Key Points:

• Lawmakers introduced a record-breaking number of bills in the 2026 legislative session

• Gov. Katie Hobbs did not break her veto record this year

• Rep. Selina Bliss took home the title of most effective lawmaker with 15 bills signed

Gov. Katie Hobbs didn’t set a new veto record in 2026 – but lawmakers still produced a high-friction session defined by record bill volume, a lower success rate and a steady stream of vetoes.

Lawmakers filed 2,116 measures this year, including at least 87 that Hobbs had already vetoed in prior sessions. About 21% of those bills reached her desk, down from roughly 25% a year earlier, according to an Arizona Capitol Times analysis. 

Of the bills that did advance, Hobbs signed 264 and vetoed 151. Together, those numbers underscore a familiar dynamic at the Capitol: prolific introductions paired with limited conversion and persistent partisan mismatch between a Republican-led Legislature and a Democratic governor. 

The Arizona Capitol Times analyzed every bill that reached Hobbs’ desk to see which lawmakers were most effective – and which sent the most veto bait her way. The analysis excludes the 16 budget bills to avoid skewing the results toward the House and Senate appropriations chairs, whose names appear on much of the spending package. 

She leaves her fourth legislative session with an all-time tally of 541 vetoes and 993 bills signed. 

“I said from day one, I’ll be a backstop, but I didn’t come here to veto bills, I came here to work across the aisle and get things done,” Hobbs told the Arizona Capitol Times on June 30. She said Arizonans expect lawmakers and the governor to “put the politics aside” and argued that when they do, “we can do that” – even in sessions dominated by partisan clashes and bill moratoriums.

This session, most of the bills Hobbs approved were related to state government operations, healthcare and public safety, according to bill data.

Republican Rep. Selina Bliss topped the effectiveness rankings this year with 15 bills signed into law. Bliss represents Legislative District 1, which encompasses most of Yavapai County around Prescott. 

Bliss said her proudest accomplishment was House Bill 2720, a bipartisan effort with Sen. Flavio Bravo that targets people who pay for sex. The new law makes paying for sex under a fee arrangement a class 6 felony and adds a mandatory $200 fine that will go to the state’s Anti-Human Trafficking Grant Fund, which provides services to victims of sex trafficking.

“This bill was very important to me, looking uniquely at reducing the demand (for prostitution) by increasing the penalty on those that traffic other humans (and) are part of fueling the sex trafficking trade,” Bliss said during a bill signing ceremony. 

The law also strengthens protections for victims by requiring courts to seal records tied to prostitution convictions when those convictions are vacated because the person was a trafficking victim, according to a news release. 

Beyond HB 2720, Bliss said this was a particularly good session for everyone and credited her work ethic to her grandfather, who served 17 years in the South Dakota Legislature and set the expectation that everyone should work hard. 

She added that while lawmakers still face plenty of challenges, “We’re all a little more satisfied with the work we did this year” and argued that what matters most is “really the quality, not so much the quantity” of bills.

Sen. Carine Werner, R-Scottsdale, finished close behind Bliss, with 14 bills signed into law. Werner and Bliss chair the Senate and House Health and Human Services committees, and their portfolios helped drive the 31 new healthcare laws enacted this session. 

At a recent healthcare roundtable at Valle Del Sol Community Health, Hobbs urged legislators to focus on ensuring Arizonans can actually access healthcare, not just pass health-related bills, she told the Arizona Capitol Times. She pointed to revisions in the federal H.R. 1 package that critics say make coverage harder to maintain and warned that when people lose insurance, “it doesn’t mean they’re not going to get healthcare – it’s just going to cost more because they’re going to go to the emergency room,” driving up costs for everyone.

Sen. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, and Rep. Jeff Weninger, R-Chandler, tied for third place with 13 bills signed each.

Democrats got 10 bills signed, all from the House. Reps. Consuelo Hernandez, D-Tucson, Sarah Liguori, D-Phoenix, and Stacey Travers, D-Phoenix, each saw two bills make it through, creating a three-way tie for the most bills passed by a Democratic lawmaker this session.  Those measures largely focused on public safety, veterans issues and criminal justice, underscoring how few Democratic bills make it through a Republican‑controlled Legislature. 

It was a repeat performance from last year, where Democrats also had 10 bills signed; in 2024, they got 12 bills signed. Democrats have repeatedly highlighted how difficult it is to get their bills heard in a Republican-controlled Legislature. 

On the veto side, Sen. Wendy Rogers recorded 14 vetoed bills – the most of any lawmaker this session. Almost half of those bills had already been vetoed in prior sessions. She did have three standalone bills signed plus a striker amendment signed. Sen. Mark Finchem had 12 vetoes, and Reps. Lisa Fink and Gail Griffin had 11. 

Rogers said her rural constituents voted for her to fight for them down at the Capitol. 

