(Photo courtesy of the Arizona State Legislature)

Sen. Andrea Dalessandro voted against the bill.

The Arizona legislature is only in the second week of its new session and already has a new member. A vacancy occurred when a Tucson state senator resigned on the first day of the session

Democratic state Rep. Andrea Delassandro will be the new state senator of District 2 in southern Arizona. She was appointed by the Pima County Board of Supervisors to replace former state Sen. Linda Lopez who resigned last week. Her resignation was delayed so she could qualify for additional retirement benefits.

State law requires that the replacement appointee must be of the same political party as the prior office holder. Dalessandro is a first term legislator. Her appointment to the Senate seat will create a vacancy in the House.  Pima County supervisors will name a replacement for Dalessandro after she officially submits her resignation to the House speaker.