Sylvia Allen: If this is how education issues will be covered in the upcoming legislative session, readers will be seriously shortchanged.

The day after Senate President Andy Biggs announced my appointment as chair of the Education Committee, The Arizona Republic covered the story not by focusing on my background on education issues, but instead with a comment I made in a committee six years ago.This was a comment taken out of context and with no connection to our state’s education system. And this was in a news article covering the chairmanship, not an opinion piece by the Editorial Board.

If this is a sign of how the Republic intends to cover education issues in the upcoming legislative session, it looks like readers are going to be seriously shortchanged.I am not surprised by attacks from this paper concerning my appointment as Senate education chairman. This has become the norm to attack, instead of debate issues and ideas. Why look at the positions I’ve taken while serving on the Education Committee, when you can launch a cheap personal attack?

For the rest of the piece, click here: http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2015/12/30/sylvia-allen-education/78066750/

Senate President Andy Biggs announced today that longtime education advocate Senator Sylvia Allen will serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education in the upcoming legislative session. Sen. Allen replaces Sen. Kelli Ward, who resigned from the Senate on December 15.

Sen. Allen is currently a member of the Committee, and has served on Education Committees for the majority of her time in the Senate. As Chair, Senator Allen wants to spotlight the tremendous success of Arizona schools.

“I want to highlight the incredible teachers who are the reason for our children’s success. I also want to focus on parents’ responsibility in their children’s education. They are a critical part of their children’s success. We need to encourage that involvement,” said Senator Allen.

“I am excited to name Senator Allen Chairman of the Education Committee,” said Senate President Andy Biggs. “She understands what Arizona students and parents need in our education system. She is a very experienced legislator and I know she will do a wonderful job.” Opening Day for the Arizona Legislature is January 11, 2016.

“Just a few weeks ago, Arizona’s Governor, Republican legislative leadership and the education community came together for a landmark agreement. The plan agreed upon would add $3.5 billion to our schools over the next ten years. Voters will decide the fate of what is now Proposition 123 in May.

Before the ink even dried on the Governor’s signature, the critics were already out sniping at the Legislature. Instead of celebrating an agreement that will put billions into K-12 education, they say we’re not doing enough for education. Seriously?

One advocacy group put out a press release last week slamming the legislature for funding education at a rate lower than 2008. The suggestion was that Arizona is falling behind all other states, now that the recession is over. What the group didn’t tell you is that per student funding is lower than 2008 in 25 states! Yes, half the country. And I wonder how many of those other states just passed a plan to increase education funding by $3.5 billion.

These legislative critics continue the false narrative that additional spending automatically leads to academic achievement. In the years when they are most vocal about education spending, our state made improvements on the National Assessment for Educational Progress, while other states remained flat or on a decline. More money is not the silver bullet. Common sense reforms and an increased focus on the individual student are helping Arizona climb up.

While we were working to put together the best proposal for Arizona’s schoolchildren, friends joked to me that critics would say billions and billions of new dollars going into K-12 with no tax increase just isn’t enough. That ‘joke’ has become the reality, and for that, I am disappointed.”

Senate President Andy Biggs, and Representatives Eddie Farnsworth and Warren Petersen (R-LD12) announced today that they will be introducing legislation in 2016 that will defund Planned Parenthood.

The Arizona Legislature previously passed a law that prohibited the funding of abortion with taxpayer dollars. Implementation of the law has been stalled due to litigation.

State funds have continued to be used for abortions and “family planning.” Pro-abortion advocates argue that funds for Planned Parenthood are being used for family services, not just abortion.

Biggs noted that, “There are hundreds of health care providers throughout the state. Planned Parenthood focuses on their profit-centers, the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas and neglecting rural Arizona. The state does not need to provide taxpayer dollars to support Planned Parenthood, when there are other service providers.”

“The Federal government provides more than $500 million a year to Planned Parenthood. It is an unfair burden on the Arizona taxpayer to require state subsidies for this huge money making operation,” said Farnsworth.

Petersen added that, “We need to send a strong message that harvesting the body parts of aborted babies will not be tolerated. This is a barbaric practice and any organization engaged in this pernicious practice should not receive one dime from the hard working taxpayers of Arizona.”

Arizona State Senator Sylvia Allen hosted a town hall in Joseph City last week to address concerns regarding restrictions being imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants.

While the EPA has yet to respond to the latest regional haze proposal submitted from the state, the attack is now focusing on CO2 emissions produced by coal-fired power plants such as Cholla Power Plant in Joseph City, or other plants that use natural gas, petroleum, or any form of solid, liquid or gaseous fuel derived from fossil fuels. This latest endeavor comes after President Obama unveiled the final version of the Clean Power Plan in August.

