AZ Legislative Update 03-10-2023

This was the ninth week of the 2023 legislative session, and legislators filled it with committee hearings, floor votes, and disagreements about how to respond to Representative Liz Harris’ (R-Chandler) recent hearing about election accusations. House Democrats filed an ethics complaint against Harris, but House Republicans used a procedural move to block an effort to issue an official censure.

Legislative Republicans’ feud with Governor Hobbs continued, as well, with the veto of two more bills Republicans fast-tracked to her desk: a proposal to change how the legislature considers changes to medical professionals’ scope of practice and another to limit how schools teach about race and ethnicity. The Governor has vetoed 16 bills this year.

The Governor also signed her first bills, enacting two new laws to change local governments’ review of some planning proposals and align state tax laws with federal laws.

Priority Bill Update

Last week, the Senate unanimously approved SB 1315 (emergency response; students with disabilities).

The Senate Education Committee voted 4-3 in favor of HB 2460 (suspension; requirements; K-4 students).

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) delivered a “State of Education” presentation to the Senate Education Committee, announcing a hotline for complaints about classroom curriculum.

What’s Next?

Policy committee meetings will consume much of next week as lawmakers work to advance bills toward final votes. House and Senate negotiating teams are meeting with the Governor’s office about a budget, but there’s no sign of how those talks are progressing.

In the News

Superintendent Horne asked the State Board of Education to make some changes to the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program. Governor Hobbs reopened a grant program to help schools address COVID-19 recovery and mitigation.

On the Bright Side…

Handwritten letters are interesting.