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azcapmedia.bsky.social
Covering politics, government, the courts and everything in between now for more than 50 years. Gives me some perspective on the latest claims - and, hopefully, an ability to sniff out bullshit.
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Tom Homan touts Trump border policies and mass deportations in speech to AZ lawmakers - at least those who didn't walk out. But the border czar also had some words for them. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 7 hours ago • 0 comments

@rfk-junior.bsky.social comes to AZ to promote healthy foods including ban on artificial colors in school meals and prohibiting use of food stamps to buy sodas. But that latter bill draws fire from Dems who call it "paternalistic and judgmental." tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 7 hours ago • 1 comment

Border czar Holman and HHS chief Robert Kennedy Jr. coming to AZ Capitol on Tuesday to talk border security, artificial food colorings in school meals, and whether food stamp recipients ought to be able to buy sodas with their benefits. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 1 day ago • 2 comments

House preparing to vote on Sen. Bolick bill to tell local schools exactly how they have to define "bullying" in school policies, including references to definitions in criminal code. Foes question overriding what they say should be local decisions. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Having declared DEI illegal in hiring, lawmakers now trying to cleanse college & university courses of any such mention, with threat of taking away all state funds. But it's a fine line between a practice and teaching about it. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

AZ lawmakers debating whether universities can have courses that teach DEI, tho they're not exactly clear on what that would or would not allow. And then there's the question of separating hiring practices from what students can and cannot be taught. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

@azagmayes.bsky.social sues Trump (again), this time over "unacceptable and unconstitutional" executive order exerting power over how Arizona conducts its elections. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

@azagmayes.bsky.social joins with other Dems to block bid by Trump to impose "unacceptable and unconstitutional" new rules on registration and voting, including a provision that @azsecretary.bsky.social says could result in Elon Musk getting voting records. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

ICYMI: House panel OKs Finchem bill to help insurance companies (and the clients they are defending in court) get juries more to their liking. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

LUCHA, others challenge voter-approved Prop 314, say the measure promoted as dealing with border security (e.g. letting state and local cops arrest border crossers) is legally flawed. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

Lawmakers seek to untangle legal issues with effort to give $15.3M to make repairs at Prescott rodeo grounds as their original 2023 plan is tied up in court over question of whether it violates the gift clause of AZ Constitution. tucson.com/news/local/g...

submitted 7 days ago • 1 comment

Sen. Finchem pushing bill sought by insurance companies to overrule Supreme Court and once again let them eliminate folks from juries simply because they think they might not side with their clients in civil lawsuits - but have no evidence of bias. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 7 days ago • 1 comment

ICYMI: Justine Wadsack, defeated in reelection bid, blames that on Tucson PD and unnamed city officials saying that giving her a speeding ticket and releasing info to the media was all part of a conspiracy to help elect Vince Leach and ruin her reputation. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 7 days ago • 1 comment

How dangerous is this fire season? Arizona is so dry the state already has had to battle a 20 mile long blaze near Oracle Junction started by someone whose trailer chains dragged on the pavement and created sparks that set the grass on fire. tucson.com/news/local/e...

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Rep. Kolodin launches bid for secretary of state with promise of transparency and restoring trust in elections - and then refuses to answer a series of questions about his positions and beliefs. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

House panel OKs plan to ask voters to double legislators' $24K salaries - and then votes for living allowance increase for lawmakers who already live in Maricopa County, raising questions of whether that's really an unconstitutional wage increase. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Dry winter could lead to "intense" fire season - one that state fire management officer says already is starting as someone towing a trailer and dragging chains managed to light a 20-mile stretch of road near Oracle Junction on fire. tucson.com/news/local/e...

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

Rep. Kolodin hopes to be secretary of state, promising transparency and restore confidence in elections. But he dodged a series of questions and never addressed his State Bar discipline over what judge said was meritless challenge to 2020 election. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

Former Sen. Wadsack claims in federal court that her 2024 traffic stop (doing 71 in 35 according to Tucson cop) and resultant publicity all part of a conspiracy to deny her reelection. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 8 days ago • 2 comments

Proposal by Rep. Gress to move smoking age in AZ to 21 to match federal law draws opposition. Rep. Kupper says if you're in the military you should be old enough to make the decision. And Rep. Kolodins ays 18 plenty old to decide. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 8 days ago • 2 comments

ICYMI: Yes, you have the constitutional right to remain silent. But it CAN be used against you if you answer some questions but balk at others according to AZ Supreme Court. So is the best advice to say nothing? tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

Bid by Rep. Gress to raise state tobacco age from 18 to 21 to conform with federal law gets resistance from Rep. Kupper who complains there's no exemption for soldiers and Rep. Kolodin who says AZ shouldn't cave in to what the feds want. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 9 days ago • 1 comment

Former Sen. Wadsack claims in new lawsuit that Tucson PD and unnamed city officials were out to get her when she was stopped for driving 71 in 35 mph zone and when the reports and video of her traffic stop were released ahead of the election she lost. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 9 days ago • 4 comments

AZ Supreme Court rules that sometimes you right to remain silent CAN be used against you if you start answering certain questions. So is the lesson to refuse to answer any questions from police? tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

Rep. Livingston advances plan to sharply boost daily allowance for Maricopa County lawmakers even tho they don't have same hotel and meals expense as out-of-towners who have to come to the Capitol. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 10 days ago • 1 comment

Rep. Livingston moving to give himself and other Maricopa lawmakers huge boost in their daily allowance even tho they don't have to find lodging and food like their out-of-town counterparts during session. But he says to think of it as just part of their pay. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 11 days ago • 2 comments

