The Arizona Legislature will probably, hopefully, adjourn sine die today, capping off a dramatic six-month session.
We’ve been working hard to keep you up to date on all the shit happening in Arizona politics.
But since we only have a short window of downtime between sine die and ballots hitting mailboxes, we’re taking the next two weeks off to take care of business before our Substack advance money dries up.
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We’ll be back in your inbox on Monday, July 11. In the meantime, we’re starting some election season projects and and taking a few days to recharge around Independence Day. We hope you can do the same.
But before we take off, we want to commiserate about the joys and miseries of the democratic process. So we’re opening a discussion here, where you can leave a comment. We want to know: What was your legislative session highlight and lowlight? We especially love hearing about an unsung heroes or moments that didn’t get the spotlight.
Jun 24, 2022Liked by Rachel Leingang, Hank Stephenson
My daughter just recently suggested we follow and support your efforts. So far I’ve enjoyed your coverage and attitude. We’re leaving for a vacation away soon too. Enjoy yours and when we’re back we will set up a regular subscription. Thanks! -Marilyn
Jun 24, 2022Liked by Rachel Leingang, Hank Stephenson
Arizona Agenda is a valued news source. I’m thinking I can certainly up my subscription rate from $80/yr to $100/yr. Looking forward to your return. Keep shining a light!
There was only 1 positive highlight from AZ legislature: blocking GOP legislature from being able to overturn election results they don't like. Everything else over the past 2+ years that AZ GOP legislature has done is undemocratic. They are not consistent with constituent opinions. From the Big Lie , taxpayer funded fraudit, to open carry assault rifle gun laws & immigration lies I'm disgusted. I'm also extremely angry with most of Arizona's US Reps & Sen Sinema. Our state sprouted some of the worst insurrectionists, liars & politicians owned by big business & billionaires like Sinema who block Dem agenda by refusing to alter the filibuster even to pass such basic rights as voting rights, pro-choice/medical autonomy, campaign finance reform & BBB. I won't even get into the stolen far right liars & extremist SCOTUS overturning critical rights. Our lives literally depend on 2022. Vote Blue up & down ballot now & forever.
You guys have done a fabulous job informing us - I am VERY glad that I could chip in with a premium/group subscription early on!
The Legislature, on the other hand, not so much. (There is a lot I will help fix if I am elected this fall.) This session's lowlights: yet another abortion ban, universal school vouchers sucking $ out of our already-starved public education system, passing a poorly-written voter registration/citizenship bill, playing chicken with schools on the AEL and calling us "educational terrorists" in the process (when they were the ones holding schools hostage). So many more.
Thanks, Rachel and Hank, for being there throughout! Keep at it (after a recharge break)! --Paul (ArizonasLaw.org and now a candidate for the House in LD12) Weich
Do you all know what happened with Community College funding? Seems like CCs are a big loser in the budget. Seems like everyone got increases in funding, but CCs maybe got a decrease, especially as they passed a bill that charges them with creating affordable, 4-year degrees (without any funding support). I think there's even a wonky thing where Regina Cobb's amendment pulled CC's STEM funding. But also, they pass the budget at 3am, so it's hard to discern what happened here. Any information you all have on this would be helpful!!!
There was some kind of issue on the floor related to this -- they had an amendment that removed the STEM funding, but it was some kind of problem where it ended up in two places, so the amendment just removed it from one of those places. It still remained in the budget as approved.
Wow. When you started the morning with a post-session therapy offer, I suspect you were just giving your subscribers a chance to talk about all the feels they had over the course of this shit show we call a state legislative session. What’s funny about that, and not ha ha funny, but funny, is that just yesterday I was thinking, this is all pretty bad. Right? Like, I was low. I was blue. We have full on traitors serving as elected reps both in the state legislature and congress, a governor who lost 30,000 Arizonans to a preventable illness, a decimated public school system, sky rocketing housing costs, and a full on, openly corrupt state attorney general engaging in malicious prosecution.
There was a lot, and I mean a lot, to unpack and digest and mourn and engage in a collective what in the actual fuck is happening in this god forsaken state. Right? And, then at 7:30 am, we found out that we went from living in a lawless land of corruption and dumb fuckery and jumped the shark tank into a full on dystopian novel.
How do I best sum up my feelings about the session and our state legislature? We have a member who didn’t LIE UNDER OATH and did not commit TREASON and “we” are calling him a hero. (And, he openly admits he’d vote for a traitor.) This is our bar. Can we even call it a bar when it’s at ground level? Isn’t that just the ground? So, yeah, I’ve got lots of feels and ain’t none of them good.
Thank you for being one of my must-reads. I feel like I've been beaten up, dragged behind a horse, and hung by the thumbs after this legislative session. When you think it can't get worse, they take that as a challenge. I will be working between now and election day on electing people who believe in governing, not bomb-throwing. Hope all of the people in this thread will do the same.
