Revisions to Arizona Mining Advisory Council advancing in Legislature

SB1464, which makes amendments to duties and membership on the Arizona Mining Advisory Council, has passed in the Arizona Senate, is having its 3^rd read in the House today.   The bill adds advisory members from the House and Senate, but most significantly, eliminates the function for "Reviewing mining policy in this state as established by law and as administered in all functional areas of state government" and its authority to "conduct periodic analyses of agency policy affecting mining, including policy as reflected by decisions of administrative law judges and agency directors."  

The AZGS was the only state agency ever asked to provide a review to the Council of our budget expenditures related to mining and raised questions in my mind about a legislatively appointed body inserted in the administrations budget and policy development and implementation.  This revisions to the statute appear to clean up potential conflicts between a governor and the legislature over setting policy.