The plan calls for Arizona to reduce CO2 emissions from in-state power plants by 34 percent by 2030, putting it in the moderate range compared to states throughout the country. The period for mandatory reductions begins in 2020 with what’s being called a “glide path” from that time until 2030. The glide path is a gradual step down in emissions to meet the overall goal in 2030.

Approximately 100 people attended the town hall. Speakers included Allen, District 5 State Representatives Brenda Barton and Bob Thorpe, and Eric Massey, Air Quality Division director with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

For the complete story, click here:

http://www.azjournal.com/2015/11/28/epa-focuses-on-carbon-dioxide-as-latest-power-plant-pollutant/

“Governor Doug Ducey has issued a statement calling for an immediate halt in the settlement of refugees in Arizona until the federal government consults the state and takes into account our grave concerns and recommendations before proceeding any further. The Governor properly cited existing federal law that gives Arizona this right. The Republican leadership of the State Senate strongly supports this approach to deal with this developing crisis, in an effort to keep all the residents of Arizona safe from the kind of despicable violence perpetrated by radical Islamists as we have seen here in the United States and most recently in Paris. We applaud the Governor’s leadership and stand with him to protect our homeland.”

The Legislative Joint Border Security Advisory Committee voted today to recommend that the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office be the first recipient of funds from the Border Security Trust Fund. The sheriff’s office will receive approximately $219,000 to enhance border security.

In 2011, SB 1406, sponsored by Senator Steve Smith and signed by the Governor, established a website for the purpose of raising private money to improve security along the Arizona-Mexico border. All the funds raised at www.buildtheborderfence.com are held in a trust fund account in the Arizona State Treasurer’s Office. The Joint Border Security Advisory Committee oversees the project and determines disbursement of monies. On the first day of existence, 1,265 individual donors from all fifty states donated to www.buildtheborderfence.com.

In today’s committee meeting, members heard from Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, a member of law enforcement for three decades and a recognized national leader in fighting crime along the border. Sheriff Dannels requested the money from the fund to purchase equipment to combat human and drug smuggling and all illegal border activity, as a result of the unsecured border. His plan is for a virtual fence, including the purchase of Global Positioning Systems, binoculars, handheld thermal imaging cameras and a thermal binocular, all synced with the sheriff’s office and its elite Border Security Task Force. Subsequent disbursements from the committee could include funding for a physical fence.

“The Federal Government continues to avoid addressing the crisis of drug cartels, illegal aliens and violent crimes along our border. The people have responded through this website that they demand a response. Today’s disbursement announcement is a good first step for this effort, and I expect the public to continue to respond to this mission, to hopefully shame the Federal Government into doing its job“, said Senator Smith.

Senator Steve Smith has been named Legislator of the Year by the Arizona Police Association (APA), an organization representing nearly 9,000 federal, state and local law enforcement officers in Arizona.

Senator Smith is Chair of the Senate Public Safety, Military & Technology Committee and is a lifelong supporter of all levels of law enforcement.

He earned the Legislator of the Year honor for his commitment to line officers and how they can safely do their difficult jobs. He was acknowledged for his work on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and funding for training and better technology for officers.

“Every year Senator Smith displays passion for these issues, and he consistently goes to bat for officers and their families,” said APA lobbyist Mike Williams.

Smith is only the third legislator to receive this honor from APA.

“Today the Arizona Legislature passed a plan to increase K-12 funding by $3.5 billion over the next ten years. This proposal is the result of months of discussions between the Governor’s office, Republican legislative leaders and school groups. I am proud to be one of the prime sponsors of this bill.

The agreement is well-thought out, and voters will have a chance to support the plan this spring. We have seen great leadership during these negotiations, to make sure these dollars get to the classroom.

Unfortunately, we’ve also seen political hypocrisy. The agreement is drafted in three bills. We’ve seen House and Senate members vote ‘yes’ on one and ‘no’ on the others. That means they don’t support the settlement reached or the benefits to our schools. This isn’t an a la carte approach.

But watch, later on these members will say they supported the plan, when they really didn’t. I voted for the plan without hesitation. I think it is the best we can do to resolve the inflation funding issue and move forward in a positive way.”

“For many years, Arizona has been the nationally-recognized leader in school choice. A number of our high schools are consistently ranked near the top of U.S. studies. We were one of the first states to create public charter schools. Our Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) allowing parents to find the best education option for their student are a model being emulated throughout the country. Today, Arizona took the lead in education funding, with a plan to add $3.5 billion to our schools, without raising taxes. It has built-in measures to grow K-12 funding every year, but to also make sure other critical areas of state funding are not negatively impacted by the education increases.

