AZ Legislative Update 09-09-2022

There’s a lull in the noise of Arizona politics right now, as candidates move past the August election and prepare for the sprint to the finish line in November. Policymakers traveled to Taiwan and Germany to celebrate Arizona’s global economic ties. Closer to home, lawmakers started a road trip to hear about housing needs around the state.

Political tension moved to the courts, where competing interests sought to shape the dynamics of the November election. A federal judge rejected two Arizona Republicans’ effort to require hand-counting of ballots, and the Arizona Supreme Court settled a dispute over a citizen initiative on voting rights and processes, ruling that the initiative lacked enough valid voter signatures to make it to the ballot. (Ten other measures will still go to voters.) The Supreme Court also set a significant new standard for public records with a ruling that allows the Arizona Senate legislative privilege to keep some records about its ballot recount private.

Competition is unfolding in the quiet halls of the Capitol, as well, where Republicans and Democrats are vying to be the next leaders in the House and Senate. Those races, just like the ones on the ballot in November, are shaped by the dividing lines within each political party. Their outcome will dramatically impact policymaking goals and outcomes next year.

In the Elections

Rep. Diego Espinoza (D-Tolleson) resigned from his current seat in the House and his uncontested race, leaving the Senate seat open to write-in candidates.

In the News

Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) are still making headlines. Tension is still growing over the state’s aggregate expenditure limit for school districts. Five Arizona tribes will receive federal funding for high-speed internet access.

On the Bright Side…

Tariq knows what he likes.