Governor Hobbs promised to continue working with farmers, and urban and rural communities to secure the state’s water future, and to update Arizona’s groundwater management laws for rural residents.
CAITLIN SIEVERS
Arizona Mirror
Republican and Democratic leaders have promised to work together this year on issues vital to Arizona like housing, water and education, but if the Republican response to Gov. Katie’s Hobbs’ State of the State speech is any indication, they have a long way to go to reach any consensus.
Hobbs, a Democrat, kicked off the state’s annual legislative session on Monday with a more than 45-minute speech that included a long list of priorities, including alleviating the crisis at Arizona’s southern border, passing a balanced budget, dealing with water issues, making the school voucher program more accountable and ensuring abortion access.
Some of her proposals, such as increasing access to reproductive health care and putting more guardrails on the school voucher program, are never going to garner Republican support — both spurred Sen. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, to turn his back on Hobbs — but the vast majority of Republicans didn’t even applaud Hobbs’ promise to increase teacher pay, something GOP legislators themselves have also proposed.
The two notable exceptions were Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, and Sen. Ken Bennett, R-Prescott, who both stood to applaud the teacher pay increase. Gress and Bennett were also the only two members of their party who stood to applaud Hobbs after she concluded her speech.
Hobbs will undoubtedly face an uphill battle in accomplishing some of her goals, with pushback from Republicans, who hold a one-vote majority in both chambers of the legislature.
Before Hobbs began her speech on Monday, Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, indicated he plans to work across the aisle to achieve Republican priorities, like a balanced budget, lower gas prices and solutions at the border.
But while House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Peoria, said he agreed with Petersen’s priorities, he also issued a firm message about the school voucher program.
“Any effort to eliminate or undermine parental choice in education will not succeed,” Toma said, to applause and cheers from the Republicans side of the room.
The most animated responses from the Democratic side came after Hobbs’ promise to ensure access to abortion.