This landmark agreement is a sign of effective leadership in our state. The Governor, Republican legislative leadership and the education community worked together to find the best funding package for our children. Now, voters will have the opportunity to decide if they agree. Today is a day to celebrate passage of this bipartisan agreement. We will continue our work to improve our schools and give our children the finest education possible.”

The Arizona Free Enterprise Club has named Senator Gail Griffin a 2015 Free Market Champion Award recipient. The Free Market Champion Award is given to members of the Legislature who demonstrate leadership and a commitment to free market, pro-growth policies in Arizona. Senator Griffin won this year’s honor, along with Representative Jill Norgaard.

“The Free Enterprise Club is proud to honor these two legislators for their hard work and consistent support of economic freedom and prosperity at our state capitol,” said Arizona Free Enterprise Club President Scot Mussi. “They truly made a difference for Arizona taxpayers and businesses.”

Senator Nancy Barto will speak on Wednesday at the United States Ombudsman Association Annual Conference. The gathering is being held at the Chaparral Suites in Scottsdale. Senator Barto will be there in the morning to welcome the ombudsmen from all over the United States to Arizona.

“The Arizona Court of Appeals has issued a stay of the lower court’s judgment in the K-12 inflation funding case. I am gratified by this decision. This ruling is an indication the court understands the ongoing efforts of the Legislature and other parties to come to a resolution. While the plaintiffs continue to argue that the case is long resolved, this week’s stay is one more truth that the issue is not resolved, and is in fact continuing to work its way through the courts.”

Senator Steve Yarbrough, the Majority Leader at the State Senate, has been named 2015 Arizona Capitol Times Leader of the Year in Public Policy. Senator Yarbrough was chosen for the honor for garnering bipartisan support and making tough choices that led to the betterment of our state, including gathering the necessary votes to move the budget along this year.

Senator Yarbrough has been at the Capitol since 2002, re-elected three times from District 21 and later from District 17. He has held leadership posts in both chambers, now serving as Majority Leader in the Senate and previously as Speaker Pro Tempore in the House. An attorney and executive director of the Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization, he has helped provide scholarships to thousands of Arizona students to attend the school of their parent’s choice.

“Leaders of the Year shines a light on the individuals and organizations who have a positive impact on public policy across Arizona,” said Ginger Lamb, vice president and publisher ofArizona News Service and Arizona Capitol Times. “The awards were created back in 2006 for us to give back to the community and salute their efforts. Plus, it is the only event of its kind in our state to honor leadership and excellence in public policy.”

Firefighters across the state are paying tribute to Arizona’s LD14 legislators, for their efforts to create a special license plate in support of firefighters.

HB 2524 was sponsored by Rep. David Stevens and strongly supported by Sen. Gail Griffin and Speaker of the House David Gowan. It was signed into law by Governor Ducey on March 23. It establishes a Firefighter Special License Plate to help the Arizona Firefighters Fund.

The fund was established at the Arizona Community Foundation in 2012. The Arizona State Fire School conducts classes for nearly 1,000 firefighters. Supporters have been attempting to build a permanent endowment covering the Fire School’s tuition costs for 500 rural firefighters each year. Funds from sales of the license plate will help those efforts.

“The Arizona State Fire Training Committee and the rural firefighters in Arizona are very appreciative in all the hard work by our local legislators. Senator Griffin, Representative Stevens and Speaker Gowan have supported the fire service by passing legislation for the new Fire Training License Plate. The revenue generated by the plate will go to providing critical life safety training to rural Arizona firefighters by supporting the Arizona Firefighters Fund,” says 2014 Arizona Fire Chief of the Year Randy Redmond, recently retired from the Sierra Vista Fire Department.

For more information on the Arizona Firefighters Fund, go to www.helparizonafirefighters.com

“The much-hyped education funding plan from Democrats in the Legislature is out, and to say I am underwhelmed would be an understatement. I don’t think it’s fair to other plans to even call this a ‘plan’.

The bulk of the money in their concept is based on the hope that revenues will continue to grow at a level of $250 million or more for the next seven years. Nothing new or creative here; just project that we are going to grow at a brisk pace and, voila, there’s money for K-12 funding. In this proposal, there is no mention of settling the Cave Creek lawsuit, and in fact the education funding inflator is not even discussed.

Something else that is a bit ironic. The increased revenues that they are sweeping to increase K-12 funding only exist because of the conservative budgets enacted by Republicans in the past several years. Budgets they angrily opposed at the time.

In their proposal, the Democrats are also not providing any increased funding to other state needs; it all goes to K-12. What about higher education, public safety and transportation? Do you agree with Legislative Democrats that those areas deserve no increase in funding?

