AT THE CAPITOL

(PNI) BILL TRACKER

A total of 1,145 bills were introduced in the House and Senate this session.

Today's spotlight: Resign to run.

Summary: House Bill 2157 would trigger the state's "resign to run" law only if an officeholder filed formal nomination papers for another elected office. Currently, any incumbent who is not in the last year of his or her term and who formally declares a candidacy for another office must resign to run. The bill also removes the resign-to-run requirement for any incumbent looking to return to the same office he or she currently holds.

Sponsor: Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills.

Status: Passed the House on a 40-19 vote. Moves to the Senate for consideration.

-- Mary Jo Pitzl

NEWS UPDATE

Supporters of Gov. Jan Brewer's Medicaid-expansion plan are touting it as the "fiscally conservative" plan to "protect taxpayers" and "save hospitals" in a new 30-second TV spot that began airing this week (and can also be found at restoring

arizona.com). The ad, paid for by the Arizona Business Coalition, the political arm of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, never mentions the word "expansion" but warns viewers that they get "stuck with the bill" when people can't pay their hospital bills.

The high-stakes campaign led by business and health-care groups calls on voters to urge lawmakers to support Medicaid expansion. But local Republican Party officials are ramping up the pressure, too, warning GOP lawmakers that a vote for "Obamacare" expansion could spell the end of their political careers.

-- Mary K. Reinhart

TODAY'S TALKER

Once more, with feeling …Arizona voters could vote on another state-sovereignty issue next year, even though they rejected a similar measure four months ago.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 1016 would bar the state, county and local governments from using any manpower or financial resources to comply with federal orders that lawmakers deemed unconstitutional. It's similar to the sovereignty issue that voters decided last November, when they rejected Proposition 120 by a better than 2-1 ratio. That ballot measure declared Arizona sovereign over most of its it land, water, air and other natural resources. Sen. Ed Ableser, D-Tempe, said the measure only provokes unwarranted fear of the federal government.

SCR 1016 passed 16-12, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. If the House approves the measure, it will appear on the November 2014 ballot.

-- Mary Jo Pitzl

UPCOMING DEADLINES

March 22: Last day for House consideration of Senate bills; Senate consideration of House bills.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"We're not going to use this as a tool to advance our agenda."

-- Assistant House Minority Leader Ruben Gallego, saying Democrats have unqualified support for Gov. Jan Brewer's Medicaid expansion

Copyright 2012 The Arizona Republic|azcentral.com. All rights reserved.For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.

Posted

View the original article here