Our 6th year, 24th week.
HOBBS HAS SIGNED THE COMPROMISE BUDGET SENT TO HER
This is not the first time that we have a budget situation that was not resolved until the last minute. However, this year the budget battle seemed more contentious because the House Republicans and the Senate Republicans had a hard time agreeing with each other, thus enabling Hobbs’ mischief at a level that would not have been possible otherwise.
Most likely, over the next few weeks there will be plenty of analyses of this budget, with the usual finger pointing, naming of winners and losers, elation over a great budget, and hand wringing over an awful budget. The debate will continue ad nauseam. One fact that is not debatable is that when there is a divided government, whether we like it or not, there must be compromise. That is apparently what finally happened here.
The office of the governor has published a list of the highlights of this budget, as follows:
- 5% pay raises for state troopers.
- $8 million for the Governor’s SAFE Initiative to secure the border by helping local law enforcement fight drug smuggling and human trafficking.
- $10 million for the Governor’s SAFE Initiative to support sheriffs in their county jail coordinated reentry programs.
- $1.6 million for the DPS Anti-human Trafficking Fund Deposit.
- $20 million to backfill federal cuts to the Victims of Crime Act, supporting victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and other violent crimes with counseling and legal services.
- $44.9 million from the General Fund and $81 million ($30 million ongoing and $51 million one-time) in federal funds to cut the child care waitlist in half and expand childcare access. This is the largest investment of general funds for child care since the Great Recession.
- $3.8 million to eliminate co-pays for reduced-price school meals, providing 10 million free meals to working class children.
- $2 million for the Governor’s Homes for Heroes initiative to reduce veteran homelessness.
- Full primary residence property tax exemption for 100% disabled Veterans.
- $16.5 million for coordinated housing homelessness services through DES, including eviction prevention and shelter operations supporting youth and families.
- 15% pay raises for state firefighters.
- $30 million to the Wildland Fire Suppression Fund to prevent and fight wildfires.
- $3 million to the Colorado River litigation fund to ensure Governor Hobbs can fight for Arizona’s fair share of Colorado River water.
- $11.2 million to continue covering costs for Arizona communities battling wildfires.
- $2.9 million to expand access to the outdoors through grants for park, waterway recreation, and trail developments, and growth of the Family Campout program.
- Fully funds DDD for over 60,000 people, protecting health care for Arizonans with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and intellectual disabilities.
- $4 million for a Graduate Medical Education Rural Incentive Program, expanding access to health care for rural Arizonans through the development of rural residency programs.
- $300K to add cochlear implants and outpatient speech therapy as covered AHCCCS services.
- $100K to expand Medicaid to cover Traditional Healing services for Tribal members by drawing down over $200 million in federal funds.
- $4.2 million to support critical access to hospitals in rural and underserved areas.
- Fully funds K-12 education and waives the Aggregate Expenditure Limit for two years to prevent a K-12 school funding cliff.
- $297 million to build new K-12 schools and improve existing school facilities.
- $24 million to support SPEED bonding that will allow ASU, NAU, and UofA to unlock $325 million in bonding capacity for capital projects, including initiatives like a new medical school and nursing school.
- $54 million for the Arizona Promise Program, the largest investment to date in the program that will provide scholarships for working class students ($16.3 million one-time general fund, $20 million ongoing general fund, $17.7 million one-time other funds).
- $3 million for the Arizona Community College Promise Program, providing the first ever funding to this program that will create a scholarship program for working class students at the state’s community colleges.
Most likely, other versions of the important provisions of this budget will emerge in the days ahead.
HOBBS WATCH – Hobbs Veto Track
| YEAR | SENT TO HOBBS | VETOED BY HOBBS | PERCENTAGE VETOED |
| 2023 | 348 | 143 | 41.1% |
| 2024 | 332 | 73 | 22.0% |
| 2025 (As of 6/27/25) | 408 | 169 | 41.4% |
| TOTAL | 1088 | 385 | 35.4% |
To maintain perspective, Ducey, regarded by some as a no-good RINO, over his 8 years as governor had this record:
Bills Sent by Legislature 2,745 Bills Vetoed 111 Veto Rate 4.0%
Complete list of Bills Sent to Hobbs here.
Complete list of Bills Vetoed by Hobbs here.
Hobbs Contacts: Phone Phoenix: 602.542.4331 Tucson: 520.628.6580 Email here.
