Fountain Hills resident John Kavanagh is a veteran of the Arizona Legislature, but when he returns to the Capitol next week he will be heading across the mall from the House to the Senate chamber.

Kavanagh served the limit in the House and in November was elected to replace Michele Reagan in the Senate, who earlier this week was sworn in as the new Arizona Secretary of State.

Kavanagh does not believe he will see much difference between the House and the Senate.

“It will be a little easier to get bills passed,” he said. “You only need to line up 16 votes instead of 31.”

It has become something of an annual ritual for the Legislature to return and find a looming budget shortfall. This year the projection is an $8 billion shortfall, Kavanagh said.

“The difference this year is we have fewer solutions, we will need to cut more from government itself,” Kavanagh said.

All levels of government, with the exceptions of K-12 education and child protection services, will be cut around 5 percent, he said. The cuts to the state universities will probably be somewhat deeper.

“We will never see state funding return to pre-2008 levels,” Kavanagh said.

As chairman of the Senate Government Committee, Kavanagh said he will be working to get statewide regulation regarding the use of police body cameras.

Recent incidents involving police shootings have brought the use of cameras to the forefront, however, Kavanagh believes there is potential danger.

“More and more cities are looking at this technology,” Kavanagh said. “The court has ordered the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to use them.

“We need to be sure we are protecting the privacy of ordinary citizens.”

Video from such cameras could potentially be public record, and Kavanagh said the Legislature should have clearly defined limits for use and access.

“We need to regulate when they should be turned on and turned off, and who gets to look at the video,” Kavanagh said.

He cites the possibility of an officer entering the scene of a medical emergency as a instance when the cameras should not be operating.

“We have invited all of the interested parties, police, unions, even the ACLU, to get involved in this,” he said.

Kavanagh said he is also looking at ways to allow citizens to opt-out of receiving “robocalls” during election time. He also said he will bring back his effort to ban “aggressive” panhandling on street corners and street medians.

“We passed this previously and the governor vetoed it,” Kavanagh said. “I think we have a good chance of passing again and getting (new Governor Doug Ducey) to sign it.”

Kavanagh said he is very optimistic about the legislature working with Ducey.

“I believe there will be very close cooperation,” Kavanagh said. “A good sign is that (Ducey) has named former House Speaker Kirk Adams as his chief of staff.

“We did not have a good working relationship with Governor Brewer, which was disappointing.”

Kavanagh said he is also looking forward to working with the man taking his place in the House of Representatives for LD 23, Jay Lawrence.

“I have been at the capitol almost every day, (and am) absolutely still thrilled to be here,” Lawrence said.

Committee assignments for the new lawmaker include education, where he has been assigned as vice-chairman, health and commerce.

“(Committee) meetings are on Tuesdays and Wednesdays,” he said. “That leaves time for meetings with constituents who have suggestions or ideas.”

Lawrence, who has been a radio talk show host, is no stranger to controversy.

“My promise to LD 23 was to try to end Common Core,” Lawrence said. “I have introduced such a bill and will sign on to others who are also introducing anti-Common Core bills.

“My education bills are in the process.”

Lawrence also made news with his introduction of a bill related to the issuing of driver licenses to the “dreamer” category of immigrants. His bill would have the licenses labeled as “non-citizen.”

As a new legislator, Lawrence said he is having a good experience at the Capitol so far.

“When leadership, Speaker-Elect Gowan, Majority Leader-Elect Montenegro and Majority Whip-Elect Livingston, talk about an open door, they actually mean it,” Lawrence said.

“Representatives with questions, problems or just who want to talk are welcomed.

“Both Senator-Elect Kavanagh and Representative (Michelle) Ugenti have been wonderfully helpful showing the new freshman – me – the ropes.”

Lawrence said he has also logged some travel time related to the new job. He attended an ALEC convention in Washington and made an overnight agriculture tour to Yuma and the border at San Luis.