PHOENIX 鈥 The 蜜柚直播 Legislature will exempt itself from state public records law and destroy all email correspondence sent or received by lawmakers or staff after 90 days under new rules adopted by majority Republicans over vigorous opposition from minority Democrats.
The Senate also completely exempted text messages on its members鈥 personal phones, which lawmakers frequently use for legislative business, from release at any time. The House policy is not as expansive.
If in place after the 2020 presidential election, these rules would have prevented the public from learning about many of the efforts to persuade 蜜柚直播 lawmakers to throw out President Joe Biden鈥檚 win.
One of the most well-known of those efforts was a series of emails that Virginia Thomas, wife of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and a supporter of former President Donald Trump, sent to a host of state Republican House and Senate members just days after Biden won the election. She urged members to throw out Biden鈥檚 delegates to the Electoral College and replace them with a GOP slate.
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The House changed its rules on Tuesday, and the Senate on Wednesday. The changes create broad exemptions for the Legislature from state Public Records Law, which requires retention of records indefinitely and release to the public on request.
Senate Republicans were forced to release thousands of emails and text messages related to their partisan review of the 2020 presidential election, although they fought the release in court.
The state Supreme Court ruled last year that some of the emails and text messages could remain secret. The court cited the needs of lawmakers to be able to discuss and debate issues privately, and the principle of separation of powers.
Current Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Queen Creek, was deeply involved in that effort when he was chair of the judiciary committee.
The House package that was adopted despite unified opposition from minority Democrats also makes major changes to many other rules of the chamber. These include limiting debate on controversial legislation to just 30 minutes and requiring the Republican speaker to approve future rules changes 鈥 even if a majority of members vote to do so. And it allows Speaker Ben Toma, R-Peoria, or Senate President Petersen to sue for any perceived slight by new Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs without holding a vote.
The debate limit in the House removes one of the few procedural moves minority Democrats have to slow down bills that are being pushed only by Republican members. The GOP has slim one-vote majorities in both chambers. No major changes to debate rules were made in the Senate, which has half as many members.
The provision requiring the speaker to vote in favor of any future rules change will block any bipartisan effort to bypass him and call for a vote on legislation he does not support.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to note that had the speaker鈥檚 vote been needed 鈥 蜜柚直播 would not have seen Medicaid expansion or the (2022) ballot referral of in-state tuition for DACA (鈥淒reamer鈥) recipients 鈥 which the voters approved, by the way,鈥欌 minority Leader Andres Cano, D-蜜柚直播, told fellow members Tuesday.
鈥淎nd now it could potentially impede a bipartisan budget unless the Speaker is a yes vote,鈥欌 he continued. 鈥淚f a member wants veto power, run for governor.鈥欌
Toma said rules on limiting debate had been used at points in the past two years 鈥 though only on occasion 鈥 and he defended the changes to the policy on retaining public records.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 any intention on my part to hide anything,鈥欌 he told Capitol Media Services Wednesday.
鈥淭he important part is regardless of what it may look like ... we do have legislative privilege that applies,鈥欌 Toma said. 鈥淎nd every rule that we鈥檝e made is procedural in nature. In other words, we have the right to do this 鈥 and we鈥檙e doing it.鈥欌
Rep. Travis Grantham, R-Gilbert, a member of the Republican leadership team, defended the new rules during the vote, saying the limits on debate were needed because Democrats were using lengthy floor debates as a 鈥渨eapon.鈥欌 He also said Republican leaders here looked to rules adopted by the U.S. Congress as a template.
鈥淭hese rules are rules that were accepted and written by Democrats and Republicans,鈥欌 he said, even though Democrats in the 蜜柚直播 House were not consulted. 鈥淪o to present this in a way that makes it seem that Republicans are restricting speech or stopping one side from doing business, it鈥檚 just totally disingenuous and unfair. And let鈥檚 just be honest about it.鈥欌
He made no mention of the new records retention policy, which has the most impact on the public鈥檚 ability to learn what lawmakers are doing and who is urging them to act.
If it had been in place in 2020, Thomas鈥 emails would have been destroyed before reporters were able to seek them through public records requests.
The Washington Post first obtained Thomas鈥 emails in May 2021, more than six months after she sent them. And American Oversight, a watchdog group whose lawsuit seeking to obtain records of the Senate 鈥渁udit鈥欌 of the 2020 election led to the state Supreme Court decision, would have come up empty.
The change only benefits lawmakers who want to hide the truth from the public, said Heather Sawyer, executive director of that Washington, D.C.-based group that focuses on obtaining public records to boost government accountability.
鈥淭his rule change abets government secrecy by virtually mandating the destruction of records that belong to the people of 蜜柚直播,鈥欌 Sawyer said in a statement to Capitol Media Services. 鈥淎n informed public is critical to a functioning democracy and this effort to hide the facts and evade public accountability should be reversed.鈥欌
The FBI subpoenaed former Senate President Karen Fann鈥檚 records and those of another former Republican senator, Kelly Townsend, last year as it looked into Trump鈥檚 efforts to overturn his defeat. But Sawyer said it would have come up empty if the new policy had been in place.
Democratic Sen. Mitzi Epstein, D-Tempe, decried the new secrecy.
鈥淲e should be operating transparently,鈥欌 Epstein said Wednesday. 鈥淎nd the emails where we discuss policy should be available to the public when they request it.鈥欌
Senate Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, said no one should be able to get the contents of his personal text messages without a warrant. But courts have ruled that text messages on private devices concerning government business are public records.
Cano said the idea of the Legislature exempting itself from the law requiring the retention of emails 鈥 the House rules say text messages now can be destroyed 鈥渁fter reference value has been served鈥欌 鈥 undermines transparency.
鈥淪aying the law doesn鈥檛 apply to us is a terrible message to send to the public,鈥欌 he said.
Ahead of the midterm elections, experts worried there would be lies spread online, like there were during the 2020 elections. There were concerns sites like Facebook and Twitter were still unprepared to handle misinformation, but it turns out the聽spread of false content聽was limited.
Photos: Saguaro National Park through the years
Saguaro National Park

