Here's a list of all the Arizona bills Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed so far in 2025

Here's a breakdown of the Arizona House and Senate bills Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed so far in 2025.

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Here are all the bills Hobbs has vetoed so far in 2024

Wayne Schutsky

Hobbs, who's a Democrat and broke the state's veto record in 2023, says the legislation that she is vetoing is extreme, and denied accusations that her office refuses to work with Republicans.

House bills

House Bill 1109 - antisemitism; public schools; prohibition; penalties

House Bill 1109 would have prohibited school teachers and employees from teaching antisemitism. The bill would have allowed any individual to report alleged violations of the law to the school. If a public school official determined there was a violation of the law, they’d be required to notify the Arizona State Board of Education. The bill outlined consequences in those cases, going all the way up to revoking a teacher’s certification. The bill’s definition of antisemitism is the same as the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. Hobbs condemned antisemitism in her veto letter and said she stands with the Jewish community. She also noted Holocaust education requirements she signed into law last year. “Unfrotunately this bill is not about antisemitism, it’s about attacking our teachers,” Hobbs wrote. She said the legislation would unfairly target public school teachers and shield private schools. She added that families already have the power to report antisemitism. She also included a letter from the Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center urging her to veto the bill. The bil passed out of the Senate on party lines, but had some bipartisan support in the House.

House Bill 2004 - Voter registration cards; mailing limitation

HB 2004 would have prohibited county recorders from providing voter registration cards to anyone whose mailing address is located outside of the state. The bill included exceptions for people living in areas not served by the U.S. Post Office and military personnel or overseas voters who are aulethorized to vote under federal law. In a veto letter, Hobbs said the legislation “adds red tape and places unnecessary burdens on lawfully registered voters.”

House Bill 2006 - Election mailings; third-party disclosures

HB 2006 would have required election-related documents mailed by nongovernmental entities to include a disclosure stating they are “not from a government agency.” Hobbs vetoed the bill, indicating they could hamper voter registration efforts. “The broad language of the bill could inadvertently discourage qualified citizens from registering to vote,” she wrote.

House Bill 2007 - Voter registrations; payment prohibited

HB 2007 would not allow a person to be paid based on the number of people they register to vote. “While I appreciate the goal of reducing errors on voter registration forms, I will not sign legislation that hinders voter registration efforts based on speculation,” Hobbs wrote. “Voter registration forms that do not meet Arizona’s requirements will continue to be rejected by counties.”

House Bill 2012 - Emergency use products; employers; prohibition

HB 2012 would have prohibited employers, government entities and health care providers from requiring the use of items approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under emergency use authorization, including vaccines. Rep. Nick Kupper (R-Surprise), an Army veteran, said the bill was in response to separate situations when military members were required to receive vaccinations for anthrax and COVID-19 that had received emergency use authorization from the FDA. In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote the bill is “predicated on a misunderstanding of federal law. It has the potential to jeopardize the public health of Arizonans and problematically puts the state in the position of dictating the policy decisions of private employers,” she wrote.

House Bill 2017 - Voting centers ban; precinct size

HB 2017 would have removed county boards of supervisors and recorder’s ability to establish voting centers and on-site early voting locations. It would have limited the size of an election precinct to 1,000 voters maximum. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that she supports the state’s current voting center model, saying it offers more flexibility for voters. She wrote that the bill would have made it harder for voters to vote.

House Bill 2046 - Audits; precincts; voting centers

HB 2046 would have added voting centers to the pool of precincts within a county from which ballots for hand count audits must be selected. It would have required hand count audits to start right after the selection of precincts or voting centers. Vote totals would have to be made publicly available before choosing the voting centers and polling places. Hobbs said in her veto letter that requiring separate hand count audits for early and election day ballots is “inefficient and cumbersome for election officials.”

House Bill 2050 - Provisional ballots; cure data

HB 2050 would have added provisional ballot voters to the list of votes whose signatures would require curing. County recorders or elections directors must send that list of voters to political parties daily until the end of the signature curing period. Hobbs said in her veto letter that she sees no need for the bill.

House Bill 2058 - Immunizations; proof; exemptions; higher education

If a college or university requires proof of immunization to enroll, HB 2058 would require the school to allow students who are 18 years or older to seek an exemption due to personal beliefs or written certification from a healthcare provider that the immunization may be harmful to the student’s health. Hobbs called the bill “unnecessary, given university and community college policies.”

