|
|||
|
|||
Session UpdateThis week was an active one for the Legislature. With bill "drop" deadlines fast approaching both the Senate (February 1st deadline) and the House (February 8th deadline) have been working in overdrive. The majority of committees met this week with a mix of policy matters as well as continuation bills.Read more... FY 2010-11 Budget UpdateThe Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) serves as the Legislature's budget staff. It is JLBC's job to ascertain facts and make recommendations to the Legislature regarding all facets of the state budget.Read more... Local Government TransparencyA bill sponsored by Representative Steve Montenegro (R-Litchfield Park) once again requires all local governments to build searchable databases of all their financial transactions. We say "once again" because we dealt with this issue last year when we were able to defeat the bill on the House floor. Although the bill (House Bill 2282) contains mostly the same provisions as last year, Rep. Montenegro has asked to meet with all local governments in order to get a sense of what we can provide and in what format. An array of local entities will meet with Rep. Montenegro next week in an effort to reach a compromise. H.B. 2282 advanced through the House Government Committee this week with most local governments (including the League) taking a neutral position pending the outcome of the meeting next week.Immigration Bill AdvancesRepresentative Tom Boone (R-Peoria) is the sponsor of House Bill 2384 - immigration laws; local law enforcement. This bill would ban any city or town from enacting an ordinance or policy that would intentionally prohibit a law enforcement officer from enforcing federal immigration law. It also would allow the transfer of information between local, state and federal units of government to determine eligibility for any federal, state or local public benefit, service or license, verify claims of legal domicile if legal domicile is required by law or contract, or confirm the identity of a person who is arrested.Read more... Solar Energy and Permit FeesHouse Bill 2063 establishes maximum building permit fees for solar energy system construction permits for local government. This bill is sponsored by Representative Tom Boone (R-Peoria) and was held in the Water and Energy Committee this week. H.B. 2063 is identical to a bill last year that some cities supported and the League took a neutral stance.Read more... Yellow LightsRepresentative Frank Antenori (R-Tucson) sponsored House Bill 2338, which establishes in statute new standards for yellow light duration at intersections, prohibits cities from using red light cameras unless they adopt those standards and requires all red light cameras to give red light runners a one-second "grace period" before snapping a picture. The bill was brought at the request of Rep. Antenori's constituents who claim photo radar vendors, in cahoots with the cities, are intentionally shortening the yellow light duration in an effort to catch more drivers. Unfortunately a majority of the House Transportation Committee agreed with that premise and passed the bill out on a 5-2-0-1 vote. The League will be working to educate legislators on the complex engineering that goes into designing traffic lights at intersections.State Preemption of KnivesSenate Bill 1153, sponsored by Senator Chuck Gray (R-Mesa) would prohibit political subdivisions from having any ordinance or rule or tax relating to the transportation, possession, carrying, sale, transfer, manufacture or use of a knife or knife making components in this state. It does allow for assessing sales tax on knife purchases or rentals.The League testified in opposition to this bill, not only as preemption of local control, but also for obvious public safety purposes. The bill passed 4-3 in the Senate Judiciary Committee and now awaits the Rules Committee. GPLET Reform ContinuesOnce again lawmakers want to address issues with the Government Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET). A bill (House Bill 2504) sponsored by Representative Rick Murphy (R-Glendale) picks up right where we left off last year, but Rep. Murphy and Senator John Nelson (R-Litchfield Park) will hold a stakeholder meeting next week in an effort to reach some sort of resolution. Many of the issues we had last year, particularly with the proposed new rate structure, will need to be addressed.THE WEEKLY SPOTLIGHT
A third-generation Arizonan, Steve Pierce was born in Phoenix in 1950. He moved to Prescott while in grade school when his dad, Delbert,
acquired the first of several ranches now known as the Las Vegas Ranch. He was raised on the family ranch where he learned the value of
hard work at a young age. A graduate of Prescott High and the University of Arizona, Steve has continued the family tradition of ranching.
Steve and his wife Joan have been married for 35 years. They raised their four children in Prescott and are now blessed with four
grandchildren. |
|||
|
Legislative Bulletin is published by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. Forward your comments or suggestions to league@azleague.org. |
