Action Suspended In Arizona State House Until Old-Guard Red Repubs Restore Full Strength For A Majority of One

House suspends floor votes until Republicans at full strength

By: Katie Campbell | AZ Capitol Times 01 April 2019

"The House worked through a record-setting agenda on the floor today – not. . . "

And it looks like the old Red Repubs want to bring back some of the old Red Repubs that got voted out of office last year!

Instead, the chamber adjourned until 1 p.m. on Wednesday, meaning members will not return to the floor Tuesday even for points of personal privilege or other business not requiring a vote.
There was no floor action today or on Thursday either.
Multiple voice and roll-call votes were canceled the day after former Rep. David Stringer resigned.

His resignation leaves the partisan split in the House at 30-29. That’s still in Republicans’ favor but leaves them one vote shy of the 31 votes bills need to pass out of the chamber.
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The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors is meeting Wednesday morning to appoint someone to Stringer’s now vacant House seat.
The Yavapai County Republican Committee selected former Senate President Steve Pierce, former Secretary of State Ken Bennett and potential Capitol newcomer Steven Sensmeier for the board’s consideration.
Pierce is favored to win.

House Speaker Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa, and Majority Leader Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, did not immediately return calls for comment.
House spokesman Matt Specht said the decision was made to delay floor activity until the body is back to full membership.
But Senate President Karen Fann said members were afraid Democrats would take the opportunity to kill any bills that came up for a vote while the Republican margin was weakened. . .

Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, launched a silent protest in February in response to at least one of her bills being held in the House Rules Committee. She voted “no” on every bill that came to the floor on February 27, giving Democrats an advantage over anything they opposed.
The House recessed in the middle of floor action, presumably to put a stop to the demonstration, but Townsend had disappeared when members returned to continue their work.
That allowed Democrats to strike down several Republican bills. House Bills 2469, 2495 and 2453 were later revived, though, and passed out of the House unanimously.
In any case, Fernandez said her members would have come together with Republicans to vote on the merits of any bills brought to the floor while Stringer’s seat was vacant.
She said it was Bowers’ choice not to trust them. . .
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