If
you are having trouble viewing this e-mail with images, click
here. Please add to your address book to ensure our e-mails reach your inbox. |
 |
|
Leadership ♦ Research ♦ Advocacy ♦ Newsletter ♦ Speakers ♦ Counties ♦ Alliances ♦ Calendar ♦ Contact
|
|
Animal Sales
 Despite an earlier failure in the Senate, HB 2485: unlawful public sale of animals (J. Weiers) was approved by the House and Senate this week, and now awaits the Governor's signature. The bill establishes a class two misdemeanor in Maricopa and Pima counties for anyone who sells animals along a public roadway or in a public park. The bill originally applied statewide but was limited in the Senate when rural legislators expressed opposition to additional regulation in their districts. There was some consideration of expanding the bill to allow rural counties to adopt the provisions of the bill, but there was no time to hold a conference committee on the proposal before the session wrapped up in order to further amend it.
Off-Highway Vehicles
SB 1167, a resurrected proposal relating to off-highway vehicle use, was passed by the legislature this week and is headed to the Governor's desk. The original measure, sponsored by Representative Jerry Weiers (R-12), died after failing in the Senate Natural Resources Committee. The bill institutes a registration procedure and fee for off-highway vehicles and regulates their use.
Pest Control
 After months of negotiation, Representative Rich Crandall (R-19) was able to obtain widespread support for HB 2822: pest control; department of agriculture. If approved by the Governor, the proposal will replace the Structural Pest Control Commission (SPCC) with a new Office of Pest Management under the supervision of an Acting Director to be appointed by the Arizona Department of Administration. Earlier efforts to move the SPCC under the Department of Agriculture failed, due to concerns relating to a changed agency culture, limited agency resources and the effect on both agricultural and pest control industries. The final version of the bill did retain a provision that exempts political subdivisions from onerous regulations that had been established by the SPCC.
After months of discussions, the FY09 state budget proposal flew through the legislature quickly this week. The final proposal was supported by House and Senate Democrats and several Republicans in each chamber, and is expected to be signed by Governor Napolitano.
The budget (contained in HB 2209, 2210, 2211, 2275, 2278, 2391 and 2462) addresses a forecast deficit of $1.9 billion by cutting approximately $360 million from state agency budgets, sweeping nearly $340 million from a variety of funds, and bonding for nearly $560 million for new school construction. The budget leans heavily on assistance from counties, sweeping funding streams and establishing large contributions to help meet the state's obligations. (Click here for additional information on county impacts.)
The passage of a FY09 budget stalls concerns about an unprecedented shutdown of state government, which some feared would occur if the state did not approve a budget prior to June 30, the end of the fiscal year.
The House narrowly approved two measures that would allow voters to eliminate or suspend the state education equalization property tax rate at the November election. The proposals are a response to Governor Napolitano's veto of HB 2220, a bill that would have permanently eliminated the property tax rate that was already suspended for three years.
HCR 2072: repeal state equalization property tax would ask voters to permanently suspend the tax, which has been used to fund the state's education efforts; HCR 2073: suspension of state property tax would continue the suspension of the tax until 2011.
Both referenda received special permission to be introduced late in the session and still must be considered in the Senate. It is unclear whether the measures will make it through the process before the legislature adjourns their work for the year.
SB 1476: probation; facilities; safe communities act (Huppenthal) passed the Senate by a vote of 20-4 and has been sent to the Governor for her approval. The bill allows probationers to have their term of total probation reduced for time served, as long as the conditions of probation (including paying restitution and completing community service) are met. A probationer could have 20 days taken off a sentence for every 30 days of completed probation. SB 1476 also includes a provision which reimburses counties with up to 40 percent of the savings the state generates by reducing the number of probationers whose sentence is revoked and who are sent back to prison. Some lawmakers expressed reservations about providing compensation for not revoking probation. Republican Chuck Gray (R-19) stated, "I support the underlying intent, which is to reduce recidivism...the reason I vote no is because there is a slight perverse incentive...they get more money by taking people off probation."
The bill's sponsor, however, advocated for the changes. "Over the last 16 years we've put a variety of accountability measures in place that have been successful," he stated. "The bill in front of you does that for probation."
Calendar Visit the CSA Calendar of Events at www.countysupervisors.org/calendar.
|
|
County Supervisors Association of Arizona
1905 W. Washington, Suite 100 Phoenix, Arizona 85009 Privacy & Security Statement Leadership / Research / Advocacy / Newsletter / Speakers / Counties / Alliances / Calendar / Contact |