Universal vouchers in defiance of what voters want capped off a terrible session
My daughter just recently suggested we follow and support your efforts. So far I’ve enjoyed your coverage and attitude. We’re leaving for a vacation away soon too. Enjoy yours and when we’re back we will set up a regular subscription. Thanks! -Marilyn
Thanks so much! Glad you’re having fun here.
Arizona Agenda is a valued news source. I’m thinking I can certainly up my subscription rate from $80/yr to $100/yr. Looking forward to your return. Keep shining a light!
That’s awesome! Thanks so much. With a few more subscribers like you, we might just survive.
There was only 1 positive highlight from AZ legislature: blocking GOP legislature from being able to overturn election results they don't like. Everything else over the past 2+ years that AZ GOP legislature has done is undemocratic. They are not consistent with constituent opinions. From the Big Lie , taxpayer funded fraudit, to open carry assault rifle gun laws & immigration lies I'm disgusted. I'm also extremely angry with most of Arizona's US Reps & Sen Sinema. Our state sprouted some of the worst insurrectionists, liars & politicians owned by big business & billionaires like Sinema who block Dem agenda by refusing to alter the filibuster even to pass such basic rights as voting rights, pro-choice/medical autonomy, campaign finance reform & BBB. I won't even get into the stolen far right liars & extremist SCOTUS overturning critical rights. Our lives literally depend on 2022. Vote Blue up & down ballot now & forever.
You guys have done a fabulous job informing us - I am VERY glad that I could chip in with a premium/group subscription early on!
The Legislature, on the other hand, not so much. (There is a lot I will help fix if I am elected this fall.) This session's lowlights: yet another abortion ban, universal school vouchers sucking $ out of our already-starved public education system, passing a poorly-written voter registration/citizenship bill, playing chicken with schools on the AEL and calling us "educational terrorists" in the process (when they were the ones holding schools hostage). So many more.
Thanks, Rachel and Hank, for being there throughout! Keep at it (after a recharge break)! --Paul (ArizonasLaw.org and now a candidate for the House in LD12) Weich
Thanks, Paul! We'll try to take a break from the news as much as we can.
Do you all know what happened with Community College funding? Seems like CCs are a big loser in the budget. Seems like everyone got increases in funding, but CCs maybe got a decrease, especially as they passed a bill that charges them with creating affordable, 4-year degrees (without any funding support). I think there's even a wonky thing where Regina Cobb's amendment pulled CC's STEM funding. But also, they pass the budget at 3am, so it's hard to discern what happened here. Any information you all have on this would be helpful!!!
Good question! I'll look around and let you know. If I don't get back to you here in a few days, email me and remind me: rachel@arizonaagenda.com
Ok I just saw this in a Republic story: "Community colleges will benefit from the restoration of a funding formula that pays for science, technology, engineering and mathematics instruction in the state's three largest counties, Maricopa, Pima and Pinal. The budget includes $10.8 million to get that program back up and running." https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona-education/2022/06/24/arizona-k-12-schools-more-money-budget/7711184001/
There was some kind of issue on the floor related to this -- they had an amendment that removed the STEM funding, but it was some kind of problem where it ended up in two places, so the amendment just removed it from one of those places. It still remained in the budget as approved.
Session lowlight: Opening day.
Session highlight: Sine die.
Highlight would be the increases to education spending, lowlight would be the universal voucher expansion on the way later today.
I plan to increase my my subscription rate from $70 a year to $100 a year! Happy to support fantastic independent journalism.
Thanks so much, Tyler!
Wow. When you started the morning with a post-session therapy offer, I suspect you were just giving your subscribers a chance to talk about all the feels they had over the course of this shit show we call a state legislative session. What’s funny about that, and not ha ha funny, but funny, is that just yesterday I was thinking, this is all pretty bad. Right? Like, I was low. I was blue. We have full on traitors serving as elected reps both in the state legislature and congress, a governor who lost 30,000 Arizonans to a preventable illness, a decimated public school system, sky rocketing housing costs, and a full on, openly corrupt state attorney general engaging in malicious prosecution.
There was a lot, and I mean a lot, to unpack and digest and mourn and engage in a collective what in the actual fuck is happening in this god forsaken state. Right? And, then at 7:30 am, we found out that we went from living in a lawless land of corruption and dumb fuckery and jumped the shark tank into a full on dystopian novel.
How do I best sum up my feelings about the session and our state legislature? We have a member who didn’t LIE UNDER OATH and did not commit TREASON and “we” are calling him a hero. (And, he openly admits he’d vote for a traitor.) This is our bar. Can we even call it a bar when it’s at ground level? Isn’t that just the ground? So, yeah, I’ve got lots of feels and ain’t none of them good.
Yeah, we did send this out before the Dobbs ruling ....
Thank you for being one of my must-reads. I feel like I've been beaten up, dragged behind a horse, and hung by the thumbs after this legislative session. When you think it can't get worse, they take that as a challenge. I will be working between now and election day on electing people who believe in governing, not bomb-throwing. Hope all of the people in this thread will do the same.