Democrats’ Affordability Push Hits a Major Republican Snag

Democratic lawmakers and the progressive advocacy group Opportunity Arizona are urging their Republican counterparts to back initiatives focused on housing and healthcare affordability. To bolster their cause, they plan to invest $300,000 in a campaign aimed at mobilizing voter support for these bills.

Ben Scheel, executive director of Opportunity Arizona, emphasized the voters’ desire to tackle rising living costs. “It is time for Arizona homes to belong to Arizona families, not Wall Street,” he stated during a press conference on Wednesday.

The proposed “affordability agenda” features a series of House and Senate bills targeting prescription and housing costs, as well as healthcare affordability. However, many of these bills remain stagnant in committee, with a looming deadline for hearings next week threatening their chances of progressing in the legislative process.

“So far, we have seen over 14 bills favoring tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations, while none address the needs of hardworking Arizonans struggling with housing and healthcare,” Scheel noted. He criticized the GOP for prioritizing culture war issues that dominate their legislative agenda this year.

Opportunity Arizona’s planned outreach will focus on registered voters from all parties, encouraging them to contact committee chairs to advocate for hearing these essential bills. Scheel affirmed their commitment to holding legislators accountable if they fail to address the legislation.

The “affordability agenda” comprises specific bills, including House Bills 2782, 2757, 2360, 2848, and 2847, along with Senate Bills 1397, 1402, 1403, and 1209. Noteworthy among these are SB1402 and SB1403, sponsored by Democratic Senator Eva Burch, which aim to reduce prescription medication costs. Burch highlighted the struggle many face in affording necessary treatments, asserting that “too many of us are rationing medications or delaying treatments.”

Similarly, Democratic Representative Stephanie Simacek’s HB2782 seeks to establish a Healthcare Claims Consumer Assistance Program. “I wish I had this program when I was going through this with my own daughter,” she shared, recalling the challenges faced due to insurance denials.

House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos declared his support for initiatives addressing Arizona’s housing crisis. In a state where corporate investors increasingly purchase homes for rental purposes, his bills aim to slow this trend. HB2360 would enforce a waiting period of 60 days before a corporation can buy a single-family home, while HB2848 would restrict corporate purchases to 100 homes annually. Additionally, it would create a public database for corporations buying over ten homes and empower the attorney general to impose fines for noncompliance, funneling those funds into the Housing Trust Fund.

Unfortunately, none of the bills have progressed in the legislative process, and many remain unheard in committee. The Republican party, having solidified its majority in recent elections, is currently prioritizing its own agenda.

“We initially approached this request with understanding; now, we are making a firmer demand,” Scheel remarked, indicating a strategic shift toward key lawmakers in competitive districts who have not voiced support for the measures. “Nothing is dead until sine die,” he concluded, referencing the end of the legislative session.