When people study the legislative bills being submitted by both the Republican and Democratic Party members in the Arizona State Legislature, the great majority of proposals that would lower costs for Working and Middle-Class Arizonans appear to come from the Party of Hobbs, Sundershan, and De Los Santos.
The great majority of Republican headline proposals seem centered on wedge issues like regulating bathroom access in public schools, memorializing gender identity, cutting spending for special needs kids while Empowerment Scholarship Accounts are not touched, and voter suppression.
Now there have been some exceptions like passing Democrat Nancy Gutierrez’s measure to provide free school meals and a state tax exemption on tipped wages.
But those are the exceptions.
Yesterday (February 12, 2025,) Arizona Legislative Democrats, led by Democratic House Leader Oscar De Los Santos, State Senator Eva Burch, and State Representative Stephanie Simacek, along with Opportunity Arizona Executive Director Ben Scheel outlined an Affordability Agenda, comprised of a series of legislative proposals to make housing and health care less expensive.
In his introductory remarks, Mr. Scheel said:
“Arizonans work hard for the opportunity to have a safe place to call home, afford a decent living, and get good health care. But because the cost of living has gotten out of hand and has become out of reach for too many, this is why we are introducing the Affordability Agenda, a plan that puts Working Families first through legislation that can lower the cost of housing, prescription drugs, and health care. The last election was a clear mandate by voters to lower the cost of living. They are tired of watching prices go up while prescription drug manufacturers, insurers, and private equity posts record profits quarter after quarter.”
“The legislation in the Affordability Agenda will lower costs for Arizonans. It directly addresses corporate greed by leveling the playing field for hardworking Arizonans and small businesses. The Affordability Agenda will hold these corporations accountable for their unconscionable price gouging. It’s time for Arizona homes to belong to Arizona, Families, not Wall Street. It’s time for the prescription medication to be affordable again. It’s time for accessible Quality Healthcare for all Arizonans. This agenda puts people over profits.”
State Senator and Nurse Eva Burch spoke next and discussed her proposals to lower healthcare costs for Arizonans, conveying:
“I have repeatedly seen the same challenge over and over again. Arizona should be a state where everybody has access to affordable, high-quality healthcare but the reality Is that one out of every three Americans are unable to take their prescription drugs due to the costs. Our elected leaders have to take responsibility for this and have to do everything that we can to change it. Too many of us are rationing medications or delaying treatment because we can’t afford the care we need. This is not only a challenge for individuals or families but it’s unhealthy and at times dangerous for all of us with people to get the care they need when they’re sick. This is why I have put forward SB 1402, The Stop Price Gouging Medicine Act and SB1403, The Affordable Medicine for All Act to lower the cost of your prescription medications.”
“The Stop Price Gouging Medicine Act will prohibit excessive and unjustified price increases to prescription medications. The cost of living in Arizona is a challenge enough already and the bill will protect Arizonans from predatory practices from Big Pharma and keep more money in their own pockets for the things we all need to maintain that dignified standard of living.”
“The Affordable Medicine for All Act will prohibit any person from being charged more than the maximum fair price on Medicare medications regardless of one’s income or health insurance status. This bill will make medicine more affordable for everybody.”
“To everyday Arizonans who are not drowning in disposable income, I hear you. Your Healthcare should be affordable. You should not have to make a choice between making your rent payment and buying groceries or getting the medication that you need to keep you healthy. This legislature can make Arizona more affordable, but some of our lawmakers are prioritizing the wrong things like bills on cryptocurrency or tax cuts for the rich and protecting corporate interests. Things that don’t really resonate with everyday Arizonans. I call them my colleagues to lower costs, by passing legislation like this, or at least giving it a Committee hearing and finally, putting working Arizona’s families first.”
Democratic House Leader Oscar De Santos spoke on the urgent need to reduce housing costs, offering:
“Hardworking families deserve a safe and affordable place to call home but instead corporate landlords and rich investors from Wall Street are making it impossible for us to buy a home. In fact, one study from the Pew Research Center found that corporate investors bought one in three single-family homes on the market in 2021. What does that mean for Arizona? It means higher mortgage rates, ridiculous rental prices, and more families facing eviction. All while these big corporations are making record profits. Today I have a message for the corporate landlords, who have come into Arizona, jacked up housing prices, and shoved Working Families out of the picture. Your time is up.”
“I have just introduced the Housing for Arizona’s First Act, HB2360 which is very simple. It states quote, “A corporation may not purchase a single-family, residence unless the single-family residence has been on the market for more than 60 days. Arizona homes should belong to Arizona families. And this bill will ensure that Arizonans, not the special interests get first dibs on buying houses here.”
