ARIZONA STATE LEGISLATURE

SENATE JUDICIARY AND HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE

Minutes of the Meeting

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

9:00 a.m., Senate Hearing Room 1

Members Present:

Senator Chuck Gray, CoChair	Representative Judy Burges, CoChair
Senator Ken Cheuvront	Representative John Kavanagh
Senator Ron Gould Senator Richard Miranda Senator Jim Waring	Representative Barbra McGuire Representative Lynne Pancrazi Representative Jerry Weiers

Staff:

Christina Estes-Werther, Senate Judiciary Research Analyst

Jessica Ripplinger, Assistant Senate Judiciary Research Analyst

Cochairman Gray called the meeting to order at 9:12 a.m. and attendance was taken.

Law Enforcement Merit System Council

Jessica Ripplinger, Assistant Senate Judiciary Research Analyst, gave an overview of the Law Enforcement Merit System Council.

Commander Iven T. Wooten, Arizona Department of Public Safety, testified in support of the Law Enforcement Merit System Council and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Tom Hammarstrom, Executive Director, Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board, testified in support of the Law Enforcement Merit System Council’s continuation and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Lynn Ideus, Arizona Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 32, testified in support of the Law Enforcement Merit System Council’s continuation and answered questions posed by the Committee.

Dale Norris, Executive Director, Arizona Police Association, testified in support of the Law Enforcement Merit System Council’s continuation.

Commander Wooten answered questions posed by the Committee.

Recommendations by the Committee of Reference

Representative McGuire moved that the Senate Judiciary and House Natural Resources and Public Safety Committee of Reference recommend the consideration of increasing the members of the Law Enforcement Merit System Council from three members to five members. The motion passed by voice vote.

The Committee held discussion on the option of decreasing the recommended continuation of the Council to less than ten years.

Representative Burges moved that the Senate Judiciary and House Natural Resources and Public Safety Committee of Reference recommend the continuation of the Law Enforcement Merit System Council for five years. The motion failed by voice vote.

Representative Kavanagh moved that the Senate Judiciary and House Natural Resources and Public Safety Committee of Reference recommend the continuation of the Law Enforcement Merit System Council for seven years. The motion passed by voice vote.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:07 a.m.

                                                                                    Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                    Jeff Turner

                                                                                    Committee Secretary

(Tapes and attachments on file in the Secretary of the Senate’s Office/Resource Center, Room 115.)

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 Senate Judiciary and House NRPS

 Committee of Reference

December 12, 2007

Page 1

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