“Fourteen vetoes means fourteen times I represented my people and thus refused to write policy just to please a governor who forgot she works for Arizonans,” Rogers said via email. “We need real leadership at Arizona’s Capitol. Until we get it, I’ll keep fighting for my rural district and the entire state, one veto at a time.”

But of her bills that she got signed, Rogers said she’s most proud of Senate Bill 1426, which will make it easier and faster for property owners to evict squatters. 

The law does not change any of the rights and remedies available to landlords and tenants under the Arizona Residential Landlord Tenant Act. It specifically does not apply to  current or former tenants, immediate family members or people who had a verbal or written agreement to live on the property with the owner, narrowing it to people occupying homes without a legal or agreed-on right to be there.

The post How divided government shaped Arizona’s 2026 session first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Key Points:

• Republicans say they are close to a state budget proposal 

• Negotiations occurring amid ongoing bill moratorium by Gov. Katie Hobbs

• A Prop.123 extension hangs in the balance

Republican negotiators say they’re close to sending the governor a state budget, signalling a potential end to Gov. Katie Hobbs’ recent bill moratorium.

Out of frustration and with no budget in hand, Hobbs declared on April 13 that she would reject any measure that made it to her desk until Republican lawmakers delivered her a proposal. That challenge was echoed by her spokesman Christian Slater, who again demanded a budget on April 21 — the 100th day of the legislative session. 

“It has been a month since Governor Hobbs called on legislators to show their budget to the public, and Republican leadership has given Arizonans nothing but evasive answers and empty promises about their budget proposal,” Slater said in a prepared statement. “It’s time for Republican leadership to show the people of Arizona their plans and come back to the negotiating table to pass a bipartisan and balanced budget.”

Now, less than two weeks after that announcement, GOP leaders say they are close to a plan.

Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology Committee Vice Chairman John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, told the Arizona Capitol Times that it could come within the next “week or two,” although he said he wouldn’t be surprised if what’s proposed is vetoed by the governor. 

“This is an offer we’re making to her. Short of lacing the tower water supply of psychedelic drugs, we expect there will be some changes,” Kavanagh said.

Last week, Senate Pro Tempore T.J. Shope, R-Coolidge, also confirmed Republicans were aiming to get a budget done around the 100-day mark of the session. 

The effort to coordinate a budget has been complicated by recent reports of lower-than-expected state revenue for January. The Joint Legislative Budget Committee’s updated April 16 forecast now projects $378 million in available resources rather than the $577 million originally estimated last year, a nearly $200 million reduction which staff attributes to the ongoing U.S. conflict with Iran, disruptions in oil markets and changing consumer behavior. 

The forecast does not take into account conforming the state’s tax policy to President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, an already-approved federal tax measure expected to reduce general fund revenue by more than $400 million if the state fully conforms.

Kavanagh said he expects the reduced revenue projections to have a minimal impact on budget negotiations since they’re working with more than $17 billion. 

“We hate to lose the estimate, but I think it’s a transient loss,” Kavanagh said. 

Republicans have also signaled they don’t intend to send a ballot referral to voters this year to renew Proposition 123, which Hobbs and Democrats have pushed as a way to free up about $300 million for the state budget. With Prop. 123 expired, the Legislature has had to backfill education funding for the voter-approved school funding measure using money from the state’s general fund. 

Still, Capitol observers are optimistic that a Prop. 123 referral could be passed this year — and they may not have a choice. 

HighGround Political Affairs Consultants CEO Chuck Coughlin said he believes lower revenue projections might force lawmakers to turn to a Prop. 123 renewal for additional revenue. 

“That’s where my head would go,” Coughlin said. “If I’m the Democrats, I would say what do I need to give up here to go get that money and put it in the bank.”

But Republicans have been divided on what a Prop. 123 renewal should look like. Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, previously told the Arizona Capitol Times that there isn’t agreement on the issue within the caucus and Republicans don’t want to bet $300 million at the ballot. 

With uncertainty abound, lawmakers will likely look to make cuts to last year’s budget. Kavanagh said he expects “minor” cuts all across the state government, except for public safety. 

“Government has grown since the last round of big cuts when we had the Great Recession, so there’s probably a little slab here and there that can be excised without pain,” Kavanagh said. 

Whatever budget is first produced will likely just be a starting point between GOP lawmakers and the governor. 

“(Hobbs) will be standing at the door of the Capitol with her veto stamp,” said lobbyist Barry Aarons. 

The Legislature has until June 30, the end of the fiscal year, to pass a budget and avoid a government shutdown. 

Correction: This article was updated to reflect Sen. John Kavanagh’s position on the Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology Committee.

