Capitol Media Services

Bid by Sen. Rogers to rename State Route 260 in Northern Arizona as the Donald J. Trump Highway runs into headwinds from Sen. Ortiz who points out not only the president's name in the Epstein files but other issues she says makes him unworthy. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Percentage of K-12 dollars that ends up in classrooms hits 20-year low. This comes as Rep. Gress pushing measure to force districts to hit 60% for face possible penalties. But lobbyist for school biz officials says low spending and fixed costs helped create the problem. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Senate OKs Shamp measure to outlaw use of Sharia law in Arizona amid accusations by @priya4az.bsky.social that this is about religious bias and questions from @mitziepstein.bsky.social of whether it's actually law or a religious philosophy. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Report: Classroom spending in Arizona dips again In Arizona, 52.1 cents of every dollar spent in the last school year ended up in what is classified as instruction, new figures from the Auditor General's Office show. That's

Latest report shows percentage of dollars spent on teacher salaries and other classroom expenses in AZ is down, again. Rep. Gress says that just shows the need for his ballot measure to force schools to 60%. But Chuck Essigs says it's more complicated than that. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Fontes asks judge to toss feds' demand for Arizona voter records Arizona's Secretary of State is suing to block a DOJ request for voter rolls, calling the bid for private citizen data an "illegal" power grab.

@azsecretary.bsky.social tells federal judge there's no reason for Trump administration to have access to everything in AZ voter rolls, says most of that protected by privacy laws. And he suggests claim of feds simply monitoring is just a pretext for something else. tucson.com/news/local/a...

Arizona measure drops capital gains tax on home sales A measure approved by the Arizona Senate creates an unlimited exemption on state capital gains taxes for home sales, currently available for the first $250K in gains for single filers

Current law says homeowners start paying capital gains when they sell if property has appreciated $500K ($250K for singles.) Sen. Mesnard wants to lift that cap. But Sen. Epstein says it's just a bailout for billionaires for their luxury homes. tucson.com/news/local/a...

Arizona lawmakers close the door on corporate home-ownership limits for this year. A Republican-led effort to stop institutional investors from snapping up single-family homes in Arizona has stalled after failing to receive a committee hearing. The proposal, which mirrored recent ca...

Rep. Kupper proposal to cap number of investor-owned homes in AZ to create more opportunities for individual home buyers dead for this year as he could not get measure heard in House Commerce Committee. But he vows to see if there's a way forward next year. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Court strikes down Tucson's 'prevailing wage' law for city contracts Tucson can't require companies working on city projects to pay what the city decided is a "prevailing wage,'' the Arizona Court of Appeals has ruled.

Prevailing wage requirement for city contracts? Not in Arizona says Court of Appeals, concluding that voter-approved law allowing cities to have own minimum wage doesn't override earlier ban. tucson.com/news/local/g...

Arizona House moves to end mental health education in schools Arizona House Republicans moved to repeal a 2021 law requiring schools to include mental health education in their health curriculum.

House GOP votes to overturn a 2021 law to incorporate mental health into school programs, says in interferes with parental rights. But Rep. Liguori asks what happened to GOP claim that answer to gun violence is not regulation but more mental health. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Arizona House blocks attempt to bar police face masking Arizona House Republicans voted along party lines to block a Democratic proposal that would have barred state and local police from wearing face masks.

Rep. Sandoval sought to ban state and local police from following @icegov.bsky.social practice of wearing masks in routine law enforcement situations. But House Republicans used procedural move to block her from even getting to debate it. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Tucson teachers' anti-ICE sickout prompts legislation to fire them next time Arizona House Republicans gave preliminary approval to a bill that would fire teachers who participate in organized "sickouts" or work stoppages.

In wake of Tucson teachers calling in sick to attend anti-ICE protest, House OKs measure saying that such coordinated actions would result in automatic firing and loss of ability to every teach in AZ again. But Dems say that sick days are teachers' rights. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Arizona might force cops to 'immediately' notify ICE of arrests Legislation approved by the Senate on a party-line vote this week would require any agency making an arrest in Arizona to immediately notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement to come to

State OKs mandate for state and local police to call @icegov.bsky.social when they arrest someone who's not here legally. Foes not this is triggered on arrest (not conviction) and say calling agents to the site could cause dangerous confrontations. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Senate Republicans OK plan to have state conduct its own census in 2030 - but one that counts only citizens. Sen. Hoffman acknowledges that could mean even more GOP state reps and senators. Dems call it unnecessary and confusing. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Tucson's election schedule faces a new challenge Republican state lawmakers are once again making an effort to tell Tucson — and Arizona's other charter cities — when they can have their elections.

