“The State of Arizona’s 50th Legislature ended its duties for the 2nd Regular Session today. The people of Arizona can be proud of the work done by its State Senators. Our sole Constitutional duty is to produce a balanced budget, and the one agreed upon by the Senate, House and Governor puts our state in an outstanding position to come out of a challenging economic time. I have no doubt that the budget work we did last year and in this session not only stabilized our finances but put Arizona at the front of the line of states making an economic recovery. Arizona is getting back to work.

I am also proud that Members worked in the pressure cooker environment of the state Legislature with the utmost civility and decorum. Despite strong differences in political philosophies, your Senators treated each other with respect and focused on the job they are sent to the Capitol to do.

In the years ahead the people of Arizona will look back positively on the successes of this Senate and reap the benefits of the decisions made by its Members.”

“Today I am calling on the Arizona House of Representatives to take a vote on SB 1083. This bill addresses the continuing crisis of cross border criminal activity. It creates the Arizona Special Missions Unit, a volunteer organization that will supplement the efforts of law enforcement and state agencies in securing the Arizona-Mexico border. Members of the Special Missions Unit will be well-trained, with many already having a military and law enforcement background. The Unit will be an important new element in protecting the lives of the citizens of this state.

I have been told that the Speaker of the House is refusing to allow a floor vote on SB 1083. There is strong support for this measure. The Senate passed SB 1083 overwhelmingly. I have worked tirelessly to improve this bill, addressing many concerns brought forward by law enforcement.

The citizens of Arizona deserve to know where the House stands on this bill. We are approaching the end of this legislative session, and we can’t go home knowing we could have done something to protect our citizens.”

The Arizona State Senate on Wednesday final passed Senate Concurrent Resolution 1001. SCR 1001 asks voters to allow the state to implement land exchanges to preserve the state’s military facilities and will be on the November ballot.

The sponsor, Senator John Nelson, is asking voters to support SCR 1001, as they will have the final vote on each exchange of land on the ballot.

“The citizens of Arizona realize that military installations are a multi-billion dollar industry in the state. This resolution utilizes land exchanges to continue this positive fiscal impact. It is a transparent process thatArizonaneeds in order to expand our economy,” explains Senator Nelson.

Governor Brewer recently signed SB 1001, the companion bill to SCR 1001, which allows the state to exchange state trust lands for federal land. These exchanges will help to secure the future of facilities such as Luke Air Force Base, MCAS Yuma,Ft.Huachuca, Davis-Monthan AFB, and the Yuma Proving Grounds.

“With two wars coming to a close and the President’s desire to close bases, it is imperative that we do everything we can to protect our bases.Arizona cannot afford to lose one of its largest employers and these pieces of legislation make sure that does not happen,” says Senator Nelson.

Nearly two decades of simmering conflict over water resources in Cochise County reached an explosive climax recently when bureaucrats with the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued an unprecedented and stunning ultimatum to the State of Arizona: stop development near the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA).

The federal government’s demand came in an ominous letter to the Arizona Department of Water Resources regarding a long-awaited residential construction project in Sierra Vista that received preliminary city approval nearly six years ago. The project would provide new homes to thousands of residents and would feature a water treatment plant capable of allowing over four million gallons of water to be recharged into the aquifer each day.

In spite of this, the BLM claims that the project should not be permitted because, “a sufficient water supply is not legally available.”

The agency’s letter, and its choice of words—legally available—has chilling implications for all residents, property owners, and property rights advocates in Cochise County as well as the entire country. By claiming that sufficient water for the development is physically available, butlegally the property of the federal government, the Obama administration is signaling its determination to control the water, not only within the SPRNCA, but anywhere near it as well.

This blatant attempt to steal Arizona’s water begins a new chapter in a decades-long struggle over property and water rights in Cochise County. This struggle started with the creation of the SPRNCA in 1988 and has continued ever since. It has pitted property owners and civic leaders against federal bureaucrats and radical environmentalists determined to stop all private development near the San Pedro River.

While the current dispute revolves around one specific project, Cochise County residents should be under no illusion regarding what’s really at stake: the federal government’s ability to take away your water rights, and thus, your freedom to use your property as you see fit. We all want clean air and a clean, renewable supply of water, but we can have both without surrendering those rights.

If the BLM is successful, the federal government’s power to halt growth will be unfettered. Radical environmental groups, with their partners in Congress, will be able to create wilderness areas and no-growth corridors throughout the country and declare that any nearby supplies of water are “legally unavailable.” Certainly, this is not the kind of government our founders envisioned when they crafted the Constitution, with property rights as one of its core principles.

Now that the federal government has made its intentions clear, it is time for Cochise County residents to respond by telling their local, state, and, most importantly, federal leaders to stop the BLM’s water grab. If Cochise County and the State of Arizona stand firm against this blatant abuse of federal power, we can send a powerful message to policymakers in Washington D.C.that Arizona residents will fight for our property rights. On the other hand, if we submit without a fight, another precious freedom will be lost to unelected bureaucrats and their partners in the radical environmental community.

As the old saying goes “he who controls the water, controls the land.”

These latest moves by the BLM show that, in Cochise County, the federal government is desperately trying to control both.

Gail Griffin is a Republican State Senator Representing Legislative District 25

The Arizona House of Representatives on Monday sent a powerful message of support to the small-business community with a 51-0 vote, passing SCR 1012. The resolution increases the amount of business personal property exempt from property taxes.

SCR 1012 is now expected to be on the November ballot. Small businesses are already rallying around the resolution as a way to kick start job growth.

Senate Majority Leader Andy Biggs is the sponsor of the resolution. He calls it a great way for the state’s businesses to generate commercial activity.

“Increasing property tax exemptions incentivizes new businesses to be created and for existing businesses to expand and to invest in new equipment. Purchasing new equipment not only spurs economic growth, but it also creates the need for more employees to operate machinery”, says Senator Biggs.

“SCR 1012 is a winner for everyone. Businesses are able to invest in new machinery without the fear of higher taxes. Jobs are created to manufacture the equipment. This is truly a job-creating initiative. As Arizona continues to rebound from the recession it is important to create a financial climate that encourages investment,” says Senator Biggs.

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.