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Insider: Self-serving bills mark new legislative session by Alia Beard Rau - Jan. 18, 2012 12:00 AM The Republic | azcentral.com Lawmakers have proposed more than 750 bills in this week-old 2012 legislative session. Some propose to help crime victims; others propose to help business special interests. But a handful would help the lawmakers themselves. Several state legislators have proposed bills that would directly benefit themselves, either while they are still in the Legislature or in their future political careers. The biggest offender -- or shall we say opportunist -- seems to be Rep. Jack Harper, R-Surprise. Harper announced he will not run for re-election to the Legislature but has not revealed what he may do next. He has in the past voiced interest in a run for secretary of state. Here's a list of some of the bills and their sponsors: House Bill 2022, Harper: Would eliminate the one-year moratorium on lobbying for former state lawmakers. HB 2078, Harper: Would raise the annual salaries for governor, secretary of state, state treasurer and attorney general starting in 2013. HB 2213, Rep. Terri Proud, R-Tucson: Would increase campaign-contribution limits. It would increase the maximum amount an individual or a political committee could contribute to a legislative campaign to $5,000 from $488. It would increase the maximum contribution to a campaign for statewide office to $10,000 from $1,010. HB 2214, Proud: Would allow individuals to make unlimited campaign contributions each year. Currently, an individual can donate no more than $5,610 to state and local campaigns during a single year. HB 2241, Rep. David Gowan, R-Sierra Vista: Any communication between a state legislator and his or her constituent that is intended to be private would not be considered a public record. HB 2603, Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler: Would make changes to legislators' financial-disclosure requirements, including requiring an official to report compensation over $5,000 instead of over $1,000. HCR 2017, Harper: Would ask voters to amend the state Constitution to establish an office of lieutenant governor; revises the order of gubernatorial succession to put lieutenant governor second in the order of succession behind the governor. HCR 2023, Rep. Matt Heinz, D-Tucson: Would ask voters to change state Senate terms to four years and limit a person to serving no more than three consecutive terms. Currently, senators serve two-year terms and no more than four consecutive terms. Would limit House members to serving no more than six consecutive two-year terms. Would apply to terms starting in 2013. Harper's HB 2022 passed the House Government Committee last Wednesday. Harper defended his bill during the hearing. "I've authored this bill for multiple years, even when I was running for office," Harper said. "This is not necessarily about me." He said the bill is about protecting individuals' economic liberties. "I've seen people who have gone into the poor house serving as a state legislator," he said. "To restrict what they can do when they leave, it doesn't make sense." |