On Tuesday, 17 Arizona State House Democrats voted to kill the popular “Tamale Bill” when they refused to approve an override of Governor Katie Hobbs’ veto. The bill, which would eliminate regulatory hurdles that made life difficult for small business owners with limited incomes, had passed with a bipartisan super majority.
Democrats Cesar Aquilar, Lorena Austin, Seth Blattman, Flavio Bravo, Lupe Contreras, Oscar De Los Santos, Jennifer Longdon, Analise Ortiz, Jennifer Pawlik, Mae Peshlakai, Marcelino Quinonez, and Laura Terech voted against the override and helped protect Hobbs from embarrassment.
All but De Los Santos had previously voted with Republicans to pass the bill. In fact, Rep. Analise Ortiz spoke passionately in favor of the bill during its passage on the floor of the House:
Representative @RepAnaliseOrtiz just voted NAY on the override of #HB2509 – the #FreetheTamales bill.
She spoke a very different tone a week ago during her original vote.
This is about @KatieHobbs controlling the legislature and NOTHING ELSE. She put politics over policy.… pic.twitter.com/MaMddnLJJ2
— Ari Daniel Bradshaw (@AriBradshawAZ) April 25, 2023
HB2509, affectionately known as the “Tamale Bill,” sponsored by Rep. Travis Grantham, would allow homemade food producers to sell refrigerated foods that included perishable ingredients like meat and eggs.
According to the Common Sense Institute, H.B. 2509, “if enacted – would generate $55.3 million in new annual food sales in Arizona. This activity would support 995 full-time equivalent jobs and a $62 million increase in state Gross Domestic Product. Personal income would rise by $51 million statewide, and the industry would support $4 million in aggregate new state and local tax collections.”
Money was an issue for Rep. Judy Schweibert, who argued that a cap should be put on the amount of money struggling entrepreneurs could make on their goods:
Want to know why my local State Rep @JudyForAZ voted against the #FreeTheTamales Bill #HB2509?
It's because Judy believes that "there should absolutely be a cap on how much people can make"
Honestly, WTF?#LD2 deserves leadership that cares about their community and doesn't… https://t.co/OgY32ny1iN pic.twitter.com/UauWveoRdm
— Ari Daniel Bradshaw (@AriBradshawAZ) April 25, 2023
“Democrats were really all over the place trying to justify their flip flops today,” said one Republican who was watching the proceedings, “the Governor claimed she had health concerns while Schweibert seems to think the food is safe, she just wants to make sure people who are trying to make a living don’t make too good of a living, which is about the most white privileged nonsense you can imagine.”