Our 6th year, 25th week.
THE LEGISLATURE HAS ADJOURNED, LEAVING MANY BILLS STRANDED
It happens every session. The legislature adjourns without completing action on a slew of bills. This year the negative effect on regular bills is not as significant as it might have been otherwise. That is because important bills are very likely to be vetoed by Hobbs, which substantially reduces the incentive to complete work on those bills. However, it does make a big difference when it comes to bills that go to the Secretary of State either as completed measures or as ballot measures to be submitted to voters for approval. Those bills bypass the governor, which increases the urgency to finalize them either by voting them down or approving them and sending them to the Secretary of State.
HOBBS WATCH – Hobbs Veto Track. Every week during the legislative session, we have been documenting Hobbs’ dismal record regarding bills sent to her. In 2023 she set a record that at the time was regarded as nearly impossible to beat. However, this year she broke her own record with a whopping 174 vetoes, which is over one third of the bills sent to her by the legislature. Furthermore, most of the bills that she did sign were of a housekeeping and/or noncontroversial nature.
Read related article HERE
| YEAR | SENT TO HOBBS | VETOED BY HOBBS | PERCENTAGE VETOED |
| 2023 | 348 | 143 | 41.1% |
| 2024 | 332 | 73 | 22.0% |
| 2025 | 439 | 174 | 39.6% |
| TOTAL | 1,119 | 390 | 34.9% |
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’ LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY THIS WEEK
SIGNED
SB1082, land ownership; designated countries; prohibition
SB1161, sheriffs; constables; service; mileage; fees
SB1198, animal cruelty; felony classification
SB1281, adjutant general; duties
SB1496, tax credit; qualifying charitable organizations
SB1507, corrections; reports; oversight office
SB1529, municipal housing; preapproved design; annexation
SB1537, transitional housing; reentry programs; licensure
HB2015, EORP; CORP; funded ratio
HB2034, ASRS; supplemental employee deferral plan
HB2035, ASRS; termination incentive programs
HB2036, ASRS; temporary personnel service
HB2077, ASRS; long-term disability
VETOED
SB1001, early ballots; identification; tabulation
SB1019, photo enforcement systems; prohibition
HB2091, assured water supply; certificate; model
HB2324, forfeiture; digital assets; reserve fund
BILLS SENT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE (35)
This session, the legislature sent to the SOS 35 bills. Most of these bills do not have the power of law but are expressions of the legislature’s mood on various subjects and as such we do not pay much attention to them.
However, some Concurrent Resolution bills do have the power of law, or are referrals to the voters for up or down votes.
EXPENDITURE OVERRIDE BILLS
AZ voters have imposed a constitutional limit on yearly aggregate expenditures by school districts. That limit is very generous in that it allows annual increases based on the percentage of growth in the student population plus the percentage of inflation, plus an additional 10%. But lately, legislators have been appropriating moneys that exceed those generous limits. The constitution allows legislators to override those limits if both chambers agree to it by a 2/3 or higher vote. That is exactly what they did with the approval of SCR1041 and SCR1042.
| SCR1041 | expenditure limit; school districts; 2025-2026 | Overrides expenditure limit for this year |
| SCR1042 | expenditure limitation; school districts; 2026-2027 | Overrides expenditure limit for next year |
VOTER REFERRAL BILLS THAT WE TRACKED
Among the bills that, if passed by the legislature, would be sent to the Secretary of State for placing on the 2026 ballot, we tracked 13. Of those 13 bills, 3 were approved and sent to the SOS, and 10 did not make the cut this session.
THREE VOTER REFERRAL BILLS THAT CLEARED THE LEGISLATURE AND WILL APPEAR ON THE 2026 BALLOT
| HCR2055 | drug cartels; terrorist organizations | State statute. This measure would make it easier for law enforcement personnel to take action against cartels |
| SCR1004 | prohibit tax; monitoring; vehicle mileage | Constitutional amendment. A major characteristic of totalitarian governments is that they restrict travel by citizens. Many government entities in Arizona are contemplating the implementation of such actions. This measure would prohibit such behavior |
| HCR2021 | food; municipal tax; exemption | State statute. Food is a very essential commodity. Taxing it places a disproportional burden on lower income families. This measure would require a vote of the people to initiate or increase a tax on food. |
TEN VOTER REFERRAL BILLS THAT WERE LEFT STRANDED
Technically, these bills were not defeated because the legislature adjourned before action was completed on them. However, the effect is the same, they did not make it.
| HCR2015 | (NOW: referendum; noncustodial federal monies; appropriation) | Statutorily authorizes the Legislature to appropriate noncustodial federal monies. Noncustodial monies which include grants, block grants and general revenue sharing monies designated by the federal government to allow the state discretion in the development, implementation, and operation of a program. |
| HCR2023 | property tax; combat veterans; exemption | Statutorily exempts the property of a combat veteran with a combat-related, service-connected disability that is rated at 100 percent by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from the full amount of property tax. |
| HCR2025 | constitutional amendments; sixty percent vote | Constitutionally requires proposed amendments to the Arizona Constitution to be approved by 60 percent of the vote instead of the current simple majority. |
| HCR2040 | elections; foreign contributions; donations; certification | Prohibits the use of monies or in-kind goods and services from a foreign government in election administration. |
| HCR2042 | preferential treatment; discrimination; prohibited acts | Constitutionally prohibits the state from compelling or spending public monies on promoting or giving preferential treatment to or discriminating against any individual based on race or ethnicity. |
| HCR2047 | state land trust; permanent funds | Amends the Arizona Constitution to prohibit the state or any state officer from reducing the Permanent State School Fund’s annual distribution rate below 6.9% until FY 2036, except as otherwise authorized. Directs the 57th Legislature to enact legislation for a statewide classroom teacher compensation program. |
| HCR2057 | initiatives; referendums; signature requirement; counties | Constitutionally requires initiatives, constitutional amendments and referendums to be approved by a sufficient percentage of qualified electors from each county, rather than a sufficient percentage of qualified electors from the state, in order to be placed on the ballot. This would end the current situation whereby Maricopa and Pima counties control the rest of the state. |
| SCR1008 | municipalities; counties; vote; fee increases | Prohibits a municipality or county Board of Supervisors (BOS) from increasing an assessment, tax or fee without a two-thirds vote. Currently, tax increases by the legislature need a two-third vote. This measure would require the same of counties and municipalities. |
| SCR1014 | surplus; income tax rate; reduction | Directs the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC), for each Fiscal Year (FY) beginning with FY 2028, to determine specific state General Fund revenue metrics and requires the Department of Revenue (DOR) to reduce the individual income tax rate by 50% of the structural surplus for each Taxable Year (TY) beginning with TY 2028. When there is a surplus, part of that surplus would be returned back to those who created it. |
| SCR1028 | school bonds; sixty percent vote | Constitutionally requires questions on school district bond issuance at an election to receive at least 60 percent of votes in favor of the bond issuance to be approved. Bond issues raise taxes, because the bonds issued have to be paid off, with interest. This measure would impose on school districts a tax-increasing limitation like that imposed on the legislature. |
