Civic Engagement Beyond Voting

March 9, 2026 Ten pounds of you-know-what in a five-pound bag. A lopsided cutting-room floor. Regularly scheduled infighting. The bills are out there and they're coming.

NEW WEEKLY! #AZLeg has one very dangerous bill in committee, otherwise a bit light this week. Lawmakers are still struggling to shove hundreds of bills through their first floor votes. The endless committee agendas aren't here yet, but they're coming.
weekly.cebv.us/2026-03-09/

Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' will slash state Medicaid budgets by $665 billion, report finds | Arizona Mirror State Medicaid budgets will face cuts of $665 billion over the next decade, after President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act

SLASH AND BURN: The federal government is reducing Arizona's AHCCCS budget reduced by more than 15%, forcing the state to tap into its already strapped general fund to cover the loss. Nearly 30% of Arizonans rely on AHCCCS.
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Proposals would ban cities from raising utility taxes for 4 years GOP bill in Arizona aims to pause tax and utility fee increases until 2030. Local leaders oppose, citing potential delays in infrastructure projects.

"CATASTROPHIC": #AZLeg Republicans want to hamstring cities by freezing their taxes, fees & utility rates for 4 years, while also passing down higher costs from the state. Cities say they'd be forced to slash police, parks & other services. #HB4030 #HCR2052
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Vote no, stop NY hedge fund from taking our water | Opinion House bills 2758 and 2757 would give NY hedge fund control over western Arizona waters. They must be voted down to save local access to groundwater.

"PROFOUND, LASTING, NEGATIVE IMPACT": #AZLeg Republicans want to hand over control of the groundwater in western AZ to a NY hedge fund. #HB2757 #HB2758
www.azcentral.com/story/opinio...

'Medical freedom' bill means more lice in school | Opinion Proposed 'medical freedom' bill sounds nice, but it would mean more lice, more hepatitis A, more disease in Arizona classrooms and work places.

Read this mic-drop op-ed from AZ public health experts about the dangers of #HCR2056, which would ask voters to end school vaccine requirements and ax current protections against everything from lice to Hepatitis A. 😱
www.azcentral.com/story/opinio...

The odds are sinking for groundwater legislation Groundwater reform in Arizona faces opposition from key lawmakers, stalling progress. While some seek compromise, alternative solutions remains costly.

As #AZLeg Republicans refuse to protect AZ groundwater, rural Rs are losing patience with chief obstructer Rep. Gail Griffin – but she's likely to stay at leg next year. Only way around her will be changing partisan control of state Senate.

Publishing a Letter to the Editor in the local paper is a great way to communicate with neighbors about what's going on in state & local govt. Want to write one of your own? CEBV's Linktree has the resources you need: linktr.ee/CEBV_LTE

Arizona GOP wants longer sentences for masked criminals but won't unmask law enforcement | Arizona Mirror Arizona passed a bill adding prison time for masked criminals while rejecting a ban on masked law enforcement officers

#AZLeg Republicans want to throw the book at mask-wearing — just not for law enforcement.

Meanwhile, masked officers are routinely breaking the law and violating our constitutional rights while on the job.

These despicable political games make us all less safe.

Secretly rewritten nuclear safety rules are made public The Energy Department made the rules public a month after NPR reported about their existence. The rules slash requirements for security and environmental protections.

As #AZLeg Republicans push a package of bills to force experimental nuclear reactors into our state, journalists have forced the feds to publicize the safety & environmental rules they secretly slashed for these reactors. These bills would put all Arizonans at risk.

30 Arizona groundwater bills were introduced this year. Most aren't aimed at conservation GOP lawmakers are pushing several bills to regulate Arizona’s groundwater, but none would do anything to conserve the state’s water supply.

"IGNORING REALITY": This year, Republican #AZLeg lawmakers are pushing a series of partisan water bills, encouraging the overpumping of groundwater rather than conservation.

Oppose the Surprise, AZ ICE Detention Facility Add your name to tell the Surprise City Council: our community did not ask for this facility and we demand a voice. Signing takes less than one minute.

Arizonans: please sign this petition to oppose a massive ICE prison camp in Surprise. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

What to know about the GOP push to punish some Arizona protesters Republican lawmakers in Arizona who believe protesters nationwide have gone too far are seeking to rein in demonstrations with new crime laws.

