Capitol Media Services

 Guns in cars

 Without debate the House on Tuesday voted 37-23 for legislation allowing people to have guns anywhere in their vehicles, open or hidden, whether or not they have a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

 Current law generally requires those without a state permit to have all guns visible. There already are some exceptions for weapons in trunks and glove boxes.

 Backers of HB 2389 said there is no reason to make criminals of people who put a gun on a seat where it might be inadvertentl covered. But the measure is opposed by the Department of Public Safety amid concerns about criminals and gang members hiding weapons beneath the seat.

 The bill now goes to the Senate.

 Day laborers

 People who stand on or near streets or sidewalks to seek work would be guilty of trespass under the terms of legislation given approved Tuesday by the House.

 HB 2412 is aimed at “day laborers’’ who gather near home improvement stores and other locations, many of whom he said are in this country illegally. Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills said they impede traffic.

 Gov. Janet Napolitano vetoed a similar measure last year.

 Kavanagh said he has made changes designed to deal with her objections.

 The 37-22 vote sends the bill to the Senate.

 Presidential primaries

 The Senate gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a measure which would allow independents to vote in the 2012 presidential preference election.

 Current law limits participation in the quadrennial event to those who are registered with recognized parties. Rep. Ken Cheuvront, D-Phoenix, said that disenfranchises the more than one out of every four Arizonans who choose not to affiliate with those parties.

 SB 1015, which still needs a final Senate vote, does have an escape clause: Parties still could notify the Secretary of State’s Office they don’t want independents voting for who should head the national ticket.

 Other state laws already allow independents to vote in the

 September primaries for state and local elections.

 Sign walkers

 The House voted Tuesday to bar cities from absolutely prohibiting individuals from standing on street corners and holding signs. HB 2066 stems from a fight between Scottsdale and a firm that pays people to hold signs directing passing cars to nearby businesses and real estate developments. That city interprets its sign code to ban any sort of signs on public sidewalks, even if being held by individuals.

 This measure, which needs a final vote before going to the Senate, allows cities to impose “reasonable time, place and manner regulations ... related to public safety purposes.’’

 Real ID

 Ignoring the governor’s wishes, the House voted Tuesday to ba her or her state agencies from participating in the federal government’s Real ID program.

 Federal law does not force states to alter their driver licenses to make them compliant with Real ID requirements, includin standards for checking the identification of applicants as well as making the documents themselves more secure. But at some point any licenses which do not meet the standards will not be accepted to board aircraft or enter certain federal facilities.

 Napolitano wants Arizona to join the program if questions of wh picks up the cost, estimated at an additional $8 per license, can be worked out. But Rep. Judy Burges, R-Skull Valley, said she is concerned the licenses will become de facto national identification cards, complete with a national database.

 A final roll-call vote on HB 2677 is needed before the bill goes to the Senate.

 State contracts

 The public would get an easy way to see where state funds are being spent under the terms of legislation given preliminary approval Tuesday by the Senate.

 SB 1235 requires the Department of Administration to create a searchable database on the World Wide Web of all contracts.

 Individuals would be able to find out how much money is being paid to various private firms and what they are supposed to be doing for that cash.

  Fire safety

 Cigarettes sold in Arizona would have to be manufactured in a way so that they extinguish themselves if not actually being smoked.

 HB 2483 is being pushed as a fire safety measure amid concerns that people sometimes fall asleep while smoking.

The measure which gained preliminary approval Tuesday, mandates they be designed with two bands that will not stay ignited if the cigarette is not being puffed.

 The measure, similar to what is being adopted in other states, would take effect Aug. 1, 2009.