House Bill 2060 - State sovereign authority; elections

HB 2060 would assert the claim that the State of Arizona has sovereign authority over qualifications to vote in federal elections conducted in the state. In a veto letter, Hobbs wrote that bill conflicts with federal law and could open the state up to litigation.

House Bill 2062 - Sex-based terms; laws; rules; regulations

HB 2062 would have put into state law narrow definitions of biological sex and would not provide a definition for a third biological sex category. Democrats argued the bill was an attempt to “erase” transgender people. In a veto letter, Hobbs said she encourages “the Legislature to focus on real issues that matter and impact people’s everyday lives.”

House Bill 2063 - Parental notification; school immunization exemptions

The bill would require any communication sent home by a school regarding immunization requirements to include information about all available exemptions to those requirements. Hobbs vetoed the bill, arguing it “is unnecessary as the information it is trying to disseminate is widely available and easily accessible for those who are interested.”

House Bill 2067 - Governing boards; records; access

HB 2067 would have given school board members access to all information and records maintained by a district so they can carry out their duties. Hobbs said she won't provide such blanket access to “sensitive records without compelling reasons and sufficient guardrails.”

House Bill 2086 - Water improvements program; water hauling

HB 2085 would have modified requirements for a water improvement program by allowing grants and donations to give financial assistance to residential property owners for water hauling. The bill also would have added storage tank installation to the list of projects a grant recipient can use their money for.

House Bill 2091 - Assured water supply; certificate; model

HB 2091 would have required the state Department of Water Resources to grant certificates showing an applicant has an assured water supply for their proposed development. The state has a handful of Active Management Areas in which groundwater use is restricted. The bill would have required ADWR to review all applications for a certificate of assured water supply and issue new determinations if the applications meet certain criteria and reduced replenishment requirements. Hobbs said in her veto letter that the bill would force the approval of developments without demonstrating there is enough of a water supply. “Ignoring Arizona’s 100-year Assured Water Supply criteria harms Arizona homeowners and leaves communities without reliable and affordable water resources,” Hobbs wrote. She said she’ll continue to uphold consumer protections and water requirements.

House Bill 2092 - Land divisions; disclosure affidavit; recording

Current Arizona law requires people selling five or fewer land parcels on incorporated county land to provide a sworn disclosure to the buyer. HB 2092 would have changed the information that must be included in that disclosure by adding several provisions, including if the property is served by a well. Hobbs vetoed the bill, because it would exempt certain sellers from the disclosure requirement. “It is unclear to me why it would be in the public interest to allow for available details about a property to be withheld from a prospective buyer,” she wrote.

House Bill 2094 - Real estate; definition of contiguous

HB2094 would have modified the definition of the word “contiguous” in real estate law. Contiguous refers to lots, parcels or fractional interests sharing a common boundary or point. The new definition under the bill would require contiguous to include lots, parcels and fractional interests separated by roads, streets and highways.

House Bill 2121 - SNAP; mandatory employment and training

HB 2121 would have required the Department of Economic Security to require able-bodied adults under 60 who are getting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to participate in an employment and training program. The bill would have allowed some exceptions. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote that she knows firsthand how effective SNAP is as an anti-hunger tool. She added that she doesn’t support “putting up additional barriers for people already struggling to put food on the table.”

House Bill 2122 - SNAP; work requirement waivers; exemptions

HB 2122 would have prohibited the Department of Economic Security from seeking or accepting or renewing waivers of work requirements under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for adults without independents, unless required by law. It would have banned DES from allowing exemptions to the SNAP work requirement. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote that she knows firsthand how effective SNAP is as an anti-hunger tool. “Putting up additional barriers for people already struggling to put food on the table is not the way to expand opportunity, security, and freedom for Arizonans,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter.

House Bill 2126 - Medical records; parental rights

HB 2126 would have required healthcare entities to provide parents with access to all electronic portals or other platforms that disseminate their child’s medical records, even if parental consent is not required for the treatment in question. Hobbs vetoed the bill, saying it “created legal ambiguity for healthcare providers who have existing obligations to patient privacy.”

House Bill 2153 - Voting locations; political party observers

State law already allows the chairperson of each political party to appoint representatives who can challenge voter eligibility at a polling place. HB 2153 would allow parties to appoint challengers to appear at early voting locations as well. In a veto letter, Hobbs said the bill would strain resources at counties that are already struggling to recruit enough poll workers to conduct elections.

House Bill 2154 - Early voting list; undeliverable ballots

HB 2154 would have required the county recorder or elections director to take voters off of the Active Early Voting List if an AEVL notice sent to them is returned undeliverable by the post office. The removed voter would be considered inactive. The elections officials would no longer be required to contact the voter at their new residence to update their address. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that the bill would violate the National Voter Registration Act.

