Ducey’s virtual speech, albeit light on policy, still hinted at what he hoped to accomplish in his seventh year as the state’s executive. (Photo by Gage Skidmore/Flickr)
By Dillon Rosenblatt | Arizona Capitol Times
The third longest legislative session in state history provided more time for Gov. Doug Ducey to accomplish all the priorities he laid out in his January State of the State speech, but most of them happened before the 100-day mark.
Ducey’s virtual speech, albeit light on policy, still hinted at what he hoped to accomplish in his seventh year as the state’s executive.
In an ironic twist, the 2021 session began with his shortest speech, clocking in at 22 minutes and ended with 171 days of a slog session (or 246,240 minutes), behind just 1988 and 1990 and tied with 1992.
The speech was heavy on getting through Covid – vaccines were only just starting to be given.
Among his policy goals were enacting a covid liability bill to protect businesses and hospitals from “frivolous” lawsuits. On April 5, Ducey signed SB1377 from Sen. Vince Leach, R-SaddleBrooke. It was a carryover bill from 2020 that didn’t pass before the pandemic put the session in a delay and subsequent abrupt completion.
Ducey also sought to cut taxes once again – and did just that when he signed the budget in June, solidifying the biggest tax cut in state history.
He told Capitol Times that tax cut is part of why he thinks 2021 will go down as his most successful session over his seven years so far.
