AZ Legislative Update 06-09-2023

For the first time in two months, there are no vacancies at the Arizona Legislature. Representative Quantá Crews (D-Phoenix) took the oath of office this week to fill the Legislative District 26 vacancy created when the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Representative Flavio Bravo (D-Phoenix) to serve in the Senate. Rep. Crews is a real estate appraiser and minister.

Governor Hobbs acted on more bills this week, signing three new laws that certify animal acupuncturists, expand hospitals’ options for finding a patient’s identity, and change staffing requirements for ambulances. She vetoed another 12 bills, including a proposal to criminalize providing sexually explicit materials to minors, a requirement that local governments dismantle homeless encampments, limits on the use of school bathrooms, new standards for the use of drones, and more changes to election laws. She has signed a total of 165 bills and vetoed 111.

What’s Next?

The House and Senate will reconvene at the Capitol on Monday, but have not announced the full list of bills they will consider during the floor sessions. At the top of the list of policies to be considered is a measure that would ask voters in Maricopa County to extend the Proposition 400 transportation funding. Governor Hobbs has been negotiating directly with Republican lawmakers to find agreement on the language of that ballot measure.

The prevailing rumor at the Capitol is that the legislature will suspend the session until August after their work next week, but Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) and House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Glendale) have not announced their plan.

In the News

The legislative budget office says a recent estimate on ESA enrollment isn’t reliable. The Superintendent of Public Instruction lessened the requirements to obtain Title I funding. The state is advertising the ESA program.

On the Bright Side

Arizona’s not great for every hobby.