House Bill 2165 - SNAP; prohibited purchases; waiver

HB 2165 would have directed the state to ask the federal government for permission to take sodas off the list of eligible purchases using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program assistance, previously known as food stamps. The bill had the support of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. In a veto message, Gov. Katie Hobbs said she appreciates that the intent of HB 2165 is to “improve the health outcomes of Arizonans.” But the governor said that’s not sufficient to have Arizona ask permission from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to let the state take sodas off the list of eligible purchases.

House Bill 2169 - School districts; board meetings; expenditures

HB 2169 would require school boards to hold all meetings at a public facility in the school district and give the public access to meeting materials. It would also have required schools boards to vet staff requests for out-of-state travel and hold a public vote to approve that travel for school board members and a superintendent, principal or their representatives. Hobbs said the bill needs more work. “I am concerned about unintended consequences of this bill, including adverse impacts on interscholastic activities,” she wrote.

House Bill 2202 - Subsequent AMA; previously nonirrigated land

HB 2202 would have allowed residents of an active management area, known as an AMA, to irrigate land which was not previously allowed to be irrigated if certain conditions are met. In AMAs, groundwater use is heavily restricted — especially for irrigation, which is a substantial use. This bill would apply to subsequent AMAs, which is an AMA created after 1980. The governor said in her veto message that this is one of a set of bill switch would weaken groundwater protections.

House Bill 2205 - Election procedures manual; authority

HB 2205 would have asserted that the requirement for the secretary of state to adopt an Elections Procedures Manual can’t be construed as an excessive delegation of legislative powers. It would also specify that the manual’s provisions only have the force of law if they are sections the Legislature has specifically authorized the secretary of state to include. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobs said in her veto letter that the scope of authority regarding the manual is already clear.

House Bill 2206 - Multistate voter registration system; prohibition

HB 2206 would require county recorders to create voter registration maintenance systems and would only allow state election officials to join multistate voter registration maintenance systems if they complied with specific requirements in the law. In a veto letter, Hobbs, a former secretary of state, wrote the bill adds bureaucracy to voter list maintenance “and imposes significant additional costs on Arizona’s county recorders.”

House Bill 2221 - Law enforcement; defunding; prohibition

HB 2221 would have barred cities from making cuts in how much money they put into law enforcement by outlawing year-over-year cuts in what cities spent on police services. Hobbs, in her veto message, said she has “consistently advocated” for increased funding for law enforcement but believes the bill “undermines local decision making which is needed for public safety agencies to operate efficiently.”

House Bill 2222 - Settlement agreements; report; approval

HB 2222 would have required city, town and county governments to submit reports to governor, legislature and the attorney general before entering settlement agreements of $500,000 or more. Hobbs called the bill “clear government overreach on the part of the Legislature.”

House Bill 2233 - Corporation commission; lobbying; prohibition

HB 2233 would have restricted the ability of the Arizona Corporation Commission to advocate for legislation without first having a public vote. The governor said it would be “stifling” the agency's ability to provide lawmakers with necessary feedback.

House Bill 2256 - Domestic proceedings; therapeutic intervention; prohibition

HB 2256 would have prohibited courts in domestic relations cases from ordering a party to pay for any type of therapy, treatment or counseling program designed to improve or maintain the parent-child relationship. The governor said this is a bill designed to address one specific situation and urged lawmakers to work with the courts and judges to “better understand existing practices aimed to support the best interests of children.”

House Bill 2257 - DCS; vaccinations; child placement

HB 2257 prohibits the Department of Child Safety from refusing to place a child in a foster home or with a foster parent based on whether the child has been vaccinated. Hobbs called the legislation “unnecessary.” “Our state's greatest need for community foster homes is for older children in the custody of the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS)-which this bill does nothing to address. And, consistent with state statute, DCS affords biological parents of young foster children discretion regarding medical care to enable appropriate kinship placements in the best interest of the child,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter.

House Bill 2270 - Groundwater model; stormwater recharge; AMAs

HB 2270 would have required the director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources to update groundwater models for active management areas, known asAMAs. In AMAs, groundwater use is monitored and restricted to protect the water supply. The bill would have required Department of Water Resources to include stormwater recharge in groundwater models and assume the recharge would offset a portion of future groundwater use.