The Saguaro National Monument cactus garden in 1955.
Saguaro National Park

The Saguaro National Monument visitors center in 1955.
Saguaro National Park

The Saguaro National Monument visitors center in 1955.
Saguaro National Park

The Saguaro National Monument visitors center in 1955.
Saguaro National Park

The Saguaro National Monument West visitors center, left, with two rangers' apartments under construction in 1966.
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Monument East unit loop drive in 1958.
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Monument East, ca 1950s.
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Monument in 1935.
Saguaro National Park

Snow at Saguaro National Park East (then called Saguaro National Monument) on Dec. 23, 1965.
Saguaro National Park

Undated photo (probably 1950s) of tourists enjoying picnics and hiking at Saguaro National Monument.
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Monument visitors center ca 1940s.
Saguaro National Park

Home Shantz, a plant scientist and president of the University of 蜜柚直播 in the 1920s, was instrumental in establishing Saguaro National Monument in 1933.
Saguaro National Park

Panorama of cactus forest in Saguaro National Monument, 1931.
Saguaro National Park

Dr. Alice Boyle applies Penicillin to a Saguaro cactus at Saguaro National Monument. Dr. Boyle鈥檚 studies of saguaros included treatments with penicillin that were somewhat successful. Later research showed that the loss of old saguaros was a result of age and periodic freezes, not a 鈥渂light鈥!
Saguaro National Park

The Freeman family in Saguaro National Monument in 1936.
Saguaro National Park

Freeman's adobe home in Saguaro National Monument in 1934.
Saguaro National Park

A park ranger with visitors on the loop drive in Saguaro National Monument in 1961.
Saguaro National Park

Centennial Saguaro cactus outside the Saguaro National Monument visitors center.
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Monument cactus
Saguaro National Park

