Katie Hobbs Breaks Arizona Veto Record for a Single Session

The Arizona Senate Majority Caucus released a statement Tuesday, announcing that Governor Katie Hobbs had vetoed another 11 bills, bringing her total to 63 and surpassing the previous record for most legislation vetoed in a single session.

“Vetoing is a tool that weak leaders will use in an effort to control legislative priorities, and we’re witnessing this tactic front and center from Katie Hobbs,” said Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-Coolidge). “Instead of demonstrating diplomacy and bipartisanship, the Governor is showcasing her failure to work across the aisle. Instead of accomplishing the priorities of our citizens and strengthening our communities, she’s done little outside of hosting press gaggles and photo ops with activist groups and Democrats alike.”

The previous record was held by former Gov. Janet Napolitano (D), who issued 58 vetoes in 2005. Much like the current situation, Napolitano was a Democrat Governor serving over a Republican-led legislature.

Among the newest cut bills were SB 1021 from State Senator John Kavanaugh (R-Fountain Hills), which would have required the attorney general to defend the constitutionality of laws; State Senator Frank Carroll’s (R-Sun City) SB 1565, which aimed to prevent the use of artificial intelligence in election procedures; and HB 2394, from Representative Austin Smith (R-Surprise), which would have protected firearms from higher sales taxes not commonly imposed on other goods.

When Hobbs first took office, she and the Republican-led legislature pledged to try and work together during the session. However, while Republicans could get most of their priority bills through the legislature using their majority, it became clear that many GOP wish list items would not make it into statute. Hobbs’s use of the veto stamp became so rampant she earned the title “Veto Queen” from the press.

In his statement, Shope said some of the worst vetoes this session were the grocery tax cut, creating harsher punishments for assault against a pregnant woman and fentanyl dealers, banning Critical Race Theory in classrooms, and ensuring religious exemptions from vaccines.

Nonetheless, as reported by AZ Family, Kavanaugh said that fear of the veto did not stop legislators from creating bills they believed were in constituents’ best interests.

“Republican lawmakers will continue to fight for legislation expected from the voters who elected us into office, and we’ll leave the political games, subsequent chaos and insanity to Governor Hobbs,” Shope said.

Bills that made it

While this session has frustrated many Republican lawmakers, not every bill that reached Hobbs’s desk got the axe. For example, State Senator Janae Shamp (R-Surprise) released a statement Tuesday celebrating that her bill, SB 1382, is now in the books. The bill relates to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), persons or businesses that act as middlemen in the healthcare industry that determine what medicines can be covered by insurance and how much a prescription will cost patients. The law now states that PBMs must receive a certificate to work in the state.

“This is a classic case of the fox guarding the henhouse, and I’m happy we’re putting an end to it,” said Shamp. ” SB 1382 will provide the necessary oversight to ensure PBMs are held accountable to state and federal laws.”

Moreover, State Senator Wendy Rogers lauded her SB 1110 becoming law. Now, county recorders must create a system to notify a person or entity when any document is recorded with them as a named party, including any documents relating to property titles. Rogers said this would help prevent a property from being sold without the owner’s permission, especially in cases involving older adults.

“This is a win-win for everyone. Other states already do this, and I believe we should follow what other states are doing when it works,” Rogers said.

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Neil Jones is a reporter for The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Neil on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Katie Hobbs” by Katie Hobbs.

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