After a Week of Needless Theatrics from MAGA Republicans, the State House Finally Passes the Bipartisan Senate Budget Bill

After a week of posturing and needless theatrics from MAGA “Freedom Caucus” Republicans at the Arizona State Legislature that resulted in two vetoes from Governor Katie Hobbs, the House Republicans, after gaining some cosmetic face saving fiscal tweaks, passed the Bipartisan Senate Budget days after they had rejected bringing it up for floor consideration.

With House Speaker Steven Montenegro congratulating his MAGA “Freedom Caucus” Republican Band for “holding the line” on spending, House Democratic Leader Oscar De Los Santos said on the floor before voting for the budget:

“This balanced bipartisan budget is the result of intense months long negotiations and delivers important Democratic wins. The plan is not perfect, and nobody gets everything they want. But this budget delivers for Public School students, protects Medicaid and expands Health Care for cancer patients and tribal members. It also makes the biggest investment in ten years and reducing child care costs. While far right Republicans tried to rip away health insurance from thousands of Arizonans and attack Dreamers attending public universities, Democrats stood firm and rejected every one of those extremists proposals. Thanks to House Democrats, this budget delivers critical funding to low-income schools and free meals for public school students. It ensures that people with developmental disabilities gets the services they deserve. It funds Meals on Wheels for seniors, and it creates Homes for Heroes, a groundbreaking and bold new program to end veteran homelessness. We also take on the housing crisis, offering millions of dollars in relief to Arizonans who are on the brink of eviction, investing millions of dollars and rental assistance and utility assistance, and this budget includes millions more and legal aid to help workers take on predatory corporations who violate workers rights. We keep our economy moving forward with the biggest ever investment in full-right scholarships to ASU, NAU, and the U of A for working class students, and for the first time in Arizona history, we fund the Arizona Community College Promise Program, ensuring that cost is never a barrier for success for our students. This is also a true Public Safety budget. It includes pay raises for firefighters and law enforcement officers and funding to fight the fentanyl crisis. It protects survivors of domestic violence, and it does so without providing a dime to Donald Trump’s Mass Deporation agenda and without funding SB1070, which is enjoined and unenforceable. We also protect the future of Arizona’s water by creating the Colorado River Litigation Fund so we have the resources to defend our water boldly in the courts. Arizona voters have sent this chamber a clear message. They want us to work as adults and to be bipartisan and to address the big issues facing our state, regardless of party. This budget delivers on that mandate. I want to thank this caucus for engaging deeply in these discussions and the stakeholders, including all 22 tribal Nations who support this budget. I also want to thank ranking member Stahl Hamilton, the leadership team, and every member of this caucus who engaged. I vote I.”

Assistant Democratic Leader Nancy Gutierrez wrote in a post following the budget vote:

“I’m honored to have been part of this budget!!! We waived the AEL for 2 years!!! There’s NO money for ICE . We got school meals free for all kids who qualify for reduced rates. We got a record investment in universities and begin the Community College Promise Program!”

In a House Democratic press release, she stated:

“Far-right Republicans tried to end health insurance for thousands of Arizonans, attack Dreamers attending public universities, and cut vital funding for hospitals, especially in rural Arizona. Democrats stood firm and we defeated every single one of these extreme proposals.”

Ranking Appropriations Member Stephanie Stahl Hamilton offered in the same press release:

“A truly bipartisan budget means both parties being at the negotiating table with the Governor from the beginning. That is what happened, and it made all the difference with this budget. We helped build this plan with our caucus from the bottom up, working directly with the Governor’s outstanding team, and that gave me confidence in my vote.”

The budget will move to the Senate where it is fairly certain it will be approved and sent up to Governor Hobbs for her signature.