Snow storm in Saguaro National Monument in 1937.
Saguaro National Park

A view looking south from Signal hill at the 蜜柚直播 Mountain Range in Saguaro National Park, 蜜柚直播 Mountain District in 2016.
Saguaro National Park

A view looking east from Saguaro National Park, along Picture Rocks Road in the 蜜柚直播 Mountain District in August, 2016. In the distance, cloud rise over the Santa Catalina Mountains.
Saguaro National Park

A Saguaro carcass framed at the Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

A southerly view out the window of a picnic shelter built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s that was built with surrounding rock in the Ez-Kim-In-Zin Picnic Area at the Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

A desert tortoise makes its way down Kinney Rd. in the Saguaro National Park West, Wednesday, August 10, 2016, 蜜柚直播, Ariz. Kelly Presnell / 蜜柚直播
Saguaro National Park

A Saguaro cactus off Golden Gate Rd. holds a top full of flower buds at the Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

A view looking south from Signal hill towards Wasson and Amole Peaks from left in Saguaro National Park, 蜜柚直播 Mountain District in August, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Visitors take a look at trail maps on the patio of the Red Hill Visitor Center at the Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

Visitors from Denver stroll one of the many trails off Golden Gate Rd. at the Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

Panoramic view from Spud Rock, including the city of 蜜柚直播, from six images, ranging from southeast at left to northeast at right, near Mica Mountain on the western slopes of the Rincon Mountains in the Saguaro National Park on June 2, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

A hawk watches from his perch at the Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

A zebra-tailed lizard (Callisaurus draconoides) perches on a rock near the Signal Hill Picnic Area at the Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

Panther and Safford Peaks in the 蜜柚直播 Mountains North of Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Ha:san Bak, Saguaro cactus fruit harvest

Stella Tucker uses the sharp edge of a stem of a Saguaro fruit to slice the husk to get to the sweet meat inside as she harvests the fruit in the Saguaro National Park in 2005.
Ha:san Bak, Saguaro cactus fruit harvest

Stella Tucker uses a kuipaD to harvest saguaro fruit in the Saguaro National Park 2005. During the early summer Tucker camps out in the park to harvest and cook the fruit just as her Tohono O'odham ancestors did. Tucker died in 2019 at age 71.
Ha:san Bak, Saguaro cactus fruit harvest

Bob Martens uses a kuipaD, lengths of Saguaro ribs topped by a small limb of creosote, to knock down ripe Saguaro cactus fruit as he helps Stella Tucker during the Tohono O'Odham harvest at Saguaro National Park in 2005.
Ha:san Bak, Saguaro cactus fruit harvest

Under the early morning sun, Jerry Yellowhair strengthens the joint where a small creosote branch is attached to a length of Saguaro rib to make a kuipaD, used to reach the Saguaro fruit.
Saguaro National Park

1907: Prominent 蜜柚直播an Levi Manning and his family spent the summer at a get-away log cabin high in the Rincon Mountains.
Saguaro National Park

Manning Camp in the Saguaro National Park East, in 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Some of the pots, pans and iron skillets used by the staff during their stays at Manning Camp in the Saguaro National Park on June 2, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Next generation ranger Ryan Summers, left, and wilderness ranger Shannon McCloskey look over the camps visitors log shortly after arriving at Manning Camp 8,000 feet above sea level in the Saguaro National Park, on June 2, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Horse shoes on one of the logs making a wall in the cabin at Manning Camp in the Saguaro National Park on June 2, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Next generation ranger Ryan Summers splits wood for the evening's fire at Manning Camp in the Saguaro National Park on June 2, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

The view east over Reef Rock, lower left, from Rincon Mountains near Manning Camp in Saguaro National Park, June 2, 2016
Saguaro National Park