ICYMI: Sen. Jake Hoffman, who backs Andy Biggs for governor, uses legislation to highlight that Karrin Taylor Robson has been a lobbyist until very recently, something that may make her less palatable to some GOP voters. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment

Republican Sen. Jake Hoffman using legislation to point up that GOP gubernatorial hopeful Karrin Taylor Robson is a lobbyist, a move that could help the candidacy of Andy Biggs. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

Lawmakers looking to plug loophole in "revenge porn" law designed to bar jilted lovers and others from posting nude pictures of their former partners. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

Were you hoping to weigh in on whether lawmakers can keep their special privilege against being cited for traffic violations? Never mind. Sen. Payne won't hear Rep. Nguyen's House-passed bill to give voters the last word. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 13 days ago • 1 comment

Bid to let voters scrap legislators' privilege from traffic tickets now dead as Sen. Payne won't schedule measure for a hearing. He says there aren't the voters. Of course, he's among the opposition. But Rep. Nguyen says he will renew fight next year. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

What's that up in the sky? Is it a bird? A plane? No, it's chemtrails according to those who are pushing AZ lawmakers to ban "geoengineering" by putting chemicals into the stratosphere to lessen solar radiation. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 14 days ago • 1 comment

Contrails or chemtrails? AZ lawmakers working to ban any sort of "geoengineering" of environment in ways to reduce solar radiation - something some say already is occurring, including by aircraft that are spraying chemicals. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 15 days ago • 0 comments

Lawmakers balk at demand by utilities for broad immunity when their power lines cause fires. But measure set for hearing would give them some shield while protecting the rights of homeowners and the insurers who provide their coverage. tucson.com/news/local/g...

submitted 16 days ago • 0 comments

After getting just two votes from Dems and facing a pretty certain gubernatorial veto, Rep. Kupper drops plans to limit which flags can be flown on public property to specified list. But he thinks bill can be tweaked next session to get more support. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 16 days ago • 1 comment

Gov. Hobbs tells her Dept of Ag to delay until 2034 rules forbidding laying hens from being kept in 62-square-inch cages all their lives, says it will save money for consumers. But data says difference could be as little as 39 cents a dozen - or less. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 17 days ago • 1 comment

Gov. Hobbs telling her Dept of Agriculture to shelve rules requiring eggs sold in AZ to be cage free, says it will save money for consumers. But even her own agency admits that could amount to just 39 cents a dozen -- or less. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 18 days ago • 1 comment

Proposal to allow churches to build homes on their properties in the name of affordable housing falters as neighborhood groups object to even watered-down plan. And then there's the Rep. Diaz question of whether they would need to sell to witches.... tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

AZ House OKs Sen. Rogers plan, advanced by Rep. Gress, to allow religious chaplains to provide counseling in schools with parental consent. But the measure has some limits on who would qualify. And then there's the legal questions. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 18 days ago • 0 comments

ICYMI: Sen. Mesnard plan would make withdrawals from IRAs and 401(k)s exempt from state income taxes, up to $29,200 a year. But foes point to loss of $130M in state revenues. Plus, if you're living hand-to-mouth, you weren't able to stash away extra cash. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 18 days ago • 2 comments

Even after Rep. Livingston watered it down, House quashes measure to let churches build homes on church land, mainly due to objections from neighbors. But then there was this concern by Rep. Diaz about witches moving in.... tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 19 days ago • 1 comment

AZ House OKs unprecedented measure to allow schools to bring chaplains onto campus to counsel students, with supporters saying it fills a need. But foes say the measure constrains which chaplains are eligible. And then there's the constitutional question. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 19 days ago • 0 comments

People with IRAs and 401(k)s didn't pay taxes on money when they earned it and stashed it away. Now Sen. Mesnard wants to exempt it from AZ income taxes when they withdraw it. @sandovalforaz.bsky.social says that's nice - for those who have enough to save. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 19 days ago • 0 comments

House OKs Rep. Gress bill to require warning signs and disclosures to hotel guests that a facility also provides rooms for the homeless. Legal issues aside, @senatorlaurenkuby.bsky.social says it stigmatizes and makes assumptions about who these people are. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 19 days ago • 1 comment

Lawmakers advance measure to require hotels that also provide rooms for the homeless to post warning signs, individually inform guests & offer refunds. Rep. Gress calls it consumer protection. @senatorlaurenkuby.bsky.social says it's demonizing people for being homeless. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 20 days ago • 2 comments

Been socking away funds in an IRA to defer the taxes owed? Now GOP lawmakers moving to let you skip paying state taxes on it when you withdraw the cash, up to $29,200 a year for a married couple. But Dems say that doesn't help those who can't afford IRAs. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

Republican lawmakers looking to require school board candidates to list their party affiliation, with proponents saying these races already are partisan affairs and this would simply provide more information to voters. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

Republicans want to require school board candidates to list their party affiliation on the ballot. Foes say putting partisan spin on elections needlessly injects politics into education decisions. But proponents note that parties already involved in races. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 21 days ago • 0 comments

Senate OKs Sen. Kavanagh bill to outlaw sales of cosmetics in Arizona that have been tested on animals. But the measure has a variety of exceptions. tucson.com/news/state-r...

submitted 21 days ago • 1 comment

ICYMI: Head of AZ National Guard, a holdover from the Ducey administration, leaving to go back to teaching. That will set the stage for Sen. Hoffman and his Director Nominations Committee to grill whoever Gov. Hobbs taps as a replacement. tucson.com/news/local/s...

submitted 21 days ago • 1 comment