Arizona Senate passes budget and ends legislative session
The Arizona Senate recently passed a $17.6 billion budget and ended its legislative session, ahead of a budget deadline on June 30. This decision was made despite disagreements with the House of Representatives, leading to a late-night vote of 17-12 with bipartisan support. Some Democratic senators, along with Republicans, voted in favor following negotiations between Republican leaders and Governor Katie Hobbs. However,criticism arose from certain Senate Republicans regarding the unilateral decision to close the session without House approval. They argued that it was inappropriate for one chamber to act without the othre’s consent. The Senate budget also faced backlash for not being conservative enough when compared to the House’s own proposed $17.3 billion budget, which was passed solely by republicans. As the Senate departs, the House’s path forward hinges on adopting the Senate plan to secure the governor’s approval.
Arizona Senate passes budget and ends legislative session despite disagreement with the House
The Arizona Senate passed its annual budget and ended its legislative session Thursday, leaving no room for debate with the state’s House of Representatives ahead of the June 30 budget deadline.
In a late-night 17-12 vote, Arizona state senators approved the $17.6 billion spending plan with members of both parties voting for and against it. Six of the 13 Democrats in the upper chamber voted for it following a deal that had been worked out between Republican leadership and Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ).
“It was bipartisan,” Democratic state Sen. Rosanna Gabaldón said. “Senate Republicans, and the governor’s office, and some of us Senate Democrats came together. And we’re supporting the budget.”
Several Senate Republicans were critical of Senate President Warren Petersen’s (R) move to end the session without permission from the House.
“With all due respect, it is entirely inappropriate for one chamber to do that to another chamber,” Republican state Sen. J.D. Mesnard said.
Petersen claimed he knew the Arizona House had the votes to pass the Senate budget.
“We have one job to do down here at the Capitol,” he wrote on social media. “Pass a real budget. Not a fake budget for optics and talking points that will be gutted by a line item veto pen, but a real budget that has a consensus of conservative Republicans and gets a signature.”
The Senate budget, however, has received much criticism from Arizona House Republicans for not being conservative enough, according to the Arizona Mirror.
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Last week, the Arizona House adopted its own $17.3 billion spending plan, which was approved by only Republican votes as Democrats, who were not involved in negotiations, boycotted the vote.
With senators leaving Phoenix permanently, the House has only one viable option if it wants Hobbs’s signature: the Senate plan.
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