The post GOP budget close: Kavanagh claims party is less than two weeks from proposal first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Key Points:

• Gov. Katie Hobbs has vetoed 390 bills during her first three years in office

• The Arizona Capitol Times analyzed all 390 and organized them into a database

• Hobbs has defended her use of the veto pen, while Republicans say it proves she is ineffective

Since Gov. Katie Hobbs took office in 2023, her veto stamp has been a bane for Republicans and a backstop for Democrats. Hobbs has broken the state’s veto record twice and shot down 390 bills over three legislative sessions, with even more veto-bait bills expected to make it to her desk in 2026.

The Arizona Capitol Times analyzed all 390 vetoes issued by the governor and broke them down by category, sponsor, and session. The bills have been organized into a searchable, sortable database.

Hobbs has defended her use of the veto stamp as a last line of defense against harmful and extreme conservative policies promoted by legislative Republicans. Meanwhile, her opponents have used it as evidence of her inability to work with the Legislature and produce meaningful results.

According to the database, Hobbs has vetoed more election bills than any other category of legislation. She vetoed 71 bills related to elections over the last three legislative sessions, in part due to a Republican fixation on election administration following the 2020 and 2022 elections. 

Other popular veto categories for the governor include legislation related to state government and groundwater. Those categories likely see a large number of vetoes in part because of the large number of bills introduced on those topics. 

Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Paradise Valley, had the most bills vetoed by Hobbs in the last three sessions, with 39 pieces of legislation rejected by the governor. Thirteen of those bills comprised the skinny budget Republicans sent Hobbs in 2023, which Kavanagh sponsored as the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, is notorious for sending the governor groundwater legislation destined for her veto stamp. She has had 36 bills vetoed by Hobbs since 2023, the second most of any lawmaker. 

Republican lawmakers have been known to send the governor legislation she already vetoed in a prior session. The Arizona Capitol Times found that 50 of Hobbs’ 390 vetoes came from legislation that had been vetoed previously and was reintroduced.

Hobbs has also vetoed 41 bills related to the state budget after the Legislature sent her a skinny budget in February 2023 and House Republicans sent her two separate budget proposals in 2025. 

Additionally, an analysis of bills filed ahead of the 2026 session found that 30 previously vetoed bills will make another appearance in 2026. Most of those bills have seen little, if any, change since being shot down by Hobbs. 

Hobbs has long accused Republicans of purposely attempting to make her look obstructionist by sending bills to her desk that they know she will veto. But some lawmakers and consultants say the Governor’s Office should be working more closely with the Legislature to better communicate which bills can make it across the finish line. 

Whether or not Hobbs will break another veto record in 2026 is unclear. Republican lawmakers are expected to refer legislation to the ballot in order to bypass the governor’s veto stamp, a tactic that yielded mixed results in 2024.

View the complete data set here: https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/4yrQy/1/

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The post All the bills Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed since taking office in 2023 first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Key Points:

• Gov. Hobbs signed more legislation this session than her previous two as governor

• Lawmakers introduced 1,724 bills in total, 439 made it to the governor

• Hobbs called the session successful despite breaking veto record

Gov. Katie Hobbs signed more bills this session than in either of the previous two sessions she has occupied the Ninth Floor. But she also broke the state veto record she set in 2023. 

The governor signed 265 bills this session, up from 259 in 2024 and 205 in 2023. That number could be due, in part, to the large number of bills introduced by lawmakers this session, though they didn’t break any records like Hobbs did.

Lawmakers introduced 1,724 bills this session and 439 of those made it out of both chambers and to the governor’s desk. That brought Hobbs’ veto total to 174 bills, blowing past her 2023 record of 143 bills. 

But Hobbs said she only broke the record with the help of Republicans, who sent her three separate budgets and several pieces of legislation she vetoed in previous sessions. 

“There was definitely an orchestrated attempt to run up the score on that veto record,” Hobbs said. 

Without counting the 28 budget bills, 14 for each of the two House budgets the governor vetoed, Hobbs still would have broken her own veto record by three bills. But, an analysis by the Arizona Capitol Times of legislation vetoed by the governor between 2023 and 2025 found at least 18 bills vetoed in 2025 which she had also vetoed in either 2023 or 2024.

All of those bills were reintroduced by Republicans — most without any significant changes. They cover a range of issues, including elections, firearms, LGBTQ+ rights and school boards. 

Despite that, almost all of the legislation Hobbs signed this session came from Republicans. Democrats only managed to get 10 bills out of the Legislature this year, seven of which came from the House and three from the Senate.

Excluding budget bills, Sen. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, takes home the title of most bills signed by a single lawmaker at 16. Republican Sens. J.D. Mesnard and David Gowan tied for second place, each with 15 bills signed. 

Bolick attributed her success this session to her own tenacity and the support of her constituents in Legislative District 2.

“I didn’t allow personalities to get in the way of being successful,” Bolick said in a written statement. “It also doesn’t hurt that I am not afraid to stand up for myself, or for the issue or the people that I am championing. Having coalitions of support to speak in favor of your bill is an absolute must.”

