Political Turmoil Ignites: Arizona Senate Unilaterally Passes Budget and Ends Session

The Arizona Senate has concluded its legislative session after a flurry of activity, passing budget bills amid a backdrop of contentious debates and disagreements. This culmination came just hours after a potential compromise with House Republicans collapsed, forcing the House to adjourn without voting on the budget.

The day was characterized by lengthy discussions and heated exchanges across party lines. Shortly after passing the final budget bill just before 2 a.m. Friday, the Senate took a bipartisan vote to adjourn, known as sine die. This move preempts the House, which now faces a June 30 deadline to approve a budget independently.

Criticism arose from several Senate Republicans regarding Senate President Warren Petersen’s unilateral decision to conclude the session without the House’s approval. Senator J.D. Mesnard expressed his discontent, highlighting that the Senate’s work remained unfinished as they awaited action on bills they sponsored.

Mesnard described the abrupt session end as “unconstitutional” and “antagonistic.” In response, Petersen argued that it was the House leadership’s unwillingness to collaborate on the budget that demonstrated a lack of respect for the Senate’s work. He asserted that he believed the House had enough votes to pass the budget but chose to adjourn until Monday, citing further delays.

The Senate engaged in an exhaustive day of voting, eventually passing a package of 16 budget bills, mostly with narrow, bipartisan support. While some top Democrats opposed the plan, the majority of Senate Republicans and Democrats had spent weeks negotiating its details with Governor Katie Hobbs, whose signature is essential for it to become law.

The $17.6 billion budget proposal expands Medicaid spending by approximately $260 million and increases K-12 education funding by almost $100 million compared to the House’s version. Democratic Leader Priya Sundareshan noted that while some Democrats voted for the budget due to minor victories in K-12 funding, many still had reservations. Concerns largely centered on the Republican-backed 2.5% flat income tax implemented in 2023 that drained $2 billion from the state budget, as well as a lack of safeguards surrounding private school vouchers.

Critics, including Phoenix Democrat Analise Ortiz, voiced their opposition to the budget, citing its allocation of funds for immigration enforcement and insufficient support for affordable housing initiatives. Meanwhile, the House Republicans had previously exited collaborative budget talks, devising their own $17.3 billion plan without input from the Senate or the governor.

Last week, House Republicans voted on their own proposals, which Governor Hobbs dismissed as “dead on arrival,” prompting a Democratic boycott of the vote. The Senate’s budget now awaits House approval, with a looming government shutdown if no agreement is reached by the end of the month.

House Republicans have criticized the Senate plan for not being conservative enough. However, some amendments from their proposals were included last-minute, such as a property tax exemption for disabled military veterans. Senators amended the budget to establish a Child and Family Representation Program aimed at improving legal representation in juvenile court cases, responding to concerns raised by some Republican lawmakers.

Senator Jake Hoffman, who leads the Arizona Freedom Caucus, spent considerable time introducing amendments derived from the House proposals, despite their inevitable rejection. Efforts to exclude funding for scholarships benefiting undocumented students were met with strong opposition from Democrats and ultimately voted down.

The legislative session, fraught with tension and division, saw Petersen defend the Senate’s agreements, emphasizing the need to respect the terms negotiated with the governor. As lawmakers debated into the night, a sense of urgency prevailed, particularly with House Republicans abandoning hopes of concluding votes on the Senate budget before key legislators began leaving for personal engagements.

Petersen remarked that the session should have concluded two months prior, attributing the delays to the House’s slow progress with its budgetary responsibilities. The next steps remain crucial as the House gears up to deliberate on the Senate’s proposal under a tight deadline.