House Bill 2271 - Supply and demand; assessment; groundwater

HB 227 would require the Arizona Department of Water Resources to include specific information in the reports it issues on the state’s groundwater basins every five years, including various depth measurements showing how much water is left in the basin; the total volume of groundwater in the basin; and the how many years worth of water is left in the basin under current conditions. Hobbs vetoed the bill, along with several other water bills, stating any proposed changes to rural water policy should be discussed in ongoing negotiations with the governor’s office. “Yet again, I am disappointed that none of these bills would make a difference in solving the water policy challenges that Arizona residents and communities are facing today,” she wrote.

House Bill 2274 - Water improvement district; Willcox basin

HB2274 would have allowed the Cochise County Board of Supervisors to ask voters whether to make the Willcox Groundwater Basin into a “domestic water improvement district.” A domestic water improvement district has the power to finance and serve water in a given area. The bill would have made the board of supervisors the governing body of the district if voters chose to establish it. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs vetoed HB2274 in a sweep along with three other water policy bills. She said in her veto letter that the bills would either “weaken water protections” or “duplicate existing programs.”

House Bill 2324 - Forfeiture; digital assets; reserve fund

Some criminals are subject to forfeiture - when the government seizes certain property or assets related to the crime. HB2324 would have allowed the seizure of digital assets, like cryptocurrency. The bill also would have established a “Bitcoin and Digital Asset Reserve Fund” administered by the state treasurer’s office to manage those seized assets. The bil passed out of the legislature with both bipartisan support and bipartisan opposition. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill “disincentivizes local law enforcement from working with the state on digital asset forfeiture by removing seized assets from local jurisdictions.”

House Bill 2437 - Drug-free homeless zones

HB2437 would have established drug-free “homeless service zones.” Anyone operating a homeless services center would be required to ban the use of dangerous drugs. Anyone convicted of selling drugs in one of the zones would face harsher criminal penalties than they would elsewhere. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the government should focus on engaging people in services, not enforcing criminal laws. “I encourage this Legislature to work with me to address our state’s housing shortage, increase affordable housing options, and get homeless Arizonans off the street,” Hobbs wrote.

House Bill 2440 - Attorney general; election certification; prohibition

HB 2440 would have prohibited the attorney general from prosecuting, bringing criminal charges against or filing a civil action against anyone on a county board of supervisors based on their vote against certifying the county’s election results. The bill would apply if the supervisor’s vote is based on a good faith belief that there’s an issue with the election results, or evidence of that. Two Cochise County supervisors were indicted for refusing to certify election results, and Mohave supervisors were warned that if they did the same, they would likely face legal action. Only one Democrat in the Legislature voted for the bill. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that no one should be above the law and she wants to protect the voices of Arizona voters over politicians.

House Bill 2441 - Psychologist board; complaint-related documents

HB 2441 would have changed documental review requirements relating to state Board of Psychological Examiner’s investigations. Under the bill, a complainant would be entitled to getting copies of all documents the Board reviews relating to an investigation. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that the bill is unnecessary because the Board already gives files to licensees upon request.

House Bill 2450 - Unemployment insurance; benefit amounts

HB 2450 would have lowered the amount of time a person can qualify for unemployment benefits in a given year based on the unemployment rate of the previous year. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that cutting unemployment insurance won’t help Arizona workers, but will instead harm them and their families.

House Bill 2515 - Truth in taxation; bonds; notices

HB 2515 would require voter pamphlets for certain ballot propositions that would increase property taxes, including school district budget and override elections, to include the estimated tax impact on a homeowner with a home valued at $400,000. “I have confidence that Arizona voters understand what they are doing when they vote in a bond election,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter.

House Bill 2517 - Written request; property locators

HB 2517 would allow third-parties to enter into agreements with people to locate unclaimed property as long as the fee does not exceed 20% of the property’s value. Hobbs vetoed the bill, writing the Arizona Department of Revenue “works diligently” to reunite residents with their unclaimed property and can do so through its existing budget. The department is in the midst of implementing new procedures to accomplish that goal. “The department needs sufficient time to implement these changes before we consider allowing third party locators access to confidential taxpayer information for the commercial purpose of charging Arizonans 20% of the value of their own property,” she wrote.

House Bill 2527 - Corporation Commission; electricity; reliability; management

HB 2527 would prohibit the Arizona Corporation Commission from allowing a utility to shut down an “electric generation facility” unless there is a new power plant on the grid with equal or greater generating power. The bill defines “electric generation facility” as a plant that produces electricity using water, coal, natural gas or nuclear power. “Bills like this one that seek to disincentivize, deprioritize, or otherwise limit new renewable energy projects directly threaten Arizona’s energy workforce growth and the associated potential for lowered energy bills, while at the same time putting our grid reliability at risk,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter.

