Ducey OKs $1B university loan and 26 other bills, vetoes 6

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Monday finished up the 2017 legislation session by signing 27 bills, including one that allows the state's three public universities to borrow up to $1 billion and puts the state on the hook for $27 million a year to help cover the payments.

The bonding package that will allow the universities to build new research facilities and tackle a backlog of maintenance was one of the most contentious of the session, with many majority Republicans opposed to the plan until cutting deals at the last minute.

The governor said at a signing ceremony attended by university presidents, lawmakers — and the university mascots — that the loan package "ensures that the excellence that we have in our public universities in the state of Arizona will continue for decades."

Other bills becoming law give state lawmakers bigger mileage payments and require counties and cities to only set votes for sales tax increases during November general elections.