#AZLeg Republicans are moving multiple bills that would criminalize protesting, in violation of Arizonans' constitutional rights.
www.azcentral.com/story/news/p...

Legislature’s data center conversations miss water angle As Arizona lawmakers look to address constituent concerns over data center growth in the state, water usage is increasingly fading from the conversation.

#AZLeg Republicans refuse to regulate thirsty data centers' water usage. Backers call high water use a "moot question" & a "myth." BUT: Coal & gas fired electric plants also use lots of water, making air-cooled centers thirsty too. Same lawmakers fighting clean solar/wind energy.

March 2, 2026 The first bill deadline. Way too early for an all-nighter. That bot isn't your lawyer. Fishing for vetoes.

NEW WEEKLY: Help stop a dangerous bill that's been getting veto-proof support! buff.ly/FQdyiQl

🚨 BAD BILL ALERT: HB2175 would make "political affiliation" and "political expression" legally protected classes that get tougher sentencing. This could drive selective enforcement, political persecution, even punishment for protests. Call your House reps to OPPOSE. Contact info: buff.ly/WRr1eqE

These bills are SB1751 and SCR1049 - they could head to the #AZSenate floor at any time. Contact your state senator & tell them how you feel! Info here: www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster...

[LIVESTREAM] People's State of the Union · MoveOn At the State of the Union (SOTU), Republicans in Congress are once again bending the knee to Trump and hanging their constituents out to dry. Nobody should participate in Trump’s vanity project, and t...

Ignore the SOTU lies, and join the pro-democracy movement here: www.mobilize.us/moveon/event...

Lawmakers under fire for limiting public testimony Rising tensions in the legislature are making it difficult for constituents to be heard. Lawmakers are limiting public testimony, leading to concerns.

“They’re not even there to listen to their constituents, they’re just there to yell at them about dildos”: Tiny men on power trips act in highly unprofessional manner, berate the public. Read more:

NEW WEEKLY: It's "halftime" at #AZLeg! Along with a few bills in committees, we're tracking a jaw-dropping 38 ballot referrals, many of them headed for a milestone vote. Click through to find out what you can do:

If you're an Arizonan, this is an absolutely fabulous resource.

Subscribe at weekly.cebv.us !!

Subscribe to the CEBV Weekly! It's free. You'll get top-notch analysis of the AZ Legislature, presented with humor, and action items so you never wonder how you can help change the madness. Don't believe us? Listen to Ann 👇
Click here to subscribe: buff.ly/cQldvBW

sadly, not nearly as enjoyable as the actual cereal

the original source is @anatosaurus.bsky.social

Did you know a Republican committee chair threw a reporter out of an #AZLeg House committee last week for taking photos? The stated grounds: "decorum." When pressed, the answer boiled down to "never mind the Constitution, we can do what we want." #WeNeedANewLegislature

a cartoon of homer simpson screaming with the words booo written below him ALT: a cartoon of homer simpson screaming with the words booo written below him

Nope, he designed it that way. On purpose.

February 16, 2026 Long agendas. Petty, vindictive, angry little lawmakers. Ten bright spots. What could be our longest ballot yet.

🗣️ NEW WEEKLY: This is the last week at #AZLeg for new bills to get a hearing, and amid a sea of mostly nonsense, majority lawmakers are advancing a few good ideas. Now is the time to speak out on both. Our opinions matter!
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Revealed: How Substack makes money from hosting Nazi newsletters Exclusive: Site takes a cut of subscriptions to content that promotes far-right ideology, white supremacy and antisemitism

CEBV is proud to have left Substack last year, in part because of persistent reports like this one.
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February 9, 2026 The glut nobody wanted. Eight good eggs. Lawmakers behaving badly. Why good bills so rarely get a hearing. This might be our longest report ever.

We're covering this bill in today's Weekly, along with a few other good ones! weekly.cebv.us/2026-02-09/

February 9, 2026 The glut nobody wanted. Eight good eggs. Lawmakers behaving badly. Why good bills so rarely get a hearing. This might be our longest report ever.

NEW WEEKLY! Lawmakers have intro'd more bills this year than ever before, and in the confusion, a few good ones are getting heard. They need your support! Here's how to do it 👇
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