Petition to block voucher law falls short; application deadline extended
WASHINGTON - The secretary of state’s office is still counting, but it had seen enough by Friday to say that a petition drive to block expansion of the state's school voucher program fell short of the required signatures.
Letter of the law(s): Prosecutors confused by conflicting abortion laws
WASHINGTON - Whatever their position on abortion rights, the county attorneys who would be responsible for enforcing Arizona abortion law say they will do their best to follow it. But they're not all sure what the law currently is, after conflicting measures were approved,
To shore up dwindling ranks, police departments hire more civilian investigators
PHOENIX – Police departments – including Baltimore, Phoenix and Mesa – have hired more civilian investigators to “make sure crimes get hands-on attention” as departments face staffing shortfalls.
Opponents of expanded vouchers concede petition may have fallen short
WASHINGTON - The apparently successful petition drive that blocked an expansion of Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts may not have been so successful after all, with opponents of the law conceding they "definitely got the numbers wrong."
Fact-check: Arizona secretary of state candidate says ballot harvesting altered election result
Republican secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem pointed to an election violation in Yuma Country, Arizona, saying it changed the outcome. The violation, which led to a guilty plea of ballot harvesting, involved a handful of votes. The winning margin in the race was 392, too wide for four or five votes to change the results.
Some states use ‘integrity bulletins’ to provide limited police misconduct information to public
SALT LAKE CITY – About a dozen states provide what’s commonly known as “integrity bulletins,” which contain information about complaints against law enforcement and investigation outcomes, but typically don't include identifying information – such as the officer’s name.
Sinema defends filibuster at McConnell event, raising Democratic ire anew
WASHINGTON - Arizona Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has been criticized for defending the filibuster before, but that did not stop her from repeating her position Monday, this time at an event hosted by the Senate's minority leader.
Opponents file petitions to halt voucher expansion; now the fight begins
WASHINGTON - Opponents of the state's expanded Empowerment Scholarship Accounts filed more than 140,000 petition signatures Friday to temporarily halt the program that would have allowed any student in the state to use public dollars for private education.
Ban on sexually explicit materials in Arizona schools set to take effect
PHOENIX – A state law banning any materials in public schools that contain sexual content takes effect this week, and critics worry self-censoring will put more stress on already overburdened teachers.
In focus: Migrants languish in Mexico’s chaotic immigration system
TAPACHULA, Mexico - Migrants have gathered in the thousands in Tapachula, seeking to apply for asylum or humanitarian visas to stay in Mexico or continue their journeys north. Protests outside Mexico’s immigration office have become more frequent as applications bog down and migrants struggle with limited access to social services and basic needs.
‘Momentous’: Sweeping federal law will lower prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients
PHOENIX — Hefty prices have made it hard for retirees like Brenda Dickason of Tucson to afford medications. Provisions included in the new Inflation Reduction Act should help by capping out-of-pocket spending for Medicare enrollees and restraining some drug costs.
Opponents confident of meeting deadline to block school voucher expansion
PHOENIX - Organizers of a petition drive to put the state's expanded empowerment scholarship accounts on the 2024 ballot are confident they can collect the needed signatures before this weekend, when the vast expansion of the school voucher program would take effect.