December 1, 2004
Dear Reader:
I am pleased to present the Legislative Encyclopedia, Second Edition, which was prepared by the
Senate Research Staff under the direction of the Arizona Senate President, Ken Bennett. The
Encyclopedia is intended to serve as a primer on Arizona state government and policy issues.
The Senate Research Staff is an in-house, nonpartisan research department, which provides
professional research and policy analysis for all members of the Senate on a full-time, year-round
basis. Research Staff duties focus primarily on research and analysis of public policy issues and
proposed legislation directly related to assigned areas of responsibility, the preparation of written
reports and summaries, and the oral presentation of research and analysis undertaken.
Several changes have been made since the initial printing of the Encyclopedia; namely, entries
have been added, and existing entries have been updated and revised. As the Encyclopedia is not
an exhausti