In their zealous desire to oppose any Republican idea, Democrats have rolled out a simple plan that’s not worth the napkin it was written on.”

Follows her investigation into per diem abuse at Industrial Commission.

Senator Kimberly Yee today announced her intentions to introduce legislation in the upcoming session to address much needed reforms and heightened accountability on Arizona boards and commissions.

The announcement follows the Senator’s discovery of abuse of per diem at the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA). On August 18, Senator Yee met with representatives of the ICA, asking questions in advance of a Sunset Review Hearing. She learned commissioners receive $50 per day in unlimited per diem payments. Senator Yee requested more detail of those payments.

On August 25, Senator Yee chaired that Sunset Review and reported her findings. In FY 2015, one commissioner requested 292 days of per diem at a cost of $14,600. Another requested 253 days of per diem at a cost of $12,650. Following the hearing, Senator Yee received work logs of the two commissioners, and found some of those $50 requests were for responding to a single email or reading a news article.

“Members of Arizona boards and commissions should be honored to serve the public and should be accountable to the people of this State. Serving on these important boards and commissions is a public service and should not be an opportunity for these members to receive a second salary or supplemental income,” said Senator Yee.

“Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent on these boards and commissions. We cannot continue to foot the bill on a system where there is an abuse of over-the-top payments made to board members and commissioners being paid thousands of dollars for simply reading a news article or responding to a work-related email.”

Senator Yee’s legislation will focus on how boards and commissions are spending administrative funds to reimburse appointees. It will also address much needed reforms to the ICA to get back to its original mission of protecting workers’ occupational health and safety.

As part of an ongoing commitment to funding K-12 education, Senate President Andy Biggs and Speaker of the House David Gowan today announced a proposal to place additional money into classrooms across the state. The proposal uses four revenue streams that would infuse as much as $5 billion in new money over the next 10 years.

“K-12 funding has been one of our highest priorities in the budget each year, and as we climb out of the recession and see growing revenues, we see the opportunity to provide additional money for our classrooms, while still keeping state finances balanced,” said Senate President Andy Biggs.

The funding plan would be done without raising taxes on Arizonans, another priority for President Biggs and Speaker Gowan.

“In 2012 voters rejected a plan to raise taxes to fund education by an overwhelming margin. There clearly is no interest to increase taxes for this purpose. This proposal keeps faith with the voters by responsibly investing billions of dollars into Arizona’s classrooms without a tax hike,” said House Speaker David Gowan.

The new funding plan has four components: a commitment to continue a supplement to annual basic state aid which began in the last budget process, a new increase to annual basic state aid, a partial shift of money from the state’s First Things First program, and a plan to use increased earnings from the state trust land. In the first year alone, these four sources would bring $500 million in new money to the classroom and as much as $5 billion over the next decade.

Senator David Farnsworth will be hosting several town halls in his district, beginning with a discussion with residents on August 18 at Superstition Manor in east Mesa. The town hall begins at 7 p.m. at 10744 E. Brown Road.

Senator Farnsworth says these town halls will be a great opportunity to meet with ‘real people’. “Even though I have an open door policy at my office here at the Capitol, I know there are many people who are just not able to make the trip. With these gatherings, I am coming to you, to hear your concerns.”

Senator Farnsworth says there is no issue off-limits, big or small. “I want people to get involved in the political process, so we can help improve their lives. They’re discouraged, and feel the government is out of touch. I am going to listen to them and make sure they know they can make a difference,” said Senator Farnsworth, a Republican from Mesa.

In addition to the August 18 town hall, Superstition Manor will also host Farnsworth town halls on September 15 and October 20. Sen. Farnsworth will hold two town halls in Apache Junction, at Tres Banderas Restaurant, 1422 E Broadway Ave. at 7 pm August 27 and at the Hitching Post Bar and Grill, 2341 N Apache Trail on September 5 at 7 pm.

“We are disappointed that the Chief Justice and five other justices continue to uphold socialized medicine, ruling it constitutionally acceptable.

There is clear meaning in the law that subsidies are available only to people buying insurance on ‘an exchange established by the state’. Arizona is one of several states that did not set up an exchange, and relied on the federal government exchange.

In his majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts acknowledged the clear meaning of that language, but then in essence said we should ignore what the law states, because of the ‘context and structure of the act’.

Affordable health care needs to be about the patient, and the federal government has shown us time and again that by inserting itself into health care delivery it harms the patient.

As government’s role in health care expands, costs continue to rise and health care options are reduced. With today’s ruling, it now becomes clearer that the era of socialized medicine can only be ended with a legislative solution, repealing this fatally flawed law.”