Governor Brewer on Tuesday signed SB 1001, a bill that protects Arizona’s military facilities by allowing state trust lands to be exchanged for federal land.

The House of Representatives is preparing to pass out SCR 1001, the companion to SB 1001 that sends this important issue to Arizona voters.

Military faculties such as Luke Air Force Base and MCAS Yuma have come under threat due to the encroachment of development of private land.

“With the expected scale back of the nation’s military, these facilities always face an uncertain future. When Arizona voters go to the polls in November, they’ll be able to do something to help ensure Luke and MCAS Yuma are here for the long term,” says Senator John Nelson, sponsor of the bills.

“I’m committed to help get this state’s economy back on its feet. Our military bases are one of the largest employers within the state of Arizona. We must do all we can to support our military,” says Senator Nelson.

A bill that would authorize large-scale rainwater harvesting pilot projects and increase requirements for instream flow water rights applications is sitting on the governor’s desk after both the House and Senate approved it.

Senate Bill 1236 is a companion piece to House Bill 2363, which Gov. Jan Brewer already signed March 27. The main sponsor of SB1236 is Sen. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, whose district faces water shortages like the Prescott region. Co-sponsors include Senate President Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

To read the rest, click here: http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=105503

I just wanted to take a minute to give you an update on what is happening in the Senate and in the Legislature as a whole right now.

The session is winding down and we are nearing the end of voting on bills (as a matter of fact, we just passed out some great pro-life and pro-second amendment bills last week), but the main focus of late has been, and will continue to be, the budget.

To read the entire article, go to: http://www.inmaricopa.com/Article/2012/04/14/senate-steve-smith-legislature-update-district-23

Majority Leader says it’s a reminder of fragile economy; time to prepare, not spend

A group of key economists released a new report today, predicting the state’s economy is slowing down. The Finance Advisory Committee announced at its meeting with state lawmakers that Arizona’s base growth rate for Fiscal Year ’13 is 3.4 %. That is a significant drop from January, when the same group projected growth at 5.1% for next year.

The Senate Majority Leader says this is a wake-up call that we are in a slow recovery. “We’ve heard groups in the past year point to some positive numbers and use them as a reason to boost state spending. Today’s report is a reminder that now is not the time to crank up spending,” says Majority Leader Andy Biggs.

“The Legislature made the right call last year with a balanced budget in tough economic times. We can’t afford to go back to our spending ways of the past. The people are demanding we prepare for an uncertain future. In addition to a slowing economy, we have the impacts of federal deficit reduction and the coming heavy burdens of Obamacare,” says Senator Biggs. “If we make the wrong calls and spend money we don’t have, Arizonans will be paying for those mistakes for years to come.”

The Arizona House of Representatives today passed SB 1001 in a 58-0 vote. The bill, which aims to protect Arizona’s military installations through land exchanges, now goes back to the Senate for Final Reading.

The sponsor of the legislation, Senator John Nelson, has consistently said throughout this session that protecting the state’s military bases is necessary for Arizona’s continued economic growth.

“There has been talk by the federal government of seriously decreasing defense spending over the coming years, so it’s imperative that we take steps to safeguard our military bases,” says Senator Nelson.

The bill allows the State Land Department, with voter approval, to conduct exchanges of state trust land to prevent encroachment that could endanger the bases’ ability to perform their assigned missions. The bill, along with a corresponding amendment to the state constitution, would also increase the value of state trust land, thus creating additional new revenue forArizona’s schools and universities.

“Everyone benefits with this bill. Our military bases, schools, the state and all of its residents, because of a growing economy,” says Senator Nelson.

Senator Michele Reagan made an appearance on Channel 8’s Arizona Horizon on Monday night. The Scottsdale lawmaker talked about efforts to look at possible changes to the way recall elections are run in our state.

“The horse racing season at Yavapai Downs in Prescott is one of the real economic engines of my district. It brings hundreds of jobs to an area hard-hit by the recession. There was real excitement last week when a bid of $3.25 million for the track won at auction. Gary Miller’s bid meant the track would be open for business this summer. We saw what happened last year when the track was shut down, and now we had reason for optimism.

That optimism didn’t last long, and we have the Obama administration to thank for it. Late Friday the United States Department of Agriculture inexplicably rejected this winning bid, all but shutting down any hope of a racing season this year.

That is disappointing, and I hope the USDA will reconsider its actions.”

Majority Leader Andy Biggs appeared on Arizona Week to talk about the state budget and what is happening at the Legislature this session. Watch it here.

http://originals.azpm.org/azweek/story/2012/4/6/180-full-interview-with-senate-majority-leader-biggs-on-budget/

The Senate Eagles softball team got out early and held on for a 10-9 victory over the House Ducks in the annual Legislative Softball game on Tuesday night. This is the second win in a row for the Upper Chamber. The game is held each year at the PERA Club in Tempe. Senator Steve Yarbrough toed the mound for the Senate and went the distance. The Eagles were coached by Appropriations Chair Senator Don Shooter.

