Weekly Legislative Reports

The legislature advanced a state budget this week, months ahead of the usual schedule, but it’s evidence of partisan divides and not a reason to hope for a short legislative session. The budget passed the Senate and a House committee along party lines, and the Governor is likely to veto the bills when they reach her desk next week. Republicans say their baseline budget is a fiscally responsible way to protect state resources – it continues funding the government into the next fiscal year without new spending except for formulaic increases to AHCCCS and education programs. They describe it as a backstop for failed budget negotiations, a way to ensure there’s no government shutdown if they can’t agree with Governor Hobbs on a spending plan before June 30.

It was a quiet week at the Capitol, but behind the scenes, Republican leaders are busy with plans to fast-track their baseline budget to the Governor. The package would continue the current state budget into the next fiscal year, eliminating any new spending except for formulaic growth in schools and AHCCCS. House and Senate Republican leaders believe the baseline budget is a necessary line to draw on spending. It’s a plan unlikely to be enacted, however, even if it passes with the support of every Republican lawmaker. Governor Hobbs has signaled her intention to veto the baseline budget if it reaches her desk.

The budget battles have already begun at the Arizona legislature, though the actual negotiations are still around the corner. Republican leaders have announced their intention to enact a simple continuation of last year’s budget, with new spending to be decided later; Governor Katie Hobbs has outlined her plan for a $17.1 billion budget that repeals some top Republican priorities. Both sides say the other’s idea is unpalatable.

The first week of the legislative session was an exciting one, as lawmakers convened for Governor Katie Hobbs’ State of the State and the 28th annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day. This afternoon, the Governor released a budget proposal, outlining more details about what she hopes to achieve during her term.

The 2022 legislative session was shaped by a mix of cooperation and conflict, high-profile feuds, and unexpected alliances. It included a record-breaking budget surplus and big policy wins on both sides of the aisle. It ended in the early-morning hours of June 25 – 166 days after it began – tied for the fifth-longest session in Arizona history.

The 2022 legislative session ended in the early hours of Saturday morning, 166 days after it began. The last week of the session was marked by dramatic swings between cooperation and division, long hours of waiting mixed with flurries of voting and debate. It ended in a cloud of tear gas that drove protesters from Capitol grounds after legislative buildings were locked down and legislative staff moved to the basement.