By Stacey Barchenger | Arizona Republic
Residents of Rio Verde Foothills left scrambling to find a water source earlier this year will get a reprieve under a bill Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed into law on Monday.
The governor signed the bill, which she previously signaled she would support, and 14 others on Monday while vetoing six measures on her desk.
Hobbs’ veto stamp was busy again Friday and Monday after lawmakers returned from a summer break to hold two days of voting last week, sending the Democratic governor a cascade of bills that wade into the culture war.
Her single-year veto record climbed even higher, to 125 vetoes this year, a reflection of divided government at Arizona’s Capitol.
In a statement, Hobbs declared the Rio Verde water bill, House Bill 2561/Senate Bill 1432, a victory of bipartisanship. Having been introduced by members of the Legislature’s farthest right flank, the Freedom Caucus, the bill passed with supermajority support, meaning it will become law immediately.
“This bipartisan bill shows that when we put politics aside, we can come together to solve problems for everyday Arizonans,” the governor said. “While it isn’t perfect, I’m glad we were able to deliver relief for the residents of Rio Verde Foothills.”