House Bill 2570 - Temporary non-expansion area

HB 2570 would have set up a process for the Arizona Department of Water Resources to set up a “temporary non-expansion area” limiting the use of irrigation, well drilling and other groundwater uses in the area. Hobbs vetoed the bill, along with other Republican water management proposals, arguing they fail to address Arizona’s water management issues and weaken existing groundwater protections. She said she will not consider rural groundwater legislation outside of ongoing water negotiation meetings.

House Bill 2375 - Children with disabilities; evaluation; deadline

If the parent of a homeschooled student submits a request for an evaluation under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act from May 1 to Aug. 15, the bill would require public school districts to begin an evaluation or notify them that the request was denied within 15 days. “This bill fails to recognize the realities of public school staffing over the summer and provides no financial support for adequate implementation,” Hobbs wrote.

House Bill 2439 - Website information; pregnant women

HB 2438 would have required the state’s Medicaid agency — the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System — to put a “conspicuous” link on its website directing people to adoption information and other support for pregnant women. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs accused the lawmakers in her veto letter of trying to restrict access to abortion and limit information “on the full spectrum of reproductive health choices available to Arizona women.”

House Bill 2541 - DCS; hearings; complete disclosure requirements

HB 2541 would require any petition to terminate parental rights to include a notarized affidavit affirming the Department of Child Safety has disclosed all information it has related to the case. Hobbs wrote that the bill is overly broad and would need “significant operational enhancements to implement.” “My administration is open to continued conversations on right-sizing this approach and evaluating the resources required to make these legal disclosures timely and useful,” she wrote in a veto letter.

House Bill 2542 - State contracts; foreign adversary; prohibition

HB 2542 would have prohibited a company based in China from bidding on, submitting a proposal for or entering into a contract with a state agency. It would have required any company bidding or submitting a proposal for a state contract to certify that they’re not Chinese. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines. “This overbroad bill would dramatically increase costs to taxpayers when purchasing goods and services,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter.

House Bill 2551 - Grandfathered right; Willcox AMA; extension

HB 2551 would have extended the amount of time a resident of the Wilcox Active Management Area has to submit a claim for grandfathered water rights to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. The department designated the Wilcox AMA last year, making it the state’s seventh Active Management Area, which are parts of Arizona that are subject to regulation under the state’s groundwater code. Hobbs vetoed the bill, along with several other water bills, stating any proposed changes to rural water policy should be discussed in ongoing negotiations with the governor’s office. “Yet again, I am disappointed that none of these bills would make a difference in solving the water policy challenges that Arizona residents and communities are facing today,” she wrote.

House Bill 2573 - Groundwater; plants; wine grapes; non-irrigation

HB 2573 would have changed what activities qualify as non-irrigation uses in the state’s Active Management Areas, parts of Arizona, including the metro Phoenix region, that are subject to regulation under the state’s groundwater code. The bill would categorize the watering of wine grapes and plants grown using hydroponics as non-irrigation uses, giving landowners the ability to withdraw groundwater to grow those plants. Hobbs vetoed the bill, along with several other water bills, stating any proposed changes to rural water policy should be discussed in ongoing negotiations with the governor’s office. “Yet again, I am disappointed that none of these bills would make a difference in solving the water policy challenges that Arizona residents and communities are facing today,” she wrote.

House Bill 2574 - Small land subdivision; requirements

HB 2574 would have allowed county boards of supervisors to approve small subdivisions of between six and ten lots that are not subject to assured water supply requirements designed to ensure a development has access to enough water to serve future residents. Under current law, developers who build six or more homes on a piece of land must provide that proof of assured water supply. Hobbs vetoed the bill, along with several other water bills, stating any proposed changes to rural water policy should be discussed in ongoing negotiations with the governor’s office. “Yet again, I am disappointed that none of these bills would make a difference in solving the water policy challenges that Arizona residents and communities are facing today,” she wrote.

House Bill 2576 - Notice; violation; deficiency correction

HB 2576 would have required state agencies to provide people regulated by the agency written notice of alleged violations and prohibited agencies from taking enforcement actions until the person has been given a chance to fix the problem. “This bill harms the ability of state agencies to conduct their inspections, compliance and enforcement programs, threatening the health and safety of Arizona consumers,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter.

