Capitol Media Services

 Religious freedom

 State senators voted Thursday to bar schools from discriminating against students and their parents based on their religious beliefs.

 HB 2713 follows some high-profile incidents, including a Higley High School students who was barred from referring to God in his yearbook bio and the refusal of school officials in Deer Valley to let a student group use the public address system to announce an after-school prayer meeting.

 The measure approved on a 16-10 margin also would preclude schools from barring students from wearing T-shirts, jewelry and other accessories that include religious messages if similar items with secular messages are permitted.

 Foes of the legislation said they fear that students could abuse their rights to harass or bully other students, wearing clothing with messages that disparage gay students. The bill needs a final

 House vote before going to the governor.

 Property taxes

 The House on Thursday gave narrow approval to a measure to permanently repeal the state property tax.

 That levy was suspended for three years in 2006, when the state had excess revenues, and is scheduled to come back late next year. HCR 2072 would ask voters in November to permanently repeal the levy.

 The House also approved an alternate measure to continue the suspension for three more years. Both measures still need Senate approval if they are to go on the November ballot.

 Proponents said restoring the levy, which will add about $80 a year in taxes on a $200,000 home, would hurt people in a time of weak economy. Opponents said the state will need the $250 million the tax would raise if it comes back.

 Abortions

 A bill to ban nurse practitioners from performing abortions has failed.

 HB 2269 got 14 votes in favor on Thursday, with 12 senators against. But it takes 16 affirmative votes for final Senate approval, no matter how many lawmakers are absent.

 The measure was aimed at Planned Parenthood of Arizona which  allows a nurse practitioner — a nurse with certain advanced training — to perform “aspiration abortions’’ where the fetus is sucked out of the womb. The practitioner had been doing the procedure on women through the 16th week of pregnancy.

 Rep. Bob Stump, R-Peoria, said the possibility of complications makes the procedure too dangerous for anyone but a physician. But the state Board of Nursing gave its approval, though they limited the activity by nurses to just the 13th week of pregnancy.

 Planned Parenthood officials said they do not have the number of doctors needed to meet the demand for abortions.

 Day laborers

 The Senate fell one vote short Thursday of expanding the crime of

 trespass to include people standing on or near public streets

 looking for work.

 Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said his measure was aimed

 at day laborers who often congregate near home improvement stores

 in hopes of getting hired. He said his bill was not specifically

 aimed at undocumented workers, though many of those affected are

 not in this country illegally.

 Kavanagh said HB 2412 was justified and legal because it would

 have made it a crime only if individuals were impairing

 pedestrian or vehicle traffic.

 Animal sales

 State lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to a measure which

 would make it illegal to sell animals along public roads or in

 public parks — but only in Maricopa and Pima counties.

 “People that are running puppy mills are selling their animals on

 the sides of roads for cash,’’ said Sen. Paula Aboud, D-Tucson.

 “Oftentimes those animals are infested with diseases that are

 causing a public health concern.’’

 But Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, said counties already have

 the power to ban such sales. She said the Legislature should not

 intercede.

 The Senate approve HB 2485 on a 16-10 margin, followed by a final

 House vote of 45-7. The measure now goes to the governor.