Related articles:

Pet bills aplenty pouring forth from Legislature

Sales and Marketing
Davis Kitchens
Cabinet Sales Administrative & Professional
City of Benson
Planning & Zoning Director

State senators gave final approval Wednesday to legislation blocking state or local officials from removing political signs from public rights of way.

SB 1022 is aimed at places such as Tucson that have laws prohibiting candidates and backers or foes of ballot measures from putting their signs adjacent to streets and sidewalks. Those properties technically belong to the government.

Tucson started enforcing a ban on signs in the public rights of way in 2001 due to complaints that they were becoming a safety hazard to pedestrians and traffic, particularly the mass of signs that went up at major intersections, where they sometimes blocked traffic visibility.

But backers of the legislative move said restricting signs to only private property interferes with political free speech.

The bill still must be signed by the governor.

With no debate, state lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday morning to legislation allowing some people to carry their loaded weapons into bars, restaurants and other places where alcohol is served.

Existing law makes having a gun in these places a crime. SB 1113 creates an exception for the more than 125,000 Arizonans who have state-issued permits to carry concealed weapons.

The legislation forbids those who do have a gun to drink. It also permits owners to post signs declaring their businesses to be weapons-free zones.

Backers of the measure said it is designed to ensure those who carry guns for protection do not have to leave their weapons in their vehicles if they want to have a meal in a restaurant that also serves alcohol. But the bill was altered to cover all places with liquor licenses, whether or not they serve food.

Gov. Jan Brewer, who still must sign the bill for it to become law, has not specifically said how she feels about the change. But she has been a strong proponent of the right to bear arms.

State lawmakers killed legislation to make it a violation of state trespass laws for someone to be in this country illegally.

HB 2280 was designed to make it easier for local police to arrest illegal immigrants by getting around the question of how much authority local law enforcement has to enforce federal laws.

By a 17-10 vote, the Senate gave final approval to legalizing sparklers in Arizona.

The vote came over the objections of Sen. Meg Burton Cahill, D-Tempe, who said it would result in injuries to children. But Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, said more children die in swimming pools than from accidents from these kinds of devices.

Brewer has indicated she will sign the measure.

Lawmakers voted Wednesday to make it illegal for anyone other than a physician to perform a surgical abortion.

SB 1175 is aimed at a practice used by Planned Parenthood Arizona that allows nurse practitioners with special training to terminate pregnancies in the first trimester. The legislation overrules regulations from the state Board of Nursing, which concluded that those with the specialized training are qualified to perform the procedure.