard," and said entitlement programs like this "disincentivize the poor from improving themselves."

Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa, said an expanded Medicaid program means more tax dollars for family-planning services would be paid to Planned Parenthood, which has "this mission of terminating life before it's even born."

"I'm not going to allow late introduction of a bill," Biggs said, pointing out the deadline for that was months ago. And even if what the governor wants does end up at the Senate, whether from a House bill or an amendment to something else, "I never made a commitment I'd put it on the floor" for a vote.

Update on the City of Tucson's legal challenge to consolidated election dates

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Updating an earlier post, Update on the City of Tucson's legal challenge to consolidated election dates.

The City of Tucson filed a special action for declaratory and injunctive relief on October 10, 2013 in the Pima County Superior Court, City of Tucson v. State of Arizona et al. (Case No. C20126272). The City of Phoenix was permitted to intervene as a plaintiff. The case is assigned to Judge James E. Marner. Oral Argument on Plaintiffs’ Complaint for Special Action and for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief set on Monday, April 29, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. in Division 10 for two hours.

Since the last update, the evil bastards from the Goldwater Institute have sought to participate as an amicus curiae (friend of the court) in this case, in support of the state of Arizona (or more specifically, the Arizona legislature). the City of Tucson and the City of Phoenix have objected, as well they should.

There are a number of motions pending, but the latest Minute Entry Order of the Court dated April 17, 2013 retains the hearing set for Monday, April 29, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. in Division 10 for two hours.

(Update) Election 'reform' bills still stalled in the Arizona legislature

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I posted about this a couple of weeks ago. Election 'reform' bills stalled in the Arizona legislature. The election 'reform' bills are still stalled in the Arizona legislature, and now the Tea-Publicans are looking for creative ways to get around the logjam. The reforms under consideration are unnecessary or counterproductive. As I detailed in an earlier post, the Arizona legislature fails to consider real solutions to the problems with our elections.

The Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) reports today, AZ election reform bills face further problems:

Lawmakers attempted to push through a set of bogged-down election bills in a comprehensive 43-page amendment in conference committee Wednesday afternoon, but the committee was called off minutes after the amendment began circulating at the Capitol.

The lengthy amendment proposed to HB2305 includes essential portions of four election-reform bills – Sen. Michele Reagan’s SB1003, SB1261 and SB1264, as well as Rep. Michelle Ugenti’s HB2527 – that have languished at the Capitol.

Will Don Shooter be charged for criminal trespass and more at Yuma charter school?

by David Safier

The whole country is on edge about violence in schools these days. So when Yuma Republican Senator Don Shooter barged into a charter school to dress down his grandson's teacher, was told by an employee at the front desk he had to wait because the teacher was in class, disregarded the employee, walked into the classroom and, "visibly angry," confronted the teacher in front of her students, it's cause for alarm. Shooter was a potential assailant acting in an aggressive manner that could easily have been the first stage of a violent, possibly lethal, act. Good thing neither he nor the teacher was armed at the time (at least I don't think he was armed).

Shooter would like the whole thing to go away, and the head of the Arizona Charter School Association agreed and asked that the situation be resolved quietly. But seven people, teachers and students, want to pursue charges against him, and the Yuma police agree.

Police recommended prosecutors charge Shooter with misdemeanor assault, second-degree criminal trespassing, disturbance of an educational institution and six counts of disorderly conduct. The Yuma city prosecutor will ultimately decide if Shooter should be charged.

If it was a 22 year old nobody who barged into the school and acted like Shooter did, would he be charged? What if it was someone who looked Middle Eastern, or Hispanic? Of course those people would have been charged. And if race could be brought into the incident, Republicans would be screaming for multiple investigations and guns in every school.

The Republican-controlled State Senate doesn't see the need to rush into an ethics hearing on Shooter's actions. Would the Republicans be that delicate if it were one of their Democratic colleagues? I doubt it. If it was a Democrat, Tom Horne would have called half a dozen press conferences by now. But hey, IOKIYAR (It's OK If You're A Republican).