Bolick said she received an outpouring of encouragement for her bill, which expands the definition of animal cruelty and was signed by the governor in late June.

“My fellow dog lovers would stop and thank me when I would walk our own dogs each morning because they were receiving email alerts or reading the newspaper,” Bolick said. “A small gesture like a thank you is a big motivational factor when you must go to the Capitol for six months to try to force your bills to the board for a vote.” 

But in Arizona’s Republican Party, getting the most bills signed by the Democratic governor doesn’t necessarily spell success. According to conservative group Turning Point USA’s lawmaker scorecard, Bolick is “losing patriotism” and only scored 68.18 out of 100 on their ranking. 

“Most of the bills I have sponsored over the years received bipartisan support even under Governor Ducey because I have always represented a competitive legislative district,” Bolick said. “…I am all about getting things done, not attacking my fellow Republicans.” 

On the Democratic side, Rep. Alma Hernandez, D-Tucson, had the most bills signed in her caucus at four. Six other Democrats each had one bill signed, including Sens. Catherine Miranda, Mitzi Epstein, Analise Ortiz and Reps. Consuelo Hernandez, Kevin Volk and Myron Tsosie.

Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, had the most bills vetoed by the governor for the second year in a row, at 18. In 2024, that number was just 12. 

The increase can be attributed to Griffin’s penchant for introducing rural groundwater legislation despite the governor’s promise to veto “bills that are just political cover for the Legislature’s inaction on water security.” Nearly every bill of Griffin’s that Hobbs vetoed was related to groundwater.

Griffin criticized Hobbs throughout the session for vetoing her groundwater legislation, saying in a March 18 statement, “It’s time to put politics aside and pass real solutions for rural Arizona.” 

Republican Sens. Jake Hoffman and Wendy Rogers tied for second-most vetoes with each reaching 12 rejected proposals for the session. Several of the veto letters attached to Hoffman’s bills featured a special message from the governor related to their spat over her director nominees. 

“This bill is Detrimental, Ineffective, Nonsensical, and Objectionable,” Hobbs wrote, in an apparent reference to Hoffman’s chairmanship of the Senate Director Nominations Committee, often called DINO. 

Despite breaking her own veto record and getting into spats with lawmakers, Hobbs said she feels the session was very successful and should be measured by the bipartisan legislation that passed, rather than the bills that ended up on the cutting room floor.

The post Session Wrap: 2025 by the numbers first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Key Points:

• Bill would have banned photo radar enforcement of traffic law

• Some believe the measure was sabotaged in committee

• Legislators can still push the measure to voters next year

Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would prohibit law enforcement agencies from using photo enforcement systems to issue tickets, but Republican lawmakers have a chance next year to bring an identical measure to voters. 

The governor’s veto of Senate Bill 1019 was no surprise for the many Republicans who anticipated the outcome after Hobbs vetoed a similar bill in 2023. 

During the House’s vote on June 24, several Republicans expressed disappointment that they were voting on Senate Bill 1019 rather than an identical measure in Senate Concurrent Resolution 1002, which would have been referred to voters in 2026 instead of going to Hobbs. 

“This bill attempts to remove the ability of local law enforcement to keep our streets safe by eliminating a tool used to enhance roadway safety,” Hobbs wrote of the bill in her veto message. 

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, introduced both measures as a way to try to get around Hobbs’ veto, but the resolution was held in the House until the day before lawmakers adjourned sine die, leading to frustration among Republicans after some members were absent ensuring that the resolution didn’t have enough votes to make it out of the House. 

One House Republican accused chamber leadership of playing “games” with the measure and intentionally delaying the resolution until a day when Republicans couldn’t pass it because they lacked the necessary numbers. 

“It’s almost as if we’re more interested in making a show of solving the problem than actually solving the problem when actually solving the problem is within our power,” said Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale. 

The resolution was double assigned to committees in the House earlier in the session. It passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee but never received a hearing in the House Government Committee, chaired by Rep. Walt Blackman, R-Snowflake, who spent part of the session criticizing Rogers for not holding a hearing on his bill that criminalized impersonating a veteran.

A measure must get a do pass recommendation from a majority of members in each committee it’s assigned to, and multiple committee assignments have typically been a method to keep a bill from advancing in the Legislature. 

Rep. Justin Wilmeth, R-Phoenix, noted the resolution was double assigned during his vote for SB1019. 

“This is what majorities are about, and on this issue, we are wasting our opportunity,” said Wilmeth. 

House Republicans waived chamber rules to introduce the resolution for a floor vote on June 26, but it failed 29-27, with four Republicans absent. 

Speaker Steve Montenegro said the House and Senate have always had an agreement to wait until the budget is passed before voting on measures that would go to the ballot, which is what the House did with SCR1002.

