What Did the Arizona Legislature Do in the First 100 Days of 2022? (video)

Posted on by Pamela J. Powers
Phoenix

The Arizona Legislature has a 100 day target for the length of each session. With more than 1000 bills proposed and more than 300 signed into law each year, the Legislature rarely finishes in 100 days.

April 19, 2022 is day 100 for this year. We are lurching slowly toward a budget, with more than 100 bills waiting to be heard and a few large projects — like education funding, the proposed Water Authority, and a potential “repeal and replace” revival of the Flat Tax — hanging in limbo. As I write this note, it is  Wednesday, April 13, and the Arizona House is temporarily adjourned until Monday, April 18. This is a repeat of last week, when we gaveled in for business on Monday, April 4 and promptly adjourned until Thursday.

NOBODY wants a repeat of 2021.

Continue reading What Did the Arizona Legislature Do in the First 100 Days of 2022? (video)

CRT Takes Center Stage in #AZLeg African American Protocol Day (video)

Posted on by Pamela J. Powers
Rep. Pam Powers Hannley

February 10, 2022 was African American Protocol Day in the Arizona Legislature. This is a day when leaders from the African American community statewide come to the Legislature to educate us.

Continue reading CRT Takes Center Stage in #AZLeg African American Protocol Day (video)

I Am the Most Independent Voting Democrat in the #AZHouse: Here’s Why (video)

Posted on by Pamela J. Powers
Rep. Pam Powers Hannley

I am the most independent-voting Democrat in the Arizona House and perhaps in the Arizona Legislature. How did that happen? When I first ran for office in 2015, I said I would look at every bill and ask myself, “How does this help the people of Arizona?” And if it didn’t broadly help people OR if it was a carve-out for the connected, there was no reason for me to support it.

Continue reading I Am the Most Independent Voting Democrat in the #AZHouse: Here’s Why (video)

Does Arizona Really Need Cheaper Guns? (video)

Posted on by Pamela J. Powers
guns

Two of the gun bills winding their way through the Legislature are HB2166 (sales tax exemption for all weapons and related paraphelalia) and SB1123 (guns on campus). I’m suggesting a big NO to both of these on Request to Speak.

HB2166 picks winners and losers. Why should the state of Arizona exempt all weapons and related gear from Transaction Privilege Tax and Use Tax when Arizona doesn’t even universally exempt food purchased at grocery stores from sales tax?

SB1123 is a dangerous bill. It would allow guns on college campuses. Why do students, staff or faculty need guns on campus? Gun are a tool of intimidation … not a tool of learning.

Continue reading Does Arizona Really Need Cheaper Guns? (video)

#AZLeg Opening Day Super Spreader Event (video)

Posted on by Pamela J. Powers
Arizona House Opening Day 2022

This is my first Legislative Update of 2022. usually, on opening day of the legislature, I introduced my guests. Today, my only guest was my husband Jim. I had planned to bring my oldest grandchild to the legislature today but decided it was too risky for his health. He missed Opening Day at the Legislature today because the Republicans decided to host a Super Spreader event.

This is the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple times Governor Doug Ducey’s decisions have resulted in Arizona being worst in the world or worst in the country for COVID-19 deaths and/or infections. Today, Arizona saw 14,000 new COVID cases. Today, Governor Ducey, Speaker Bowers, President Fann, all republican legislators and their guests and some Democratic legislators and their guests were maskless and chummy on the floor of the Arizona House which apparently no longer has HEPA filters.

Continue reading #AZLeg Opening Day Super Spreader Event (video)

Rep. PPH Legislative Update: Moving into the 2nd Session of the 55th #AZLeg (video)

Posted on by Pamela J. Powers
Pamela Powers Hannley

As 2021 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the past Legislative session, the extreme laws enacted by the radical right that controls the Arizona Republican Party, the continuing court cases and voter backlash against these new laws, and a look forward to November 2022.

The first session of the 55th Legislature was a wild ride because of the Republicans’ slim majority (47 Rs – 43 Ds) and the radical nature of the newly elected Republican lawmakers. In order to get 16 Republican Senators and 31 Republican House members to vote “yes” on their budget, they stuffed many unrelated, failed policy bills into the budget. (Many of those were later thrown out of the budget by the courts.)

To get anything from tax giveaways to common sense bills to online gaming passed in the 55th Legislature, the Libertarian “Freedom Caucus” forced Corporate Republicans to reach out to Corporate Democrats and sometimes to all of us. They don’t like to pass bills where the majority of “yes” votes are Democrats because it shows how big our numbers are, but sometimes they need us … or some of us.

For a recap of the first session of the 55th Legislature, watch the video below.

Continue reading Rep. PPH Legislative Update: Moving into the 2nd Session of the 55th #AZLeg (video)