The Arizona State House of Representatives is being applauded for the passage of a bipartisan bill to fund services for Arizonans with disabilities. The bill saves critical funding to continue vital services for Arizonans with Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, and other developmental disabilities.
“I am grateful to see House members on both sides of the aisle come together to advance common sense proposals,” said Governor Hobbs. “This deal ensures critical services for disabled Arizonans will continue, delivers reasonable guardrails for the Parents as Paid Caregivers program, and protects funding to respond to Arizonans’ housing needs. It’s time for the Senate to get this negotiated bill on my desk to protect services for these families.”
Working hard every day to protect those who need it most—our most vulnerable, including Arizona children with disabilities, their parents, and families. HB2945 helps preserve vital services for 60,000+ Arizonans. Big shoutout to Rep. Willoughby for her continued work on this… pic.twitter.com/N55k3tj12V
— Walt Blackman LD7 Representative (@BlackmanForAZ) April 24, 2025
“The House has overwhelmingly approved a responsible and effective plan to fully fund Arizona’s Developmental Disabilities program and ensure services continue for the families of 60,000 vulnerable adults and minors who rely on this vital safety net. This legislation also includes responsible, commonsense guardrails to provide greater transparency and prevent future funding shortfalls,” stated Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro.
“We heard from families, providers, and budget experts, and we acted to protect essential services and ensure the program’s long-term stability. This is a win for Arizonans and a step toward greater accountability in how public dollars are spent,” concluded Montenegro.
The only opposition came from members of the Freedom Caucus which opposed any fix of the situation Hobbs created through fiscal mismanagement of Arizona’s Developmental Disabilities program. However, across Arizona there was no appetite to punish families with disabled children for Hobbs’ gross incompetence.
The bill now heads to the Senate.