The Arizona State Legislature is getting back down to business for a new session and, as always, the primary objective will be putting together a budget for operating the state, according to Senator John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills representing District 23.

Kavanagh notes that the budget picture has a rather large bright spot this year with a $500-million carry over. However, he wants to be very cautious about how this money is handled.

“This is one-time revenue and should not be committed to on-going programs,” Kavanagh said.

“We need to be on guard against the recession returning in a year or two and use restraint.”

Kavanagh, vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, gave no suggestions on how he might allocate the funds.

Governor Doug Ducey unveiled his budget plan late last week. He is asking for funding boosts for education, child services and prisons.

The legislature has developed a very good working relationship with Ducey, according to Kavanagh. He stands behind the governor’s Proposition 123 proposal for boosting education funding by amending the way in which State Land Trust money is allocated for education.

Kavanagh is Chairman of the Government Committee and vice chairman of the Public Safety Committee and he is proposing an agenda that addresses both areas.

Drones are an item Kavanagh wants to try to develop consistent statewide regulation of.

“A number of cities are adopting their own regulations, which is illegal because the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the authority over drones,” Kavanagh said.

Now that the FAA has acted by taking the step to register drone ownership, Kavanagh said he has been approached by people wanting to use the technology commercially.

“We want to put a hold on local regulations and work to pass legal, statewide policy,” Kavanagh said.

The state would coordinate with the FAA on the issue.

The issue is more complex than it might seem, according to Kavanagh. While there are many useful commercial and recreational uses for drones, he notes there are numerous nefarious opportunities also.

Kavanagh also made some news and stirred some controversy last week when he proposed rules related to citizens videotaping police officers’ interaction with other citizens.

Police need to be able to do their job without someone in their way videotaping, Kavanagh said.

His proposed law would make it illegal to be closer than 20 feet when recording such encounters. Family members inside a house could be in the same room unless the officer determines they are interfering with his work.

Videotaping of police has become controversial due to the number of incidents involving questionable actions by officers in recent years.

Most police departments are moving to have officers wearing their own video cameras to record encounters.

Kavanagh said another legislative proposal he has would allow ordinary citizens who are not subject to police suspicion to ask the officer to turn off their camera while talking with the officer.

Kavanagh said he is working with police organizations and civil liberties groups in developing these legislative initiatives.

There is also what Kavanagh calls a “legal scam” he is working to stop. He said more than 100 smaller hotels in the state have been approached by lawyers telling them their clients suffered emotional stress when they learned the hotel pool did not have a required lift for disabled.

Kavanagh said most of the hotels are willing to settle for $4,000 or $5,000 rather than take the issue thorough the court.

The Times reached out to D-23 House representatives Jay Lawrence and Michelle Ugenti-Rita, but as of press time had not received comment.