The Arizona State Senate Tuesday passed HB 2388, which keeps so-called “bath salts” off store shelves. The bill is a companion to one signed by Governor Brewer in February, making these synthetic drugs illegal. HB 2388 now goes to the House for passage.

Bath salts are an epidemic inArizona, and it’s made all the worse with their easy availability. Illegal street chemists are staying ahead of the law by making slight changes to the drug’s composition. HB 2388 will keep law enforcement ahead of the bad guys, by permitting the Board of Pharmacy to adopt rules to define the chemical composition of drugs in the schedules of controlled substances.

“This bill is a necessity because we are a part-time legislature,” says Senator Linda Gray. “If we don’t give this flexibility to the Pharmacy Board, the drug makers will simply wait until we are out of session, change the makeup of the chemical composition and put these dangerous substances right back on the shelves.”

“I thank my colleagues for their support for this crucial, life-saving bill, and I look forward to House passage, so we can get this bill to the Governor,” says Senator Gray.

On Thursday April 5th Senator Nancy Barto will speak to Arizona Christian University’s Family Law and Public Policy students. The university, which has been in existence for more than 50 years, prides itself in being an institution both of higher learning and Christian values. The speaking engagement will start at 9:00 a.m and will cover a host of topics ranging from Arizona’s families to biblical influence.

Senate President Steve Pierce made an appearance last night with House Speaker Andy Tobin on Channel 8’s Arizona Horizon. The two legislative leaders talked about the state budget.

Despite a new state law that bans certain ingredients used to make a synthetic drug known as “bath salts,” manufacturers found a way to tweak their formulas to keep the drug on store shelves.

So, legislators are at it again — this time trying to find a longer-term solution to banning such drugs.

The Senate Rules Committee will vote again on House Bill 2388, which would allow the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy to ban the chemicals used in bath salts.

The bill failed in the committee Monday over concerns about its constitutionality, but Sen. Linda Gray, R-Phoenix, said at a Tuesday news conference that she expects the bill to pass on its second vote.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/2012/03/27/20120327arizona-legislature-targets-drugs-bath-salts.html#ixzz1qQWneig6

On Friday March 16th U.S. Congressmen from Arizona and New Mexico gathered in Senate Hearing Room 1 to discuss the states’ property rights. Each of the five representatives had a chance to hear from Governor Brewer and a group of leading experts on Arizona’s current property affairs. The Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, Representative Steve Pierce of New Mexico, also recognized Senator Gail Griffin and Representative Steve Montenegro for their help in preparing the caucus for their presentation. Click on the link below to see a brief summary of what the legislators discussed.

Western Congressional Caucus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvN566DjMhw&feature=youtu.be

A resolution designating a veterans’ memorial in Anthem as a state historical site has been sent to the Secretary of State’s office after successfully passing the Arizona Senate and House. The sponsor of SCR 1010, Senator Lori Klein, has voiced her support for the monument and its recognition as an integral part of Arizona’s history.

The Anthem monument was officially presented on Veterans’ Day 2011 and is the community’s first memorial honoring veterans. The monument was part of a multi-year collaborative effort between the community of Anthem, Rear Admiral Ron Tucker and artistic director Renee Palmer-Jones.

The monument includes five uniquely constructed white marble pillars which represent the five branches of the United States’ military –the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard. At exactly 11:11 a.m. on November 11 the monument showcases its distinctive structure by casting one long shadow across pavers bearing the names of Arizona veterans. The elliptical opening at the top of each pillar is also crafted to allow for the sun to cast light upon a seal of the United States.

“I feel privileged to be able to take part in honoring such a beautiful structure that showcases the sacrifices made by the thousands of Arizona veterans,” says Senator Klein.

Dozens of 8th and 9th graders from around the state will descend upon the State Capitol Saturday at 10:30 a.m. for their own version of March Madness. The 90 students are semifinalists in the 2012 Arizona EGUMPP Grammar Bowl. They will compete on the floors of the Senate and House, sitting at the desks of the Members. The students will complete a 90 minute, six-part grammar test. In the end, 24 students will move on to the finals.

Senate Education Chair Rich Crandall has been a key force behind the Grammar Bowl. “These are impressive young people, and they’ll be putting on quite a show at the legislature,” said Senator Crandall.

The EGUMPP Grammar Bowl moves on to Grand Canyon University for the Finals on April 14.

The Grammar Bowl is sponsored by EGUMPP (Electronic Grammar Usage Mechanics Proficiency Program), a web-based solution for learning grammar, usage, punctuation, and writing mechanics. EGUMPP was developed by Bob Safran, a publisher and business school owner who realized his incoming students had poor grammar skills.

