Arizona governor lifts pause to bill signing after funding dispute resolves

SEJAL GOVINDARAO
Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs on Thursday lifted her blanket veto threat after Republicans and Democrats united on legislation supplying funding for a state agency that provides services for some of Arizona’s most vulnerable residents.

After a standoff that lasted months and running up against an early May deadline, Hobbs announced last week she’d veto all bills not already on her desk — even policy she supports — until lawmakers in the GOP-controlled Legislature come to a supplemental funding agreement for the state’s Division of Developmental Disabilities. The division supports close to 60,000 people with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Down syndrome and other cognitive and intellectual disabilities.

Hobbs celebrated the funding bill, which she signed Thursday after approval from the Legislature, noting policies it puts into law like a 40-hour cap on the number of paid hours that parents who care for their children with disabilities can receive weekly per child.

“I’m proud to bring an end to the months of confusion and uncertainty that were forced on Arizonans who rely on the DDD program,” she said in a statement.

She ultimately did not automatically veto any legislation — neither the state House nor Senate sent bills to the governor’s office after she announced her bill moratorium.

Republicans’ frustration brewed after learning that Hobbs was requesting about $13 million more in funding for the division after having already put out her executive budget proposal. They said she mismanaged the funds.

Republicans had wanted to put guardrails on the program, and Democrats had wanted to discuss guardrails after approving the funding. GOP state Rep. Matt Gress, who sponsored the amendment to the bill that Hobbs signed, said he was happy with the compromise.

“I am very pleased that we reached an agreement that protects this vital safety net and ensures that it never happens again,” Gress said. “That was what was most important to me is that I do not want to see families being put into limbo based off of financial decisions that the executive unilaterally made.”

—-

The Associated Press’ women in the workforce and state government coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.