Arizona Republicans won’t defend decision to block law limiting police filming

(KYMA, KECY/ AP News) - The Republican leaders of the Arizona legislature will not try to defend a new law limiting up-close filming of police that has been blocked by a federal judge.

It's a decision that essentially ends the fight over the contentious proposal.

Senate President Karen Fann and House Speaker Rusty Bowers both said they would not intervene in the case by the Friday deadline set by the federal judge when he temporarily blocked the new law from taking effect last week on First Amendment grounds.

And the bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. John Kavanagh, said Friday that he has been unable to find an outside group to defend the law, which was challenged by news media organizations and the American Civil Liberties Union.

The groups will now ask that the law, which was set to take effect next week, be permanently blocked.