Majority Leader Andy Biggs appeared on Channel 8’s Arizona Horizon to talk about the plan to balance this year’s state budget

Long hours still the norm for retiring Sen. Gray

By Renee Rivers, Special to The Glendale Star

When Linda Gray bounded upstairs between bill readings in Committee of the Whole (COW), I asked how it was going.

“This is one of many long days these past weeks when I’ve not been home before 8 p.m.,” she said.

Escorting me to the lounge behind the chamber, she smiled and showed me her long presentation schedule. You can tell she’s at home here. She should be. This is her last of 16 years in office.

Born and raised in Missouri, the dedicated public servant was drawn to service from volunteering in her children’s classes.

“I had great role models. My dad was a volunteer fireman. My mom taught Sunday school,” she said.

Sen. Gray’s favorite part of being a senator includes helping people. She’s particularly proud of the DUI laws she’s worked.

“Interlock has reduced fatalities by 17 percent . . . .” The most difficult parts are the way the party has changed and “…trying to please everyone.”

Gray’s bills begin with people.

“People come to you trying to solve a problem.”

A mother visited her who could not take care of her daughter’s affairs because her daughter’s death certificate could not be issued until cause of death was determined. So Gray sponsored a bill requiring death certificates within 72 hours.

Although the senator scrolls through as many as 2,000 e-mails a week, she still finds this the easiest form of constituent communication.

Regarding education, her constituents are concerned about school funding and student success. She’s concerned about teacher morale in the face of this and the mortgage crisis and challenges teachers face when families are in transition.

Regarding the idea that a large number of people feel they have no representation, she said, “They need to get out and get people who agree with them to vote. Our district has a 1-percent difference between Republican and Democrat.”

She also said, “Constituents can speak in any committee hearing on any issue.”

On charter schools versus public schools, Gray said, “There should be a choice. Not all needs are met in public schools.”

Here, the senator’s assistant, Christina, stopped to provide a bill update. The senator asked about her kids. I wonder if she’s thinking of her own kids, grown, now serving the community as an eighth-grade math teacher in Peoria and a nurse, her years of public service perhaps an inspiration to their service-oriented professions.

If given only three issues to focus on, Gray would 1.) Choose more funding for K-12, which has “been shortchanged the last three years, but shorted the least in latest cuts.” 2.) Provide more help for addicts, since drugs kill families, take parents from kids, and addicts contribute to the high cost of prison expenses. 3.) Provide kids access to higher education.

Gray said she would most like constituents to understand that she works hard.

She said, “I listen. Try to call people back. I want kids to get a good education… .” When Senator Gray campaigns on core family value issues, she won’t change her mind.

She said, “My word is important.”

Governor Brewer Tuesday signed SB 1128, a bill sponsored by Senator Sylvia Allen that should speed certain adoptions for Arizona families.

In Arizona, the courts are required to conduct a home study to determine if a particular adoption is in the best interests of the child. This new law now requires that the home study consists only of a criminal records check and a central registry records check if the prospective adoptive parent is the child’s step-parent or the adult sibling, aunt, uncle or grandparent.

“I am so grateful that Governor Brewer signed SB 1128, the family adoption bill. This will allow families to be able to adopt close relatives without spending thousands of dollars. For many families, those costs mean the family adoptions don’t happen,” says Senator Allen. SB 1128 also shortens the time required for the prospective adoptive parent to have lived with the child, from one year to six months.

A landmark effort to protect Arizona’s military facilities by allowing state trust lands to be exchanged for federal land has been approved by the State Senate. The bipartisan 24-6 vote allows SB 1001 and SCR1001 to be transferred to the House of Representatives.

If approved, the bills will allow Arizona to exchange state trust land for federal land in the same county. The exchanges will require approval of the state legislature and voters statewide.

“With the Obama Administration preparing significant cuts in defense spending, it’s more important than ever for the state to proactively protect its military facilities,” said Senator John Nelson, who sponsored both bills. “Without this legislation,Arizona’s military facilities—and the communities they support—are at risk.”

Military faculties such as Luke Air Force Base in Senator Nelson’s district, as well as Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, have come under threat due to the encroachment of development of private land. “If state trust land near military facilities is allowed to be developed, many of these bases would be forced to close,” says Senator Nelson.

Currently, military bases are one of the largest employers within the state of Arizona. They offer a tremendous and irreplaceable economic impact to local economies and provide tax revenue, which help to fund Arizona schools, healthcare, and public safety institutions.

The bill sponsor also expressed hope that the legislation will allow state trust land to be consolidated, thus increasing its value and corresponding revenue to Arizona’s schools and universities.

“This is a win-win for the state, its military facilities, and its schools,” says Senator Nelson.