Amazingly, TIME FLIES -- whether you're having fun or not.
Yes, it's been about three weeks since my last post on this blog. I have been remiss in not keeping you up to date. Please forgive me.
There is a little bit of news regarding independent redistricting and I hope to do a brief write up about it this evening.
However, on the horizon, we also look forward with great anticipation (not necessarily just for great and wonderful things) to the opening of the first regular session of Arizona's 51st Legislature. That takes place next Monday, January 14, noonish.
Already, we've gotten a preview of the hijinx and hilarity to come. John Kavanagh wants voters to repeal the Medical Marijuana Law -- despite the fact that THREE times, Arizonans have said YES to MMJ initiatives. Because members are allowed to "pre-file" bills (make sure you specify 51st Legislature, first regular session) for the upcoming session, Chief birther, Carl Seel has already filed the first nutjob bill. Michele Ugenti filed a few that have raised eyebrows. And quite a few "technical correction" bills have already been filed.
Technical correction bills generally, as first introduced, make cosmetic, non-material changes to language in existing statutes. The ultimate purpose for the bill is to grease the skids for "strike all" amendments later in the session -- after the deadline for introducing new bills has passed. Strike all amendments can be a way to push through a controversial measure with minimal public scrutiny. Think "Alt-Fuels" debacle from 2000.
Given that the GOP no longer holds a supermajority in the Arizona Legislature, the upcoming session may not be quite as freaky as the last two years. But since the GOP is still in charge, they will still be trying to do things that many people understand to be outrageous or harmful to life and property in our great state.
In the next few days, I also hope to give you a glimpse of some of the legislation that has already been proposed, some of which are good things.
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