Are Arizona lawmakers upset about being on Russian travel ban list? Nyet
WASHINGTON - All nine House members from Arizona - and one late senator - made the list of 963 U.S. citizens Russia has imposed a travel ban on in the escalating sanctions fight between the two countries. If they're not laughing about it, most are taking it as a badge of honor.
Despite state law, marijuana still banned in subsidized housing in Arizona
Both medical and recreational marijuana are legal in Arizona. But because of federal law, HUD still bans marijuana use in any type of government-subsidized housing, such as Section 8 and public housing. Marijuana and housing advocates call the policy discriminatory and counterproductive.
New Arizona law on sealing criminal records may help some renters, but there are limitations
PHOENIX – A new Arizona law will give those with a criminal background a chance to seal their records, which may expand access to jobs and housing – but the complexity of the process and longevity of online information may hinder the law’s impact.
Private landlords have become the key to subsidized housing
PHOENIX – Most Arizona housing authorities that manage HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher program, known as Section 8, lack a formal process for approving landlords.
Arizona housing authorities’ strict criminal background checks often bar people who need a second chance
PHOENIX – As they look for a place to live in the state’s tight rental market, applicants with criminal backgrounds seeking government-supported housing face hurdles that go far beyond what the federal guidelines require.
More funds sought for drone inspections of transportation infrastructure
TEMPE – New legislation sponsored by Rep. Greg Stanton of Phoenix could give more funding to state, local and tribal governments to use drones to inspect roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
Crowded House: Redistricting, vacancies boost fundraising in House races
WASHINGTON - Arizona congressional challengers have been emboldened this year by an open seat, an unpopular president and a newly drawn district map - and they have the money to show for it, raising $13.7 million to the incumbents' $9.4 million as of March 31.
Players the same, but district numbers shuffled in House redistricting
WASHINGTON - Congressional campaigns are often compared to horse races, but in Arizona the jockeys and the horses were scrambled this year. Even without moving, seven of the state's nine House members landed in newly numbered districts after redistricting.
CROWN Act banning discrimination against natural Black hair enacted by Tempe, Tucson
TEMPE – A Tempe natural hair stylist talks about the beauty and diversity of natural hair in light of Tempe and Tucson passing the CROWN Act, which prohibits hair discrimination.
Arizona lawmakers among most, least likely in House to vote by proxy
WASHINGTON – Two years after the House allowed proxy voting as a pandemic precaution, two Arizona lawmakers remain among the House's most active proxy voters, while two others are among the stubborn minority that has never cast vote by proxy.
Popular proxies: Close to 10% of House votes cast by proxy since 2020
WASHINGTON - House members have cast more than 31,000 proxy votes during more than 700 roll calls since 2020, or about 10% of all possible votes in that time. But what started as a COVID-19 emergency measure has become a routine that some say is being abused.
‘Only the beginning’: Brandon Act meant to reduce barriers, stigma for military members seeking mental health help
PEORIA – The legacy of Brandon Caserta of Arizona lives on in the Brandon Act, which allows service men and women to seek mental health help outside the military to reduce barriers and the stigma of self-reporting.