House Bill 2610 - school districts; board members; superintendent

The bill would have required the removal of superintendents and board members if a school district is put under receivership by the State Board of Education. It would also bar those board members from holding office in the future. The bill sponsor said it was inspired by the Isaac School District in Phoenix, which was put under receivership as it faced a more than $20 million deficit. Hobbs said the legislation is an example of legislative overreach, arguing that removing an entire elected school board could create more chaos in districts already facing a crisis. “This bill appears to seek broad retribution rather than providing targeted methods to address problems,” Hobbs said in a veto letter.

House Bill 2640 - School districts; leases; termination; nonrenewal

HB 2640 would have given charter schools leasing a building from a public school district the right of first refusal to purchase the building if it is put up for sale by the district. It would also impose specific requirements on school boards seeking to end a lease with a public school, private school or other tenant that services to students. Hobbs vetoed the bill, writing, “I cannot support wholesale attempts to retroactively undo decisions of elected school district governing boards.”

House Bill 2649 - Electoral college; support

HB 2649 affirmed the Legislature’s support for the use of the Electoral College to elect the president of the United States. In a veto letter, Hobbs wrote the bill only expresses the opinion of the Legislature and should be included in a House Resolution, which are used by lawmakers to express official opinions of the Legislature and do not require the governor’s approval.

House Bill 2651 - Voting equipment; requirements; origin

Starting in 2029, HB 2651 would have banned the secretary of state from certifying any vote recording or vote tabulating machines with any parts not sourced from and manufactured in the United States. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill is predicated on conspiracy theories instead of fact.

House Bill 2670 - Health education; fetal development instruction

HB 2670 would have required the state Board of Education to include instruction on fetal development in course requirements for students in seventh and eighth grade, including information about human reproduction and descriptions of fetal development. Hobbs said the state Board of Education and schools, not the Legislature, should make decisions about instructional requirements. “This conflicts with Arizona’s opt-in sex education requirements and will create confusion in implementation,” she wrote.

House Bill 2671 - DCS; kinship care placement; requirement

Existing Arizona law requires the Department of Child Safety to promote the kinship placement of a child in foster care with the child’s relative or a person with a “significant relationship with the child.” HB 2671 explicitly included extended family members in that law. However, Hobbs said DCS already includes extended family members when searching for kinship placement for a foster child “consistent with state and federal law.”

House Bill 2700 - Academic standards; social studies; geography

HB 2700 would have required high schools to teach students that the Gulf of Mexico is called the Gulf of America. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. In her veto letter, Hobbs asked lawmakers to refocus their time and energy on doing things that help people. “Arizonans want us to work together to lower costs, secure the border, create jobs, and protect public education. Instead of joining with me to do that, the Legislature has chosen to attempt to dictate how teachers refer to geographic features,” Hobbs wrote.

House Bill 2703 - Early voting; tabulation; ballot deadlines

The Republican lawmakers who backed HB 2703 argued the legislation would have sped up the announcement of election results. The bill, inspired by Florida election laws, would have made a number of changes to election administration, including moving up the deadline for Arizona voters to drop off early ballots at any polling place from Election Day to the Friday before an election. Hobbs said in her veto letter that she supports the idea of getting faster election results, but not if it limits voters' access to the polls.

House Bill 2767 - Voter registrations; transportation department; recorders

HB 2767 would have required the Arizona Department of Transportation to send all voter registration information to the Secretary of State and county recorders simultaneously. ADOT would have been required to give the information to the appropriate recorders within five days of receiving a completed voter registration application. The bill passed out of the legislature on party liens without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill “inaccurately represents the maintenance of voter registration information in Arizona.” She also said it would put costs on recorders.

House Bill 2774 - Small modular reactors; co-location

HB 2774 would have allowed utilities to build small modular nuclear reactors on existing power plant sites with little regulatory oversight. Supporters argued the bill would help address the state’s growing energy needs driven, in part, by the growth of Arizona’s data center industry. Hobbs wrote that she is in favor of having conversations about the adoption of new energy technologies, including small modular reactors. “Unfortunately, this bill puts the car before the horse by providing broad exemptions for a technology that has yet to be commercially operationalized anywhere in the nation,” she wrote.

House Bill 2788 - Utility; resource plan; commission review

HB 2788 would have created a new state law requiring electric utility companies to submit an integrated resource plan to the Arizona Corporation Commission every three years and stipulating what information should be included in the plan. The commission already develops its own rules requiring utilities under its regulation to create and submit those resource plans, and critics expressed concern HB 2788 omits certain rules, puts outdated provisions into state law and undermines the commission ability to regulate those utilities. “While the current review process may benefit from updates, adjustments to the process should not bar updates that work against building an energy economy of the future,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter.