Wilderness ranger Shannon McCloskey, left, and next generation ranger Ryan Summers prepare to do some upgrades to the facilites at Manning Camp in the Saguaro National Park on June 2, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Sid Kahla, left, and Thor Peterson get a pannier balanced on Goose while packing seven mules for a resupply of Manning Camp ranger station in 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park trails supervisor Nick Huck, left, and chief of maintenance Jeremy Curtis split up a box of paper towels, distributing the weight evenly among the panniers while preparing for a pack mule resupply of Manning Camp on April 14, 2016. Seven mules were in the supply train and each mule can carry between 100 and 120 pounds.
Saguaro National Park

Wasson and Amole Peaks at the Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

Monsoon clouds gather over the cactus forest in the Saguaro National Park West, Wednesday, August 10, 2016, 蜜柚直播, Ariz. Kelly Presnell / 蜜柚直播
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro cacti backlit by western sun at the Saguaro National Park, West, The 蜜柚直播 Mountain District (TMD) in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

A horizontal sliver of sun catches a stretch of cactus in front of the Rincon Mountains just off the Mica View Trail in Saguaro National Park East, Friday, August 12, 2016, 蜜柚直播, Ariz. Kelly Presnell / 蜜柚直播
Saguaro National Park

This old stone building was constructed in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps at the Cam-Boh Picnic Area at Saguaro National Park West.
Saguaro National Park

In the aftermath of an evening summer storm, lightning arcs through the night skies over the Saguaro National Park West in 2012.
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park trails supervisor Nick Huck, left, and chief of maintenance Jeremy Curtis split up a box of paper towels, distributing the weight evenly among the panniers while preparing for a pack mule resupply of Manning Camp on April 14, 2016. Seven mules were in the supply train and each mule can carry between 100 and 120 pounds.
Saguaro National Park

A Harris' antelope squirrel, a year-round resident of the Sonoran Desert, comes out of from under a bush for a look-see near the Golden Gate Road at the 蜜柚直播 Mountain District of the Saguaro National Park in 2010.
Saguaro National Park

A jack rabbit munches on some greens near the Broadway Trial Head at Saguaro National Park Rincon Mountain District in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

Hikers in Saguaro National Park, like these on the King Canyon Trail in the park's unit west of 蜜柚直播, can pay park entrance fees at trailheads using a smartphone.
Saguaro National Park

Loop of connected trails at Saguaro National Park East, made up Shantz, Pink Hill, Loma Verde, Cholla and Cactus Forest trails in 2012.
Saguaro National Park

From atop an outcropping under the Rincon Mountains, Next Generation Ranger Ryan Summers points out the ancient fault line that shifted and formed the 蜜柚直播 valley to a group of visitors during a geology tour of Saguaro National Park East on April 26, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Saguaros stand on a ridge line as massive storm clouds drift in the distance along the Hohokam Road at the 蜜柚直播 Mountain District of the Saguaro National Park in 2010.
Saguaro National Park

Chief of maintenance Jeremy Curtis gets the strap as tight as possible with the help of trail supervisor Nick Huck while preparing a 70+pound propane tank for a pack mule resupply of Manning Camp in the Saguaro National Park, Rincon District on April 14, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Saguaro National Park 鈹 Sunset can be a colorful time along a network of trails near the eastern end of Broadway.
Saguaro National Park

Ranger Donna Gill points out cactus flowers and birds during the Twilight Glow to Moon Shadows hike on the Sendero Esperanza Trail at Saguaro National Park West in April, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Hedgehog cacti are in brilliant fuchsia bloom at many sites around 蜜柚直播 from Sabino Canyon to 蜜柚直播 Mountain Park and Saguaro National Park in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

Russell Jones takes a picture at the Saguaro National Park West Red Hills Visitor Center in 2009.
Saguaro National Park

Poppies were blooming profusely at Saguaro National Park West on February 23, 2015
Saguaro National Park

Mike Ward of Saguaro National Park, left, and volunteer LaDeana Jeane observe a Saguaro cactus while conducting a census at the east section of Saguaro National Park in 2009.
Saguaro National Park