The Senate waited to pass House Concurrent Resolution 2021, which would cap municipal food taxes at 2%, on the same day it first passed the budget on June 20. Montenegro also sponsored House Concurrent Resolution 2055 (drug cartels; terrorist organizations), which the Senate approved the day it passed the budget in a final read.

The only other ballot referral the House passed this session was Senate Concurrent Resolution 1004, which would prohibit government subdivisions in the state from imposing a tax based on vehicle miles traveled. That measure passed the House on June 13 before it passed the bipartisan budget, but, on the same day, House Republicans passed their first budget proposal, which was vetoed by Hobbs and not supported by Senate Republicans.

There is still time for Republicans to get the resolution to voters. If an identical resolution passes the Legislature next session, it would appear on the 2026 ballot. Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, said she expects to see the resolution next year. 

The post Hobbs vetoes photo radar ban, House blames political games first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Key Points: 

• Governor vetoed 178 bills this session, surpassing her previous record

• Photo enforcement and expedited election results bills vetoed

• Hobbs looking to improve vote counting next session

It may have resulted in faster election returns, with the winners and losers known shortly after the polls close.

However, on July 1, Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed legislation designed to help Arizona expedite results. The governor said she could not accept a provision she believed could penalize voters who wait until the last minute to cast their ballots.

Her rejection of Senate Bill 1001 was in the last batch of bills sent to her before the Legislature adjourned for the year on June 27. She now tallies 178 vetoed bills this session.

Among those last-minute rejections was the governor’s decision to veto a proposal by Sen. Wendy Rogers which would have outlawed the use of photo enforcement to catch speeders and red light runners.

The Flagstaff Republican sided with those who contend such automated enforcement ignores individual circumstances that an on-site police officer could take into account before issuing a citation. And some critics argue that the system is merely a means for communities to generate revenue.

Hobbs, who vetoed an identical measure two years ago, has had no change of heart.

“This bill attempts to remove the ability of local law enforcement to keep our streets safe by eliminating a tool used to enhance roadway safety,” she wrote in her veto message.

Rogers, anticipating a veto, had already crafted a parallel measure to bypass the governor and put the issue directly to the voters. However, that plan faltered when, due to the absence of some state representatives, she was unable to garner the necessary votes on the last day of the session to make it happen.

The state does not allow photo enforcement on its highways after then-Gov. Jan Brewer moved in 2010 to have them removed from any state-controlled road.

More controversial, in some ways, has been the question of how to address the fact that Arizona has developed a reputation as one of the last states in the nation, if not the last, to have final election returns.

It occurred in 2022 when it took days to confirm that Hobbs had beaten Republican challenger Kari Lake. And the situation repeated itself last year when delays in processing ballots left many wondering whether Kamala Harris could make up her vote deficit against Donald Trump.

The problem, according to Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, is that Arizona law allows people to request mail-in ballots but, rather than dropping them in the mail box, wait until Election Day to drop them off in person at a polling place.

The problem is that ballots cannot be tabulated until the signatures on the envelopes are verified. And that verification process for those “late-early ballots” cannot begin until after Election Day.

That’s not a problem when there are just a few.

But in the 2024 general election, there were about 265,000 of these ballots, including more than 210,000 in Maricopa County.

Senate President Warren Petersen sought to address the issue by repealing the ability of voters to drop off their early ballots at polling places on Election Day. That, however, proved to be a non-starter.

So Mesnard came up with an alternate plan.

It would still allow ballot drop-offs – but with the option of on-site verification. That would mean obtaining photo identification from those dropping off their ballots after Friday night, a move that would eliminate the need for the kind of signature verification of “late-early ballots’ that would otherwise not be possible until after Election Day.

His legislation would still allow people to simply drop a ballot and leave. And those ballots would still be counted.

But there was a price of sorts to be paid for forcing that after-election signature verification: That voter would be removed from the “active early voting list,” meaning they would not automatically get another ballot by mail ahead of the next election.

Hobbs pronounced that a non-starter.

She said some voters depend on family members or caregivers to drop off their early ballots, meaning they could not appear in person to have their identification checked.

And that, said the governor, presents them with the choice of either losing the option to complete their ballots on Election Day — an option that exists for everyone else — or being removed from the active early voter list.

“I’m certain that we all agree that every eligible vote should count, and no American should be deprived of this right,” Hobbs wrote.

Mesnard, for his part, was unapologetic for offering the measure.

First, he noted, anyone removed from the active early voter list can be reinstated simply by submitting a new request.

More to the point, Mesnard said nothing in his bill would have interfered with anyone’s right to vote. Instead, he said, it simply would have installed “parameters that ensure that we’re not bogging down the system and delaying results of elections by days or weeks.”

“The idea that that is disenfranchising is confusing the right to vote with the convenience we’ve extended people,” he said. “We, in no way, undermine a person’s right to vote, whatsoever.”