House Bill 2798 - Narcotic injection sites; zoning; prohibition

HB 2798 would have banned municipalities and counties from passing any sort of zoning or ordinance allowing the development of a narcotics injection facility - meaning an establishment with the oversight of health care providers where patients would have space to take unprescribed controlled substances. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. “These sites are nonexistent in Arizona,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter. “I encourage the Legislature to seek common sense solutions to actually help Arizonans struggling with substance use disorder.”

House Bill 2803 - Mixed hoteling; signage; requirements

HB 2803 would have required hotels to post signs disclosing to their guests if any unhoused people are also staying in the hotel. Guests objecting to that would be given full refunds. The bill also would have prevented any state or local funding to pay for “mixed hoteling.” The signage would also recommend that guests lock their doors. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that we should not micromanage hotels who are trying to help people. “Let’s instead engage in more productive efforts to create more transitional and affordable housing options across Arizona,” Hobbs wrote.

House Bill 2814 - Noncustodial federal monies; appropriation

HB 2814 would have given the Legislature authority to oversee the spending of certain federal funds sent to Arizona. Right now, those funds are typically overseen by the governor’s office. Hobbs vetoed the bill, arguing it would “create challenges for the State budget process and could upend important programs upon which Arizonans rely.”

House Bill 2824 - Legislative subpoena; perjury; refusal; contempt

HB 2824 would have allowed legislative committees to hold witnesses in contempt for not obeying a legislative subpoena if the order of contempt is issued by the committee’s chair for not complying with the subpoena after the witness gets an opportunity for a hearing to explain why they’re not in contempt. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that the bill would weaponize the power of the Legislature in a way that could intimidate Arizonans. She also said holding someone in contempt isn’t something a single lawmaker should be able to do alone.

House Bill 2868 - Discrimination; policies; preferential treatment

HB 2868 would have banned policies to discipline an employee or contractor regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. The bill would have banned the state, agencies, municipalities, counties, colleges and universities from creating a DEI office, requiring DEI statements, giving anyone preferential treatment based on DEI and requiring DEI training. Under the bill, universities and community colleges wouldn’t be allowed to spend money until they submit a report to the Legislature annually certifying their compliance with the legislation. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill would jeopardize the stability of colleges and universities. “Our state universities and community colleges play a vital role in developing Arizona’s workforce, improving our economy, and strengthening our quality of life through transformational research,” Hobbs wrote.

House Bill 2895 - Task order contracts; website; posting

HB 2895 would have required government entities entering agreements with contractors to post their contract on their website. Only one Democrat in the legislature voted yes on the bill. “The bill is written far too broadly and would hinder the State’s ability to receive services necessary to support Arizonans,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter.

House Bill 2906 - Financial technology; digital assets program

The Arizona Regulatory Sandbox Program allows businesses, with approval from the Attorney General, to test new financial products in the Arizona market without first receiving a license or other state authorization. HB 2906 would have renamed it the the Financial Technology, Digital Assets and Blockchain Sandbox Program and specifically allowed for the testing of digital assets, like cryptocurrencies, and the use of those assets to address a problem, provide a benefit or offer a service that is not currently available in the state. “I have heard concerns from county treasurers across Arizona about the operational, legal and accounting challenges this legislation poses,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter.

House Bill 2920 - Qualifying tax rate; tax bill

HB 2920 would have required county treasurers to include a statement on all property tax bills that includes the tax rate that supports the local school district and any additional taxes levied by the school district. Hobbs vetoed the bill, saying tax statements already show school district taxes “for operational and voter-approved purposes, and school districts cannot increase property taxes unless specifically allowed by law.”

House Bill 2927 - Public meetings; records; requirements; penalties

HB 2927 would have required recordings and/or minutes of public meetings to be made available online within three days of the meeting. Then, the bill would have required the information to remain publicly available forever. It would have also mandated that entities charging people for public records would have to provide the records in the least expensive way. The bill passed out of the Legislature with some bipartisan support. “As the legislative body changed rules to allow their own public records to be discarded after just 90 days, it is unclear as to why this bill attempts to hold others to a more lengthy and costly standard,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter - referring to new rules the Legislature passed in 2020 changing their own public records requirements.

