Craft beer, school speech: What's on tap at the Capitol

It's shaping up to be a busy week at the Arizona Capitol, as lawmakers push to wrap up this year's legislative session.

Today Gov. Doug Ducey is scheduled to sign into law a bill that would help craft breweries grow. Lawmakers, meanwhile, are slated to discuss a controversial measure that would limit school district employees from lobbying for or against pending legislation.

Here's a look-ahead to the biggest happenings Arizona Legislature and a look back at key action from Monday.

On tap: Ducey to sign craft brew bill

Ducey plans to sign a bill allowing microbreweries to keep running their restaurants even as they grow into large beer producers at a Tempe brew pub tonight.

Ducey's spokesman says he plans to sign Senate Bill 1030 at Four Peaks Brewery Tuesday evening.

The legislation, by Republican Sen. Kelli Ward of Lake Havasu City, passed the Legislature with just one dissenting vote.

The compromise bill allows companies to keep their microbrewery license until they produce 6.2 million gallons of beer a year, six times the amount currently allowed. It also allows them to have up to seven bar or restaurant locations.

The bill was one of the more contentious this session, pitting powerful business interests against each other.

Up for vote: School employee speech limitations

Senate Bill 1172 is drawing the ire of school district officials, who describe it as a gag order against their employees.

According to the bill, which currently is awaiting a full vote in the house, "an employee of a school district or charter school who is acting as an agent of or working in an official capacity for the school district or charter school may not distribute written or electronic materials to influence the outcome of an election or to advocate support for or opposition to pending or proposed legislation.

As Republic columnist Laurie Roberts reported: The amendment, approved last week, was authored by Rep. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, a first-term tea party politician who told his colleagues that school officials had no business speaking for political purposes.

"If they are going to act as a teacher, which is paid for by the taxpayers, they should not be doing any political activity," he told his colleagues.

The legislation comes after debate over proposed cuts to K-12 education earlier this year. Several superintendents launched a campaign directed at district parents decrying Ducey's proposed budget. Superintendent Michael Cowan of Mesa Public Schools urged parents in a letter to contact Ducey, as well as their local legislator, to register objections.

If the bill is passed, non-compliance could result in a $5,000 fine.

Floor debate: Ride sharing

A Senate committee earlier this month passed House Bill 2135, moving forward a bill that would for the first time create a legal framework for ride-share networks such as Uber and Lyft. A similar effort failed last year when then-Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed a bill she said left ride-shares insufficiently regulated.

The current bill, chiefly sponsored by Rep. Karen Fann, R-Prescott, outlines the insurance requirements for ride-share companies and details an array of other regulations covering items ranging from zero-tolerance drug policies to registering drivers and their vehicles.

Fann has said the bill has support from Gov. Doug Ducey, who ended enforcement efforts against the ride-share companies last month and said he wants to encourage such innovations.

To watch: Real ID solution?

A bill that would give Arizonans the option of getting a driver's license that would allow them to board a commercial flight next year is not dead — at least not yet.

Ducey has previously said he expects the legislature will fix a problem with Arizona driver's licenses so they can be used as identification for traveling or entering federal buildings.

Right now the driver's licenses don't comply with the Real ID standards established by the Department of Homeland Security.

Still moving: Campaign-contributions

The Senate signaled a go-ahead for more money in campaigns as it gave preliminary approval to a 25 percent increase in the money individuals can donate to statewide and legislative candidates.

House Bill 2415 would increase contribution limits to an effective $5,000, up from the current $4,000. The bill drew support along party lines, with Republicans in support and Democrats opposed. It awaits a final vote in the Senate.

Vetoed: Officer shield law

Ducey flexed his veto power Monday, rejecting legislation that would have temporarily kept secret the names of police officers involved in serious or deadly shootings. It was one of four vetoes the governor issued Monday.

Ducey vetoed hotly debated Senate Bill 1445 came amid heightened scrutiny of police nationwide after deadly-force incidents in Ferguson, Mo., Staten Island, N.Y., and Cleveland. Those incidents involved the deaths of Black males at the hands of White police officers, adding a racial undercurrent to the debate over deadly force.

Supporters of SB 1445, including police unions, argued that keeping confidential the names of officers would provide a cooling-off period to prevent protests, marches and retaliation against officers. Opponents — including police chiefs, civil-rights groups and attorneys for The Arizona Republic and KPNX — maintained the legislation was unnecessary and the confidentiality would undermine confidence in police departments.

The veto was the one of four the governor issued Monday.

Vetoed: Animal-cruelty law

Ducey's first veto as governor was of House Bill 2150, which would have created a separate set of animal-cruelty laws for livestock and poultry than animals owned as pets. The bill also would have increased penalties for animal abuse. Ducey wrote that supporters of the legislation are "well-intentioned," but that laws must not undercut protections for other animals.

Ducey also vetoed HB 2410, which sought to ban the use of quotas by police in Arizona and using the quotas in evaluating an officer's rank. He wrote that the bill could prevent police chiefs and local governments from "objectively gauging performance in their departments."

Finally, Ducey vetoed SB 1145, saying it fixed a problem that had already been solved. The bill sought to make the state pay the treatment costs of restoring a prisoner to competency if the person has been convicted of a crime; Ducey noted that it wasn't needed because a Santa Cruz County prisoner had been transferred to state custody anyway.

Signed: New abortion requirements

Ducey signed a bill that requires physicians to tell women receiving medication-induced abortions that the procedure can potentially be reversed.

Senate Bill 1318 also bars insurance companies from providing abortion services to women who purchase medical coverage through the federal health-care exchange, except in cases of rape and incest.

In a statement, Ducey said the legislation "protects Arizona taxpayers" by ensuring public funds are "not used to subsidize abortions."

Signed: Tax-break legislation

Arizonans could get a modest tax break under a bill Ducey signed into law Monday, a fulfillment of his promise to offer a tax cut every year he is in office.

House Bill 2001 adjusts the state's tax brackets for inflation each year. That could shield people from a tax increase if they get a pay raise that keeps pace with inflation; whether it results in a tax cut depends on the size of the pay increase.

Failed: Anti-Common Core legislation

The national Common Core academic standards will continue to be taught in Arizona, after the state Senate killed a bill to repeal them Monday.

House Bill 2190 would have required schools to revert to the Arizona academic standards used in 2010.

It also would have required the state Board of Education to set new standards in English, history, science and math by 2017 and — in a major change — would have given lawmakers the power to amend standards and would have required their approval of standards.

Failed: Guns in public buildings

The Arizona Senate narrowly rejected a bill that would allow guns in public buildings for those with legal concealed-weapons permits, bringing an end to a measure that has drawn a governor's veto three times in recent years and raising questions about future efforts.

The 14-15 vote on House Bill 2320 on Monday may spare Ducey from having to weigh in on an issue that has seemed a litmus test for support of gun rights in Arizona.

This report contains material from the Associated Press.