NOTABLE QUOTES
“Partisanship won. The Senate has failed Arizona. Shameful.”~ Sen.Krysten Sinema on demise of the border bil
“If you come back to my state to do TV interviews at the border, you better be ready to explain why you chose politics over addressing this crisis that’s staring you in the face,” ~ Sen. Mark Kelly
TODAY’S NEWS & VIEWS
Compiled by Rose Law Group Reporter
Feb. 9, 2024
Arizona lawmakers advance bill to set up regulation of rural groundwater
On a party-line vote, an Arizona Senate Committee approved a bill Wednesday to establish a rural groundwater management setup that’s favored by many farming interest groups but opposed by many environmentalists and some rural community leaders.
Tovar won’t seek reelection to Arizona Corporation Commission, says it ‘needs a shake-up’
The former teacher, Tolleson mayor and member of both the House and Senate in Arizona indicated that it’s time for new blood on the commission.
Tempers flare after Graham accuses Sinema of ‘half-ass’ border effort
Tempers flared on the Senate floor Thursday when Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) asked Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to explain why he voted against advancing the border security deal she negotiated and Graham responded by panning it as a “half-ass” effort to secure the border.
RELATED: Kyrsten Sinema’s border deal blew up and now she’s angry. Oh, spare me
Opinion: Kyrsten Sinema had the wrong people in the room to solve our border problems. That was her first mistake.
RELATED Sen. Mark Kelly denounces Republican senators for blocking border bill: ‘This is a shameful day’
The day before, Kelly had called Wednesday “a shameful day for the Senate” after Republicans blocked the bipartisan deal. It would have issued $118 to secure the U.S.-Mexico border and aid Ukraine and Israel.
RELATED: Rep. Juan Ciscomani could help fix the border. Instead, he kowtows to Trump
Opinion: The bipartisan immigration plan is an historic opportunity to stop the chaos at the border. Rep. Ciscomani’s rejection of it is sadly telling.
From collision course to compromise: Hobbs, Republicans agree on election timeline fix
What began the week as a political showdown ended as a compromise that will allow Arizona to avoid an impending election timeline issue that threatened to leave overseas and military voters disenfranchised and the state’s choice for president not being counted.
RELATED: Board renews agreement with recorder for elections
The Pinal County Board of Supervisors voted on Wednesday to continue its memorandum of understanding with County Recorder Dana Lewis for election services.
1 of these 3 Democrats will represent central Phoenix in the Arizona House
Mark Robert Gordon, Charles Lucking and Brianna Westbrook were chosen Thursday evening by the elected precinct committee members of Legislative District 5. One of them will be the next addition to the state House of Representatives, replacing Rep. Amish Shah, who resigned as of Feb. 1.
This Arizona legislator is protecting bad doctors and throwing out reporters who ask why
Opinion: Rep. Laurin Hendrix threw out a reporter who dared to ask why he’s blocking a bill to make it easier to find out about doctor misconduct.
FBI probing corruption claims involving Chandler councilmember, former police chief says
Councilmember Jane Poston is allegedly the subject of a FBI public corruption investigation related to her company’s dealings with Chandler’s police union, according to an email that former Police Chief Sean Duggan sent to City Manager Josh Wright in November.
Arizona schools chief Tom Horne wants students to learn the softer side of slavery
Opinion: The superintendent wants schools to use PragerU material, what one critic called ‘a dumbed-down, whitewashed version of history.’
Arizona projected to have largest nursing shortage in U.S. in 2025
The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis predicts Arizona will have 28,100 fewer registered nurses than are needed in the state by 2025, a bigger disparity than in any other state in the country.
‘An arms race forever’ as AI outpaces election law
The start of the primaries has already shown the challenge of policing AI in election
RELATED: Test-driving Meta’s Ray-Bans, with added AI smarts
When I used Meta’s second-generation Ray-Ban smart glasses to broadcast my interview with Sam Altman at Davos live on Instagram, Altman called the experience “a little weird” — but I think the glasses pack some neat tricks for a device that doesn’t feel much bigger or heavier than standard eyewear.
The Agenda
SEN. ANTHONY KERN AND REP. AUSTIN SMITH WANT TO BAN governments from spending money to promote replacing animal-based meat with synthetic protein or telling people to eat less meat. It would also bar promoting the reduction of vehicle traffic, airplane travel and greenhouse gas emissions, among other sets of strange provisions, like limiting the “number of articles of clothing individuals may purchase or own.” … more
JUDGE SCHEDULES ARGUMENTS IN FEDERAL DISPUTE OF ‘THE ZONE’: Attorneys for the plaintiffs in Brown v. City of Phoenix contend the city’s clear-out of the homeless camp “the Zone” brought no proof of illegal sweeps or citations of unhoused people and claim the Fund for Empowerment’s “fears” in their federal suit “have been proven unfounded.” The Brown plaintiffs filed to intervene in the federal suit against the City of Phoenix and lodged a motion to dismiss the case for lack of standing and failure to state a claim. In the most recent filing, attorney Ilan Wurman notes a change in language to federal case law that removes the “formula” barring cities from enforcing camping and sleeping ordinances if unhoused people outnumber available shelter beds. Wurman claims the plaintiffs have failed to lodge “a single allegation that the City of Phoenix has targeted individuals who are involuntarily unsheltered.” . . . more
