The Veridus BLOG

Governor Katie Hobbs lifted her bill moratorium Thursday, clearing lawmakers to once again begin sending her bills to sign or veto. The announcement ends a legislative blockade that she began a month earlier, and is fueling optimism among Capitol-watchers that a budget deal is moving closer.

As expected, Governor Katie Hobbs today vetoed a GOP-led budget package for fiscal 2027. The $17.9 billion spending plan passed the Arizona House and Senate via party-line votes, and Governor Hobbs had already signaled her opposition. With a statement accompanying the veto, she called the legislative proposal “unbalanced and reckless,” and likened it to “Washington-style budgeting.”

Today, the Arizona State Senate approved the Republican majority’s $17.9 billion budget package for fiscal 2027. It will be transmitted to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, who has raised objections to the spending plan and is widely expected to veto it. The same proposal passed out of the House last week, clearing both chambers by a GOP-only, party-line vote.

Wednesday afternoon, the Arizona House of Representatives via a party-line vote advanced the GOP majority’s spending plan for fiscal year 2027. The proposal was introduced earlier this week.

State budget cuts are coming. Big ones. Thursday, the Finance Advisory Committee announced that Arizona State government finances have deteriorated markedly in recent months. In January, the 4-sector forecast projected $577 million in available resources. That estimate was slashed to $377 million as part of the April outlook released this week.

Nearly 2,000 bills were introduced to begin the Arizona legislative session. Most have now reached their eternal resting place. Today was the last chance for House and Senate committees to meet (except for Appropriations committees, which have one more week of work). That means, for the vast majority of bills, this was the deadline to clear committee and move to the full House or Senate for consideration.

Today, Governor Katie Hobbs released her fiscal 2027 Executive Budget, a $17.7 billion General Fund spending plan that prioritizes her affordability agenda - including a $236 million tax cuts package.

This evening, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a GOP-led tax cuts package - forcing legislators back to the negotiating table to discuss to what degree Arizona will conform to federal tax code changes.

Today, the 57th Arizona Legislature assembled for the 2nd regular session at the Arizona State Capitol as Governor Katie Hobbs delivered her fourth State of the State address.

The 2nd Regular Session of the 57th Arizona Legislature convenes Monday at the State Capitol, with Governor Katie Hobbs set to deliver her fourth State of the State address as the headliner of Opening Day.

Call it, Arizona’s Mostly Beautiful Bill. This week, Governor Katie Hobbs unveiled plans for a “Middle Class Tax Cuts Package,” which involves adopting some - but not all - of the federal tax changes created by President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.

Got budget requests? Good luck.

It wouldn’t be a high stakes Republican Primary in Arizona without serious melodrama.

Lean days are here. In terms of the Arizona State budget, anyway.

That was … a lot. The Arizona Legislature adjourned Sine Die on Friday, thus concluding a marathon, 165-day session that nearly spilled into the next fiscal year. Only 48 hours ago, a State government shutdown appeared imminent as budget talks were deadlocked and two consecutive spending plans lay vetoed on Governor Katie Hobbs’ desk.

The First Regular Session of the 57th Arizona Legislature adjourned sine die at 12:57 PM. Over the course of the session, 1,724 bills were introduced, 225 were signed into law and 169 were vetoed.

The Arizona Senate adjourned sine die early Friday, immediately following its approval of a $17.5 billion General Fund budget for fiscal year 2026. The upper chamber abruptly ended its work for the year … in apparent frustration at House legislators who had already adjourned Thursday afternoon.

Dear Clients, Early Friday morning, the Arizona Senate approved a $17.5 billion General Fund budget for fiscal year 2026. Unlike the...

Tonight, Arizona House Republicans passed a $17.3 billion spending plan for FY 2026. The vote was party-line but approved without...

On Wednesday evening, Republican leaders of the Arizona House of Representatives introduced a 14-bill budget package for fiscal 2026.