“I’ve also introduced HB 2848, The Stop Corporate Home Buyers Act which does three things. First, it limits the number of homes a corporation can buy in the state to 100 per year. This will make it harder for these corporations to control the housing market and jack up prices. Second, we know that these shady corporations operate in secrecy. So we’re bringing transparency. Corporations that own 10 or more homes in this state will be forced to register with the state and their records will be available online so everyone can see who is buying up our neighborhoods. Third, the bill gives the Attorney General the power to go after any corporation that breaks these rules. Violators can be fined up to 20,000 dollars for each violation and those funds will be deposited into the Housing Trust Fund to help build more affordable housing for everyday, Arizona families.”
Finally, I have introduced HB 2847, The Stop Illegal Price Fixing Act, a bill strengthening Arizona’s Anti-Trust laws. As you may have seen recently Attorney General Kris Mayes sued corporate landlords here in Arizona for using algorithms, to illegally raise rents across the state. My bill will make it clear that these acts of price fixing are indeed illegal and it will hold these corporate landlords accountable.”
“Together, these bills will put Arizona Families first, protect our communities from corporate greed, bring down the costs of rents and mortgages, and ensure that all Arizonans have a fair shot at owning a home.”
Representative Stephanie Simacek spoke about HB2782, The Fair Claims and Accountability Act to combat health insurance obstruction to care and how this measure, due to her daughter’s health issues was a personal matter for her. In her remarks, Representative Simacek relayed:
“When my daughter was ten months old, I noticed that she was no longer developing properly at her gross motor development. And so, I did intervene, and we found a wonderful physical therapist who was excited to help her. What’s happened over the years was that our insurance continued to deny our claims over and over. Along with her physical therapist, we worked to fight these claims so that, my daughter could receive the care that she needed and the development skills that she needed. At age two, she still wasn’t walking. So, when her claims continued to get denied, as a mother, I was very concerned. It wasn’t, as if it was a choice that she had Physical Therapy. It was a necessity. So after many denials, I just ended up paying for it out of pocket. Unfortunately, our story is not unique. This is happening all the time.”
“The Fair Claims and Accountability Act establishes a healthcare claims consumer assistance program, to assist customers with filing complaints and appeals with a group health plan… an independent review organization and providing information about the internal and external appeal and grievance processes of a group health plan, health insurance carrier, or independent review organization. I wish I had had this program when I was going through this with my own daughter. The program assists consumers with health care plans… settling health insurance conflicts, disputed claims, and claim denials. It makes it unlawful for a health plan or an insurer in Arizona to wrongfully deny, or sufficiently cover a valid customer consumer insurance plan.”
“Arizonans shouldn’t be punished because greedy health insurance corporations wrongfully refuse to cover the cost of life-saving tests or treatments and in my case, my child’s development, Millions of wrongful denials go addressed and unaddressed because health insurance companies make appealing a claim so difficult to deny or appeal. The companies denied valid Healthcare claims for necessary care just to rake in more profit. Getting necessary health care coverage, more easily allows our families to focus on staying healthy and staying healthy with insurance companies and red tape or out-of-pocket costs…”
“…A former doctor for Cigna shared that it takes all of 10 seconds to automatically deny 50 medical claims. This is wrong. When I ran for the seat, I knocked on thousands and thousands of doors and I talked to my community and I told them that when I got here, I would fight for them and for things that are important to everyday Arizonans.
“We’re seeing bills come through that are focused on expanding culture wars and not dealing with the issues that Arizonans face every single day like proper housing and health care and public education. So today I stand here so proud of House, Bill 2782, the Fair Claims and Accountability Act so that I can represent my community and let them know that we are listening.”
After the event, Democratic House Leader De Los Santos responded to a couple of questions. The questions and his responses are below.
Republicans might come back and say we have tried to reduce costs for working Arizonans by just voting to exempt tipped employees from paying state taxes on their tips. How would the Leader like to respond to that?
“Last year, Republicans sent a measure to the ballot to lower wages for tipped employees. Under Republican economics, low-income people pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than people with higher incomes. It’s Democrats who are fighting for paid family and medical leave, to lower childcare costs, make housing more affordable, and ensure every Arizonan has good and affordable healthcare.”
What do you say to Republicans who do not support his making life easier and affordable for working and middle-class families? Please explain.
“The voters elected us to bring down costs and not focus on conspiracy theories and divisive culture wars. Pass these bills, no excuses.”
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