A group of Arizona lawmakers who are also moms want the right to use campaign cash to cover child care costs when they’re on the campaign trail.
Arizona is just the latest state to consider using campaign dollars for child care, or paying for care for other dependents.
Those expenses are now legal in 31 other states, as well as Washington, D.C., as of this year. It’s also a legal expense for federal candidates.
Democratic Rep. Sarah Liguori (D-Phoenix) was one of four lawmakers who highlighted the issue in a letter last week to Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes — a fellow mother like Ligouri.
“Under current Arizona state law, it is unclear if child care costs incurred as a direct result of my candidacy are considered a necessary and permissible expenditure,” the lawmakers said in their letter. They cited the campaign finance guide which defines “‘expenditure” as “any purchase, payment or other thing of value that is made by a person for the purpose of influencing an election.”
“If I have a campaign event that I need to be at from 3-5, and I don't have coverage for my children who are home from school that day so I need to pay a babysitter $65 … that’s one that relates to me, because that’s the world that I’m living in,” Liguori said.
She noted that if Mayes gives a favorable opinion, that’s still just the first step. Lawmakers will likely have to pass a bill to allow caregiving expenses in state campaign finance law next year.
Liguori said she hasn’t had any conversations with Republicans yet, but she hopes it will be a bipartisan issue.
