Arizona Republic:  “Gov. Jan Brewer, flanked by key state legislators, reacted with shock Tuesday to a lawsuit by cities and towns and accused the local officials of coddling illegal immigrants at state expense.   But the lawsuit disputes how state officials enacted the wide-ranging law, not the substance of the law itself.  At issue is a lawsuit filed with the state Supreme Court Monday by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns.  It argues that the Legislature unconstitutionally approved policy changes that affect local development practices as well as how cities enforce requirements that people show proof of citizenship to receive government benefits.”

Arizona Republic:  “The Goldwater Institute is suing Tempe over the incentives it offered Sea Life U.S. Inc. to open the nation’s second Sea Life Aquarium in Tempe in June.  The conservative think tank filed the lawsuit on Monday in Maricopa County Superior Court. The institute claims Tempe offered Sea Life, a subsidiary of the UK-based Merlin Entertainments Group, an illegal subsidy to attract the $15 million, 26,000-square-foot aquarium to open at Arizona Mills Mall.  Tempe offered Sea Life a $218,000 retail-development tax-incentive agreement.”

Court House News:  “A new Arizona law unconstitutionally killed domestic-partner health insurance benefits for homosexual state employees, a gay rights group claims in Federal Court. Lambda Legal Defense says Arizona House Bill 2013 eliminates family coverage for lesbian and gay state workers by limiting coverage to spouses.  Lambda wants Gov. Jan Brewer and the Department of Administration and Personnel Board enjoined from enforcing HB 2013 because it violates the 14th Amendment by denying the 10 plaintiffs “equal compensation for equal work” and “discriminatorily inflicts” financial burdens and health problems.”