HOBBS’ LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY (Other than budget activity)
SIGNED
HB2054, DIFI; financial enterprises; insurance; compact
HB2133, nurses; provisional licensure
HB2374, transnational repression; foreign adversaries
HB2386, pay parity; law enforcement; benchmarks
VETOED
HB2610, school districts; board members; superintendent
HB2542, state contracts; foreign adversary; prohibition
LEGISLATURE’S LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY
HOUSE – In addition to the budget package activity, the House acted on these bills:
| BILL # | SHORT TITLE | WHERE | DATE | RESULT |
| HB2091 | land division; applicant submissions; review (now: assured water supply; certificate; model) | House Final Reading | 06/24/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2313 | behavioral health examiners board; continuation (now: health boards; state agencies; continuations) | House Final Reading | 06/24/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2324 | technical correction; unclaimed property; interest (now: forfeiture; digital assets; reserve fund) | House Final Reading | 06/24/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1057 | working animal; harm; classification (now: marijuana; rural opportunity initiative) | House Third Reading | 06/23/2025 | FAILED |
| SB1001 | early ballots; identification; tabulation | House Third Reading | 06/24/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1019 | photo enforcement systems; prohibition | House Third Reading | 06/24/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1082 | constables; report; board of supervisors (now: land ownership; designated countries; prohibition) | House Third Reading | 06/24/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1299 | law enforcement personnel; grant program (now: safe community enforcement fund; establishment) | House Third Reading | 06/24/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1496 | tax credit; qualifying charitable organizations | House Third Reading | 06/24/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2946 | city election; transaction privilege tax | House Third Reading | 06/26/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1161 | sheriffs; constables; service; mileage; fees | House Third Reading | 06/26/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1470 | graduation; children with disabilities (now: AHCCCS enrollment freeze; appropriation) | House Third Reading | 06/26/2025 | FAILED |
SENATE – In addition to the budget package activity, the Senate acted on these bills:
| BILL # | SHORT TITLE | WHERE | DATE | RESULT |
| SB1082 | constables; report; board of supervisors (now: land ownership; designated countries; prohibition) | Senate Final Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1198 | animal cruelty; classification (now: animal cruelty; felony classification) | Senate Final Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1496 | tax credit; qualifying charitable organizations | Senate Final Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1500 | permanency placement; grandparent; priority (now: compensation; erroneous convictions) | Senate Final Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1507 | independent corrections ombudsman; auditor general (now: corrections; reports; oversight office) | Senate Final Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1529 | municipal housing; preapproved design (now: municipal housing; preapproved design; annexation) | Senate Final Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1537 | transitional housing; reentry programs; licensure | Senate Final Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| SB1281 | adjutant general; duties | Senate Final Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2369 | auditor general; county treasurer; review | Senate Third Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| HCR2055 | drug cartels; terrorist organizations | Senate Third Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2015 | EORP; CORP; funded ratio | Senate Third Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2034 | ASRS; supplemental employee deferral plan | Senate Third Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2035 | ASRS; termination incentive programs | Senate Third Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2036 | ASRS; temporary personnel service | Senate Third Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2077 | ASRS; long-term disability | Senate Third Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
| HB2724 | patriotic youth groups; school access | Senate Third Reading | 06/27/2025 | PASSED |
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION, VOTER REFERRAL BILLS.
Several bills that, if passed, will go to the voters for approval are still pending. Now that the budget hurdle has been cleared, there is a good chance that adjournment will take place soon and these bills will be abandoned. Voters who tend to contact legislators regarding pending legislation may wish to do so regarding these bills. In Arizona we have several organizations that facilitate this, including https://azpeopleslobbyist.com/ Here is the list of those pending bills.
| HCR2015 | federal funds; legislative approval |
| HCR2023 | property tax; combat veterans; exemption |
| HCR2025 | constitutional amendments; sixty percent vote |
| HCR2037 | prohibited weapons; definition repeal |
| HCR2040 | elections; foreign contributions; donations; certification |
| HCR2042 | preferential treatment; discrimination; prohibited acts |
| HCR2047 | state land trust; permanent funds |
| HCR2053 | legislative privilege; traffic violations |
| HCR2057 | initiatives; referendums; signature requirement; counties |
| SCR1002 | photo enforcement systems; prohibition |
| SCR1003 | compensation; elective state officers; inflation |
| SCR1008 | municipalities; counties; vote; fee increases |
| SCR1014 | surplus; income tax rate; reduction |
| SCR1015 | state land trust; permanent funds. |
| SCR1022 | legislative districts; population; census; citizenship |
| SCR1027 | elections; foreign contributions; certification; donations |
| SCR1032 | permanent school fund; distribution; uses |