On Tuesday, homemade tamale fans were just some of the Arizonans devastated when Governor Katie Hobbs broke the veto record set by former Governor Janet Napolitano. Hobbs’ vetoed her 62nd bill since taking office in January, including the widely popular HB2509, otherwise known as the “tamale bill.”
HB2509, sponsored by Rep. Travis Grantham, allowed homemade food producers to sell refrigerated foods that included perishable ingredients like meat & eggs. The bill, which eliminated regulatory hurdles that made life difficult for small business owners with limited incomes, passed with a super majority, meaning the bill enjoyed a great deal of support from Democrats as well as Republicans.
Republicans have taken exception to quite a few of Hobbs’ vetoes, including:
• Inflation relief in the form of tax cuts on groceries and rent.
• Requiring power companies to prioritize affordability and grid reliability
• Harsher punishment for domestic abusers of pregnant women
• Greater penalties against fentanyl dealers when a child dies from an overdose
• Declaring drug cartels as terrorist organizations
• Parental notification of sex offenders on school campuses
• Prohibiting racist curriculum in public schools
• Health care requirements of providers for protections of infants born in distress
• Bans on homeless camps outside of businesses
• Religious protections for employees required to get the COVID-19 vaccine
• Support for small, at-home businesses
Republican legislators are considering overriding Hobbs’ veto.
Let’s do it! https://t.co/6NSuEkAIU4
— Travis Grantham (@TravisGrantham) April 19, 2023
This legislation had a supermajority vote. Both Rs and Ds agreed this is good policy and in the best interest of Arizona. We aren't here to bow to the municipal beauracrats. We are here to help the citizens of Arizona. Looks like a good bill to put back up for a veto override. https://t.co/YkfA1AkiRB
— Warren Petersen (@votewarren) April 19, 2023
The Republican Caucus issued a statement pointing out that Hobbs only won the 2022 general election by less than a percentage point, raising questions as to whether she “has so far chosen to alienate the remaining voters who also duly elected their Republican lawmakers to represent them on a variety of issues important to their lives and livelihoods.”
“Vetoing is a tool that weak leaders will use in an effort to control legislative priorities, and we’re witnessing this tactic front and center from Katie Hobbs,” said Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope. “Instead of demonstrating diplomacy and bipartisanship, the Governor is showcasing her failure to work across the aisle. Instead of accomplishing the priorities of our citizens and strengthening our communities, she’s done little outside of hosting press gaggles and photo ops with activists groups and Democrats alike. Republican lawmakers will continue to fight for legislation expected from the voters who elected us into office, and we’ll leave the political games, subsequent chaos and insanity to Governor Hobbs.”