A Republican-controlled panel is rapidly interviewing and approving Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ picks to lead state agencies this year, a marked change from previous legislative sessions.
Only two months into this year’s legislative session, the state Senate’s Director Nominations Committee has already vetted and approved three of Hobbs’ proposed agency directors with little strife.
That's unlike in 2023, when the committee either didn’t hear or rejected several of Hobbs’ nominees, and she tried to withdraw them from consideration.
Committee Chair Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) said Hobbs sent better nominees this time around.
“I expect that that should continue moving forward, and if it doesn’t, we’ll see some interestingly contentious confirmation hearings,” Hoffman said.
The committee voted to recommend the confirmation of Hobbs’ picks to lead the Arizona Lottery and the state’s Residential Utility Consumer Office on Thursday.
Both votes were unanimous, although Hoffman stated that he’s morally opposed to the lottery as he voted to confirm acting Executive Director Alec Thomson.
Lawmakers did question Thomson about how the lottery is working to combat gambling addiction and underage gambling. He responded that the lottery has a campaign about age-appropriate gambling and is in compliance with the gaming industry’s marketing policies.
Cynthia Zwick - the prospective director of the Residential Utility Consumer Office - was approved smoothly.
Arizona Public Interest Research Group Executive Director Diane Brown said it’s a “testament to her decades of work on behalf of consumers in Arizona.”
The Senate did officially reject one of Hobbs’ nominees last week, although she’d been vetted by the committee more than a year ago.
Nominees Hobbs put forward to lead the state’s Department of Housing and Department of Veterans’ Services were rejected by lawmakers but are still working in influential and high-paying government jobs.
“She simply shuffles the deck, moves them into another role, doesn’t reduce their salary and just expects taxpayers to foot the bill,” Hoffman said of Hobbs. “It’s, quite frankly, offensive.”
In 2023, the Senate rejected Dana Allmond to lead Veterans’ Services, but she now works at the Department of Economic Security in a newly created role.
The Senate formally rejected Joan Serviss as Arizona Department of Housing director last week, but she’s now working there as a deputy director - as first reported by the Arizona Capitol Times.
“There’s nothing ‘offensive’ about having qualified individuals serving the state. What’s ‘offensive’ is indicted fake elector and criminal speeder Jake Hoffman holding Arizonans hostage to his radical, partisan agenda. If the Senator would like a say over state employment, he can run for governor,” Hobbs’ spokesperson Christian Slater responded in a text.
Slater declined to comment on Thomson’s and Zwick’s hearings.
Overall, seven director nominees have passed Senate confirmation. Three passed the director nominations committee but haven’t been confirmed by the full Senate. Others were rejected, or haven’t been considered.
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