The Farley Report: 4-23-13 (100 days edition)

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Time once again for The Farley Report from Sen. Steve Farley (D-LD 9):

Excerpt from the Senate Rules:

RULE 27

Length of Session

A. Except as provided herein, regular sessions shall be adjourned sine die no later than Saturday of the week in which the one hundredth day from the beginning of each regular session falls. The President may by declaration authorize the extension of the session for a period of not to exceed seven additional days. Thereafter the session can be extended only by the Senate by a majority vote of the members present.

Today marks the 100th day of this year's legislative session.

Sadly, there is no sign of us returning home any time soon. Medicaid restoration progress is stalled, budget talks are in very early stages exclusively within the Republican caucuses, and there is even talk in leadership of shrinking the workweek from four to three days a week to adapt to the slowdown. I and many other members of both parties would like to speed things up and get out of here sooner, but we do not currently hold the levers of power.

The longer we stay, the more bad stuff comes out of the woodwork.

When ideology endangers public health - call your state representatives

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I caught the European news on one of the PBS channels the other day and they did a report on a massive measles epidemic in Wales in Great Britain. The most important factor in this measles epidemic is that people had stopped immunizing their children against measles over the years. Measles outbreak in Wales soon to hit 1,000 - Daily Post North Wales:

Officials warned the outbreak could soon become the biggest in UK and Ireland for a generation, and may hit 1,000 cases by the time it peaks.

Shadow Health Minister Darrren Millar AM last night called on parents throughout North Wales to listen to public health professionals.

There are over 10,000 children who are not fully protected by the vaccine in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area and at risk of contracting measles.

Not from 'The Onion': Cap'n Al Melvin exploring running for governor

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I almost spit out my coffee when I read this headline -- I thought I was reading the satirical "The Onion," but nope, it is the Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required). Al Melvin exploring campaign for governor:

Sen. Al Melvin, R-SaddleBrooke, has formed an exploratory committee to run for governor.

In a press release posted on the blog Sonoran Alliance, the three-term senator said his motivation for exploring the race sprang from his frustration with a lack of progress at the Capitol and “genuine optimism” for Arizona’s future.

“We have been blessed with some hard-working reform-minded legislatures during my time here, but we have failed to make the kind of progress that the people of Arizona deserve because too many elected officials are content to think small and act small,” Melvin said in the press release.

Melvin scheduled a press conference for today to discuss his 2014 plans.

Wow! Talk about cognitive dissonance. Just how out of touch with reality is this guy? As I have said many times before, we need to have mental competency exams for politicians. New Rule: Mental Competency Exams for Politicians.

UPDATE: Here is a link to his exploratory committee filing with the Secretary of State. MELVIN, AL.

Arizona Legislature: The coming week

By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings

 

This coming week at the lege is shaping up to be another exercise in "hurry up and wait".  According to sources who may not have much more specific information than me, word is that the budget is basically done, with minor differences remaining to be bridged, and that the delay is due to ongoing wrangling over Medicaid expansion.

It's gotten so slow at the Capitol that even the usual horde of lobbyists isn't blanketing the complex anymore...except for a dozen or so healthcare lobbyists, who are still asking for, and getting, meetings with electeds (another indication that Medicaid is the primary focus behind closed doors).

One source speculated that we may end up seeing a "bad" Medicaid bill passed, just to make Governor Jan Brewer prove that she is willing to use her veto power.

No matter how it goes down, however, expectations are that it is going to take at least another month or longer to wrap up the legislative session.  Guesstimates for the sine die date range from late May to mid June.

My personal guesstimate is more in line with the earlier date.  Lawmakers, particularly the non-Maricopa County group, are rapidly going to reach the point where they just want to get the hell out of Dodge*. 

* - In this context, "Dodge" means Phoenix when the daytime high temps reach and stay above 100.

As the temperature rises, so will the pressure to pass something that the Governor will sign; it almost certainly won't be a *great* bill, but it might actually be palatable.

Of course, this could all change Monday morning... :))

 

On to the schedule part of the post, where the disclaimer section of the post is almost longer than the "meat" of the post...