Hobbs said she remains interested in possible changes.

“We must balance the speed of counting votes with accessibility, accuracy and security,” she said, promising to work with any legislator next year “to improve voting and vote counting in Arizona.”

The post Gov. Katie Hobbs clears desk of all bills for the session first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Key Points:

• Hobbs broke her own veto record on June 25

• The new record is 169 bills in one session

• Veto number could climb amid ongoing budget negotiations

Gov. Katie Hobbs set a new veto record June 25 with the help of House Republicans’ budget bills and some repeat offender bills.

After vetoing 28 budget bills, Hobbs’ 2025 veto record shot from 140 to 168. She also vetoed one other piece of legislation after the budget bills, bringing the grand total to 169 and beating her own record of 143 bills vetoed in a single session.

Hobbs blamed House Republicans for the vetoes after repeatedly promising to veto both budget packages because they did not align with the bipartisan deal her office worked out with the Senate.

“It’s now time for House Republican leadership to set the political games to the side and work with their colleagues in a productive fashion to deliver a bipartisan solution for the people of our state,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter. 

Republican Rep. David Livingston sponsored the 28 budget bills, 14 of which consisted of House Republicans’ preferred budget and another 14 of which made up the “skinny” continuation budget. He celebrated setting a different kind of veto record in a post on social media.

“I set the State of Arizona record for most bills vetoed in a single day!” Livingston wrote on X. “28 budget bills vetoed by Governor Hobbs today.” 

And though Hobbs broke her own record, she did not veto 169 unique pieces of legislation this session. According to an Arizona Capitol Times analysis of bills Hobbs has vetoed during her three years in office, at least 18 were also vetoed in 2023 or 2024.

Those bills were all introduced by Republicans and cover a range of issues from elections and firearms to LGBTQ+ rights and school boards. Some of the bills received slight tweaks after meeting the veto stamp, but others were reintroduced without any changes at all. 

The governor previously told reporters that she believes Republicans are hoping to portray her as “obstructionist” by pushing legislation she has already vetoed or has stated she would not support. Hobbs’ spokesman, Christian Slater, defended her use of vetoes in a statement.

“The governor didn’t get elected to veto bills, and she has a long record of bipartisan accomplishments,” Slater said. “But she won’t hesitate to stand up to extreme and partisan legislation that attacks everyday Arizonans. That’s exactly what she has done throughout her term and that’s what she will continue to do so long as she’s governor.”

Republican Sen. John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills is one of the more prolific sponsors of previously vetoed bills. He has reintroduced the same three bills related to LGBTQ+ students, pronouns and restroom use every year of Hobbs’ tenure. 

Many bills vetoed in 2023 were reintroduced in 2024 as ballot measures, only to be rejected by voters in November. Other 2023 vetoes were reintroduced in 2024, but failed to make it to the governor’s desk. 

And Sen. Wendy Rogers’ infamous bill banning red light cameras is currently awaiting action from the governor thanks to a late night vote in the House on June 24. It is almost certainly headed for a veto after receiving one in 2023 and failing to make it to Hobbs’ desk or the ballot in 2024. 

Excluding budget bills, Rep. Gail Griffin is currently leading Republicans in the most bills vetoed by the governor at 17. Griffin also took home that trophy in 2024 due to her introduction of groundwater legislation that Hobbs pledged to veto during both sessions. 

As of publication, Hobbs has signed 225 bills this session. That’s more bills than the 205 she signed in 2023, and fewer than she signed in 2024 – 259. 

Republican Sen. J.D. Mesnard currently has the most legislation signed by Hobbs in 2025, with 15 of his bills making it across the finish line so far. Democratic Rep. Alma Hernandez leads her caucus in the number of bills signed, with four under her belt this session. 

Lawmakers are still sending legislation to Hobbs’ desk — including the Senate’s budget proposal — so the numbers are not yet set in stone. As of the afternoon of June 26, 14 bills are awaiting the governor’s action.

The post Hobbs breaks state veto record thanks to budget bills first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Key Points:

• Bill would have forced removal of school board members

• Governor called it “blatant legislative overreach”

• Bill’s supporters focused on Isaac’s loans and contracts

Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a measure that would have forced the removal of elected school board members if their district is placed into receivership.

The governor vetoed House Bill 2610 on June 24, which was advanced through the Legislature as a response to the Isaac Elementary School District overspending its budget by more than $20 million. 

HB2610 contained a retroactive clause that would have removed Isaac’s Governing Board members from their elected positions. 

In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote: “This bill appears to seek broad retribution rather than providing targeted methods to address problems. Mandating the upheaval of an entire elected school board is blatant legislative overreach that would create disruption and confusion for school districts during times of crisis.” 

Even with the veto, Hobbs called on Isaac’s Governing Board leadership to resign and stated that the district’s financial mismanagement is unacceptable. 

