Betty Villegas
Mary Jo Pitzl
Arizona Republic
Housing advocate Betty Villegas will be the newest state lawmaker, picked on a 3-1 vote Tuesday by the Pima County Board of Supervisors to fill a legislative vacancy.
Villegas, a Democrat, replaces former Rep. Andrés Cano, D-Tucson. Her appointment brings the 60-member House of Representatives up to full capacity just in time for the scheduled resumption of legislative business July 31.
Villegas brings a focus on housing and homelessness to the Legislature, supervisors said in selecting her from a field of three nominees.
“I’m incredibly worried about my homeless patients who go … I don’t know where,” Supervisor Matt Heinz said of patients he treats as an emergency room physician.
Villegas is the housing and community development director for South Tucson.
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