This is the last week that bills can be considered in any committee other than Appropriations, which always leads to a chaotic week at the Capitol.
Cross Posted:Random Musings
All House committee agendas can be found here. All Senate committee agendas can be found here.
Natural Resources, Monday, 10 a.m., SHR109. Looks harmless so far.
Rules, Monday, 1 p.m., Caucus Room 1. Long agenda (90+ items) to be rubber stamped on their way to floor consideration.
Water and Energy, Monday, 2 p.m., SHR3. Two items on the agenda: The appointment of David Tenney as director of the Residential Utility Consumer Office and HB2316. The Tenney nomination should go through without a hiccup – the vice-chair of the committee is Sen. Sylvia *Tenney* Allen (yes, she’s David Tenney’s sister). HB2316 makes changes to the way that the Small Water Systems Fund can be used.
Commerce and Workforce Development, Monday, 2 p.m., SHR1. On the agenda: a striker to HB2094, creating a veterans’ preference in employment situations; a striker to HB2360, creating a (worker-unfriendly) process for filing a complaint about the processing of a workers’ compensation claim (check out the time limit and the maximum compensation is such a complaint is upheld).
Federalism, Mandates, and Fiscal Responsibility, Tuesday, 9 a.m., SHR3. Short agenda, but all neo-secessionist nuggets of ugly. On that agenda: HB2175, claiming state dominion over rights-of-way across otherwise federally-controlled public lands (my attempt at a summary, there are a *lot* of clauses to this one. Nuances may be missed here); HB2358, establishing a committee to “study” the best way to transfer federal lands in Arizona to state control; HB2368, barring any political subdivision (county, city, etc.) from “using any personnel or financial resources to enforce, administer, or cooperate” with a presidential executive order or a Department of Justice directive unless the order or directive has been specifically approved by Congress; HB2643, prohibiting the state or its political subdivisions from cooperating with or doing anything to support the Affordable Care Act (aka – Obamacare).
Rural Affairs and Environment, Tuesday, 9 a.m., SHR109. Another short agenda. Not all of the items are bad, but the neo-secessionists will be out in force for this one, too. On the agenda: HB2176, requiring the state land commissioner and state attorney generally to take steps needed for the state to take over “constitutionally non-enumerated” federal lands in the state; HB2318, entering into a compact with certain other states for the purpose taking over federal lands in those states; HCM2005, a love letter to Congress and the Department of Interior asking that they transfer control of all federal lands in Arizona to state government of Arizona.
Appropriations, Tuesday, 2 p.m., SHR109. On the agenda: HB2568, reducing the tax paid by insurers on the premiums that they receive.
On the House side of the Capitol -
Elections, Monday, 10 a.m., HHR4. On the agenda: SB1184, micromanaging the ballot language of municipal bond, sales tax, and property tax elections; SCR1001, repealing Clean Elections.
Rules, Monday, 1 p.m., HHR4. Long agenda of items to be rubber stamped on their way to floor consideration.
Ways and Means, Monday, 2 p.m., HHR3. On the agenda: SB1120, exempting certain works of fine art from sales tax; SB1133, creating a process whereby a customer can claim a refund of paid transaction privilege tax (aka – sales tax); a striker to SB1088, listed subject as “empowerment scholarship accounts; eligibility” (text not available as of this writing). This one has popped up before as its own bill; it’s all about expanding school vouchers “empowerment scholarships”.
Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources, Monday, 2 p.m., HHR1. Looks harmless so far.
Children and Family Affairs, Monday, 2 p.m., HHR5. Looks harmless so far.
Transportation and Infrastructure, Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR1. Looks harmless so far.
Rural and Economic Development, Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR5. Looks harmless so far.
Health, Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR4. On the agenda: a striker to SB1039, broadening the definition of “health care sharing ministry” by removing “faith based” and adding “common set of ethical or religious beliefs”. Under the proposed language, a street gang or the KKK could offer health care coverage to their members, so long as they file the correct paperwork.
Banking and Financial Services, Tuesday, 2 p.m., HHR3. Looks harmless so far.
Wednesday preview:
Senate Public Safety, Military, and Technology will be considering two gun bills at 9 a.m. in SHR1. The are a “guns in public places” bill and a bill regarding entering into an interstate compact relating to firearms sales.
The House has posted a COW (Committee of the Whole) calendar here, here, and here and a Third Read calendar for Monday.
The Senate has posted no floor calendars at this point.
The Capitol Events calendar is here.