Attorney General Kris Mayes and the state’s Auditor General’s Office are investigating the district’s financial practices.

Isaac school board President Patricia Jimenez thanked Hobbs for vetoing the measure and sent a letter to Hobbs before her veto that HB2610 would have plunged the district into “deeper chaos” than before the state Board of Education appointed a receiver to the district. 

“Although we disagree with the governor’s assessment of the governing board’s leadership, we look forward to completing the job of steering Isaac on a path of long term financial solid footing and to continuing to protect Isaac’s students, teachers and schools. The Isaac community was well served by the governor’s veto,” Jimenez said in a statement provided to the Arizona Capitol Times.

Republican lawmakers have scrutinized the financial management of Isaac and an agreement the district made with the Tolleson Union High School District to climb out of its budget deficit. 

Tolleson acquired the leasehold rights over Isaac Middle School for $25 million, which it has leased back to Isaac. Tolleson will hold the land rights of the school for 12 years at a 6% interest rate, which Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, has called a “predatory loan.”

Gress has also questioned Jimenez’s leadership multiple times during the session. Most recently, during a June 6 Joint Legislative Audit Committee meeting, he said an $88,000 contract the district entered into with Jimenez’s boyfriend for marketing services appeared “unethical” to him. 

Jimenez told the Arizona Capitol Times that Gress’ inquiry was related to a near-$43,000 invoice from the Glendale-based Brand Regal Media Tech that was mistakenly duplicated and has been voided. She also denied Gress’ claim of being in a relationship with Chris Louis, who is listed as the statutory agent for the company in the Arizona Corporation Commission’s entity database.

“I categorically deny any unethical behavior or acting against the best interests of Isaac and its students,” Jimenez said. 

Gress and Sen. Mark Finchem, R-Prescott, said they want to hear from Tolleson Union officials about the agreement with Isaac during the next Joint Legislative Audit Committee hearing. They invited Tolleson’s Superintendent, Jeremy Calles, and its Governing Board President, Leezah Sun, to its June meeting, but neither attended. 

If Tolleson officials skip the next meeting, Gress said the committee would explore other compulsory options to hear from them.

The post Hobbs vetoes bill targeting school districts in serious financial trouble first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Key Points:

• Governor Hobbs vetoed antisemitism bill citing teacher liability concerns

• Critics said bill suppressed free speech, hindered Israel criticism

• Hobbs supports Holocaust education, promotes empathy over punitive measures

Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have prohibited teaching and promoting antisemitism in Arizona public schools, but also would have allowed lawsuits against individual teachers suspected of doing so.

House Bill 2867, sponsored by Republican Rep. Michael Way, was sent to the governor’s desk last week with some House Democrats voting in favor of it. But other Democrats, teachers’ groups and First Amendment advocates raised a variety of objections to the bill, arguing it could make teachers quit, suppress free speech and prevent any criticism of Israel amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

“Unfortunately this bill is not about antisemitism; it’s about attacking our teachers,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter. “It puts an unacceptable level of personal liability in place for our public school, community college, and university educators and staff, opening them up to threats of personally costly lawsuits.”

Hobbs also included a letter from the Tucson Jewish Museum and Holocaust Center dated June 6 that urged her to veto the bill. The center’s executive director, Lori Shepherd, said the bill is “not the answer” to combating antisemitism in Arizona schools.

“While I support the need to fight hate and antisemitism, the bill’s vague language and punitive approach send a dangerous message to teachers: avoid controversy, or face a courtroom,” Shepherd wrote.

In her letter, Hobbs pointed to other areas where she has worked to combat antisemitism, like signing a bill in 2023 that expanded Holocaust education requirements in public schools and signing a budget that included funding for a Holocaust education center in Phoenix. Earlier this session, Hobbs also signed House Bill 2880, which prohibits encampments on college campuses after they were used during pro-Palestine protests on Arizona campuses last spring. 

Hobbs attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center last week and pledged her support for Jewish Arizonans.

“Arizona will always be an ally and partner to the Jewish community,” Hobbs said while speaking to a crowd at the site on June 5.

She also referenced that visit in her veto letter, saying it informed her decision not to sign the legislation.

“It was a powerful reminder that the most effective way to combat antisemitism is through education, empathy, and community,” Hobbs wrote.

The post Hobbs vetoes antisemitism bill allowing lawsuits against teachers first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.

Key Points: 

• Gov. Hobbs is five vetoes short of the state record for governor

• She blames Republic legislators for passing large numbers of bad bills

• Many of the rejected bills were concerning education, food stamps and immigration enforcement

Katie Hobbs is hurtling toward a new record in Arizona for the number of bills vetoed in one year.

But the Democratic governor insists it’s not because she cannot work across the aisle with Republican legislators.