Gavin Youngstrum drives a roller along the bed of the new Mica Springs Trail, work which will make it ADA compliant in Saguaro National Park East on April 22, 2016, 蜜柚直播, Ariz. Power tools and motorized equipment is used very rarely in the park. The trail is not in a wilderness area so the prohibition on the use of power tools and machinery doesn't apply.
Saguaro National Park

A blue 蜜柚直播 lupine mixed in with a handful of yellow bladderpod along the Ringtail Trail in Saguaro National Park 蜜柚直播 Mountain District in 2013.
Saguaro National Park

Park Ranger Ann Gonzalez watches the campers in her group as they go over a map during Junior Ranger Wilderness Day Camp at the Saguaro National Park in 2009.
Saguaro National Park

Petroglyphs are among the many wonders at Saguaro National Park West.
Saguaro National Park

Runners top the first climb as the sun rises at 6:30am, during the annual 8K Saguaro National Park Labor Day Run at Saguaro National Park East in 2007.
Saguaro National Park

A saguaro under the stars, including a smudge of the Milky Way, at the Broadway Trail Head at Saguaro National Park Rincon Mountain District in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

Sunset reflected in a mud puddle left over from heavy rains a few days earlier at the Broadway Trail Head of the Saguaro National Park Rincon Mountain District in 2015.
Saguaro National Park

The moon hangs high over Wasson Peak as Ranger Donna Gill leads hikers during the Twilight Glow to Moon Shadows hike on the Sendero Esperanza Trail at Saguaro National Park West in April, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Volunteers help yank out the nonnative, invasive buffelgrass at Saguaro National Park East.
Saguaro National Park

Using a laser, amateur astronomer Joe Statkevicus points out a few interesting objects in the night sky to Landon George and Vickie Miller at a Saguaro National Park East Star Party in 2010.
Saguaro National Park

A bee works through a patch of baldderpod in the Saguaro National Park 蜜柚直播 Mountain District along the Ringtail Trail in 2013.
Saguaro National Park

Trail worker Brad Duffe redistributes material as he and his trail crew lay down a bed for a new surface, part of remodeling the Mica Springs Trail to make it ADA compliant in Saguaro National Park East on April 22, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Riders maneuver their mounts down a hillside just north of the Douglas Spring Trail in the Saguaro National Park Rincon Mountain District, Friday Nov. 27, 2015.
Saguaro National Park

Tim and Connie Phillips, from Salt Lake City, look for photo angles during the Twilight Glow to Moon Shadows hike on the Sendero Esperanza Trail at Saguaro National Park West in April, 2016. The retired couple sold their home and are "following the weather" across the country in their RV.
Saguaro National Park

A few items, photos and brief entries in tiny notebooks from an unofficial shrine at Mica Mountain in Saguaro National Park on June 2, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

The sun sets over the Saguaro National Park Rincon Mountain District on Oct. 8, 2015.
Saguaro National Park

Scarlett Gates and the rest of the tour group watch the last few minutes of daylight from a rock outcropping along the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail during their guided sunset hike in Saguaro National Park East on April 16, 2016.
Saguaro National Park

Gold poppies stand out against a backdrop of cacti and blue desert sky at Saguaro National Park west of 蜜柚直播 on March 11, 2019.聽
Saguaro National Park

Rainbows pop up over Saguaro National Park East, as the first major monsoon storm of the season begins to roll into the valley, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., July 11, 2020.
Saguaro National Park

A half rainbow arcs over Saguaro National Park East as a highly localized cell of monsoon rain sweeps through a small band of the eastern valley, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., July 28, 2020.
Saguaro National Park

A light coating of snow remains on the Rincon Mountains seen nearby the Broadway Trailhead in Saguaro National Park in 蜜柚直播, Ariz. on January 27, 2021.
Saguaro National Park

A cactus in the Saguaro National Park East stands in front f the snow in the higher reaches of the Santa Catalinas, 蜜柚直播, Ariz., March 13, 2021.
Saguaro National Park

A lighting strikes hits in the Saguaro National Park, east of 蜜柚直播, Ariz., July 29, 2021, one of several storm cells that skirted the city.