Sen. Mesnard seeking to tell charter cities like Tucson, Prescott and Tempe that they have to hold their elections on the same day as national and statewide votes despite claims by cities that such a schedule buries their own issues on the ballot. tucson.com/news/local/g...

Arizona Senate votes to bar all medical intervention for trans kids, including hormones Measure approved by GOP-controlled Senate would block any form of hormones or medical intervention for transgender children in Arizona.

GOP lawmakers again take aim at transgender kids, expanding ban on surgery to now include any help in gender affirming care. They also advance measure asking voters to limit which bathrooms they can use and tell teachers what are acceptable pronouns. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Lawmakers weigh whether to ask voters to put a provision in AZ Constitution that would create an absolute right not to be vaccinated or even to have to wear a mask. But a doctor says that there are reasons to defeat such a plan. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Bipartisan push to force AZ Independent Party to change its name advances in legislature over objections from party attorney who says it's not about confusion over the word "independent" but a bid by the two big parties to stay in control. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Under investigation for alleged 'pay-to-play' scheme, Gov. Hobbs launches political attack against Sen. Shope who sought the probes, proposed a transparency measure (which she vetoed), and thinks her alternative has loopholes. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Under investigation for alleged 'pay-to-play' scheme, Gov. Hobbs launches political attack against Sen. Shope who sought the probes, proposed a transparency measure (which she vetoed), and thinks her alternative has loopholes. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Some Arizona lawmakers want voters to tell them when to go home since they have no self discipline. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Federal judge orders 'extraordinary' takeover of Arizona prison health care After 14 years of litigation and "systemic rot," a federal judge is wresting control of prison healthcare from the state. Here is what the rare court-ordered receiver means for Arizona.

Time runs out for long-promised fixes to @azcorrections.bsky.social health care system as federal judge says she will appoint receiver - with power to access state funds - to run it. Gov. Hobbs insists things are getting better. Judge says evidence shows otherwise. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Gov. Hobbs rejects 9 more GOP bills on Friday, including measures on hospitals asking patients their immigration status and new food stamp rules. That bring her to 3 things she has signed this year - and 11 she has not. Her annual record is 178 vetoes. tucson.com/news/state-r...

An Arizona lawmaker wants to make 'excessive' marijuana smell a crime after neighborhood complaints Senator J.D. Mesnard is proposing a new law that would classify potent marijuana odor as a public nuisance, potentially landing violators in jail. The move comes as residents complain that

ICYMI: Sen. Mesnard wants to make it a crime for people to smoke marijuana in their own back yards if others in the neighborhood can smell it. tucson.com/news/state-r...

After 14-year lawsuit, federal judge orders takeover of healthcare in @azcorrections.bsky.social, says inmates still suffering and dying due to lack of care, rejects claim by Gov. Hobbs that things are getting better under her pick to head the agency. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Divided House panel OKs letting cities carve out historic neighborhoods from "middle housing" laws, rejecting arguments by Rep. Villegas there are ways to protect homes without shutting off new housing options in downtown areas. tucson.com/news/state-r...

On party line, Senate approves two measures to honor Charlie Kirk. One designates Loop 202 after him (bypassing normal process for such naming). The other paves way for special license plates that will help raise money for @turningpoint999.bsky.social. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Wrongful conviction claims flood Arizona fund, requests for millions exceed $3M budget A new Arizona law offering compensation for wrongful convictions has drawn at least 11 claims seeking millions, quickly overwhelming the state’s $3 million fund and prompting talks of program fixes.

ICYMI: @maryjpitzl.bsky.social takes a deep dive into how a new law to compensate those wrongfully convicted and incarcerated is working. First hint: There may not be enough money. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Compromise plan would regulate Arizona's short-term rentals PHOENIX — Efforts to allow Arizona cities and towns to limit the number of new Airbnb's and other short-term rentals have failed in the Legislature amid industry opposition.

With opposition from Airbnb & Realtors, Rep. Bliss drops bid to give cities control over number & location of vacation rentals, has to settle for only some increase in regulations. But lobbyist for Sedona says problems remain. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Republicans ask voters to allow them to enact a yet-to-be-specified requirement for mail-in votes to provide ID. It also would enact other curbs - and contain language constitutionally allowing lawmakers to eliminate early voting entirely in the future. tucson.com/news/state-r...

Facing legislative action (and several probes), Gov. Hobbs unveils her own plan she says will promote transparency in government contracts. But it has gaps and is less friendly than competing Sen. Shope measure set for hearing today. tucson.com/news/state-r...