Hobbs told Capitol Media Services, the fault lies with them. According to Hobbs, if they stop sending her bad bills, she’ll stop putting her veto stamp on so many of them.

“I have made it clear that I’m not going to sign legislation that is a solution in search of a problem. That takes away people’s freedom,” the governor said.

What is virtually certain is that when lawmakers return from their break they will resume approving measures that advance the GOP policy agenda. And there’s still a host of bills in the pipeline that are virtually certain to meet with the governor’s displeasure, from changes in election laws and cuts in the state income tax rate to easing some groundwater regulations.

And that all but guarantees she will set a new record for total bills vetoed.

As of right now, Hobbs has vetoed 138 bills since the Legislature convened in January — five short of her first year in office. 

House Republicans aren’t taking kindly to her effort to blame them.

“Gov. Hobbs has made vetoing good policy her full-time job, rejecting bipartisan solutions supported by the elected representatives of the people of Arizona,” said Andrew Wilder, spokesman for House Speaker Steve Montenegro and the GOP caucus. “Instead of governing, she’s cementing a record as an ineffective obstructionist whose only accomplishments cater to the extreme fringe of her party.”

Not everything that Hobbs has rejected have been strictly partisan affairs. There have been a few bills that she has rejected that have had some support from legislative Democrats.

One, for example, would have ensured that parents are entitled to a minor child’s medical records, regardless of whether parental consent is required for treatment. There are exceptions under existing law to the need for that consent such as emergency situations, including those that might involve a drug overdose, and instances where a minor may have contracted a venereal disease.

Hobbs said the proposal by Rep. Julie Willoughby, R-Chandler, would create “legal ambiguity” for health care providers with existing obligations to patient privacy.

Several Democrats also supported a proposal to pave the way for “small modular nuclear reactors” in Arizona.

Still, the vast majority of what met with the governor’s disapproval were Republican-only affairs ranging from major policy issues to minor regulatory affairs.

Take the measure, also by Willoughby, to mandate employment and training requirements for food stamp recipients. Hobbs said lawmakers should instead use their efforts to support an existing voluntary program for recipients to get jobs and training.

The governor also rejected a requirement for the state’s Medicaid program to provide a “conspicuous link” on the agency’s website to information on adoption and support for pregnant women. Hobbs saw it through the lens of efforts to attack reproductive freedom in the wake of voters putting a right to abortion in the Arizona Constitution.

Only Republicans supported a proposal by freshman Sen. Carine Warner, R-Scottsdale, to make all school board elections into partisan affairs.

Hobbs said she doesn’t understand why Republicans are surprised at her decisions.

“Some of these vetoes are bills that have been sent to me multiple times, even in one session,” she said. “It’s ridiculous, quite frankly.”

One of those returning bills was a proposal by Sen. Wendy Rogers to allow those with state-issued permits to carry a concealed weapon onto college campuses.

And then there were a pair of bills from Sen. John Kavanagh. The Fountain Hills Republican wanted to ban teachers from referring to students by a first name or pronoun that did not match their gender at time of birth and prohibit students from using a restroom other than the one based on their biological sex.

Then there were the measures sent to Hobbs to score political points, with little belief they would be signed, like the proposal by Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, to ensure that Arizona schools were aligned with the orders of President Trump when referring to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Hobbs lumped that in with other measures that she rejected, saying they take away attention from what she believes should be the focus of lawmakers.

“I would like the Legislature to prioritize lowering costs, addressing our housing crisis, securing our water future, securing the border,” she said.

On that last point, Republicans have advanced measures designed to do just that.

One of those was crafted by Senate President Warren Petersen. The Gilbert Republican sought to ensure state and local law enforcement cooperate with federal immigration officials and, specifically, that they honor requests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain people sought by the federal agency.

The governor recognizes public sentiment on that, with voters in November having approved Proposition 314 on a 63-37 margin. It allows state and local police to arrest those who are not citizens who enter the country at other than a port of entry.

So Hobbs, in her veto message of the Petersen bill, said she has worked with the federal government to secure the border, cited efforts to stem fentanyl smuggling and sought to keep border communities safe.

That explanation left Petersen cold, responding to the veto by calling it “another slap” at Arizonans who “suffered greatly” from the open border policies of the Biden administration.

But Petersen, who is running to be the Republican nominee for attorney general in 2026, declined to discuss what he thinks of the governor’s overall veto record and her explanation of why so many GOP-sponsored bills have wound up being returned with veto stamps.

Hobbs said she still believes there are areas of accommodation with the Republican majority. All they need to remember, she said, is what she told them when the session started in January.

“I made it really clear in my State of the State that I wanted to work with the Legislature to advance opportunity, freedom and security for Arizonans,” the governor said. “to achieve these goals and address the needs that Arizonans have.”

The post Gov. Hobbs nears state veto record with GOP bills still in the pipeline first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.