State Capitol News

Phoenix, AZ – The difference is not much. There are now just 2,036 more
independents than Democrats. But the crossover, which occurred
since voter registration closed prior to last year's general
election, is part of a longer-term trend where parties are less
and less important. Pollster Earl deBerge said the reasons for
this depend on the age of the voter.

Phoenix, AZ – Right now members of the Board of Executive Clemency are
empowered to recommend a reduction in sentence to the governor
when there is a reason, like the mandatory term imposed is too
harsh, an inmate is close to dying or other reasons they find
appropriate. But it is the governor who always gets the last
word. And Mesa Republican Cecil Ash said that word, more often
than not, is 'no.' Ash proposes to leave the final decision to
the five-member board.

Phoenix, AZ – The plan is to reverse the mandate by voters a decade ago that
the state provide free care for everyone below the federal
poverty level, about $18,300 a year for a family of three. The
federal Medicaid program picks up about two thirds of the cost.
But Gov. Jan Brewer said Arizona can't afford its share which
computes out to about $1 billion a year. Her proposal would drop
about 280,000 people from the plan.

Phoenix, AZ – Brewer wants what's called line-item reduction authority. Right
now she has the power of line item veto: If she doesn't like
something, she can eliminate it from the budget. Gubernatorial
press aide Paul Senseman said that's not enough.

(The so-called line-item veto authority is not really that. It
ends up becoming an all or nothing proposition. It's really a
false choice. It's not really what the intent or spirit is of the
line item veto authority. That idea is to reduce spending.)

Phoenix, AZ – Federal law used to ban the manufacture of any clip that
held more than 10 bullets. But that expired in 2004. And while
some states and communities have enacted their own restrictions,
Arizona has not. The issue arose anew with the killing of six
people and wounding of 13 others in Tucson. Witnesses reported
they were able to tackle the assailant only after he had emptied
the clip and had to reload. But Gov. Jan Brewer said the sole
blame for the shootings should be on the person who pulled the
trigger.