House Bills: 2947, 2948, 2949, 2950, 2951, 2952, 2953, 2954, 2955, 2956, 2957, 2958, 2959, 2960 and 2961 - State budget

HB 2947-2961 constituted a $17.3 billion state budget proposal passed by Republicans and vetoed by the governor. This budget is one of three budgets the Legislature sent to Hobbs’ desk. The bills would have included some GOP priorities like giving money and authority to the Maricopa County Recorder and restricting how the Secretary of State’s office can spend money. It also included some provisions which made it into the final budget which Hobbs signed, like raises for public safety officers. Hobbs called the proposal a product of “partisan antics” by House Republicans. “This is a reckless and partisan budget that slashes $255 million from health care coverage for countless Arizonans. It cuts over a hundred million dollars from K-12 education, leaving public school students statewide without the resources they need. It worsens our state’s childcare affordability crisis and it leaves homeless Veterans out on the streets,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter.

House Bills 2962, 2963, 2964, 2965, 2966, 2967, 2968, 2969, 2970, 2971, 2972, 2973, 2974 - State budget

HB 2962-2974 constituted the second partisan budget legislative Republicans sent to Hobbs’ desk. This proposal was a continuation or “skinny” budget without new spending. Hobbs vetoed the continuation budget on the same day as she vetoed a second partisan budget from GOP lawmakers, and pledged to only sign a bipartisan budget, which the Legislature eventually negotiated. In her veto letter, Hobbs accused House Republicans of trying to leverage the threat of a government shutdown to force through their partisan skinny budget. “This partisan budget is wrong for the people of Arizona. It slashes pay raises for state troopers and firefighters, guts investments in child care, removes efforts to combat Veterans homelessness, cuts funding for K-12 schools and our universities and community colleges, and underfunds infrastructure projects throughout our state,” Hobbs wrote.

Senate bills

Senate Bill 1001 - Early ballots; identification; tabulation

SB 1001 would have required early ballots to be returned by 7 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day. Beyond that deadline, voters would be required to show ID to have their vote cast. The bill would have allowed county recorders to tabulate ballots anytime during the early voting period - and not just on election day. It would have done away with voting between he Friday before election day and the Monday before election day. The bill passed out of the Legislature without any bipartisan support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that although she wants to speed up election results — which the bill would accomplish — she doesn’t want to limit voter accessibility. “SB1001 still presents unacceptable challenges for voters who must rely on family members or caregivers to drop off their ballot and would be unable to appear in person, effectively imposing an earlier deadline for them to complete their ballots than others,” Hobbs wrote.

Senate Bill 1002 - Pronouns; biological sex; school policies

SB 1002 would have banned teachers from referring to students by pronouns or first names that do not reflect the student’s “biological sex,” absent parental permission. Hobbs vetoed the bill, saying it “will not increase opportunity, security or freedom for Arizonans.”

Senate Bill 1003 - Public schools; restrooms; reasonable accommodations

SB 1003 said students cannot use bathrooms and locker rooms that do not match their biological sex. Hobbs vetoed the bill, saying it “will not increase opportunity, security or freedom for Arizonans.”

Senate Bill 1014 - Prohibited weapons; muffling device; repeal

SB 1014 would have repealed a prohibition against Arizonans owning “muffling devices,” more commonly known as silencers. These devices are legal under federal law, though buyers must go through a more-intensive screening than the one required to purchase just any weapon. “Gun silencers make it more difficult for hard-working law enforcement officers to do their job and keep Arizonans safe,” Hobbs wrote in a veto letter.

Senate Bill 1019 - Photo enforcement systems; prohibition

SB 1019 would have banned state agencies and local authorities from using photo enforcement systems to identify violators of speeding restrictions or other traffic control devices. The bill also included a statement of legislative intent, stating “the legislature intends to keep the enforcement of the laws in this state in the hands of trained law enforcement officers who are authorized by the people of this state to enforce the laws.” The bill also states the intention of the legislation is to protect Arizonans from abuses “that accompany the outsourcing of law enforcement to private, for-profit entities” and ensure the purpose of law enforcement is not to generate revenue. The bill passed out of the Legislature with a small amount of Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that the bill would have eliminated a tool for road safety which law enforcement uses to keep Arizonans safe.

Senate Bill 1020 - Disruption; educational institution; concealed weapon

SB 1020 would have forbidden colleges and universities from banning concealed weapons. The bill passed out of the state legislature on party lines without Democratic support. “Ensuring the safety of our students is a responsibility that belongs to all of us. Our community colleges and universities are places where your students should feel welcome and safe,” Hobbs said in her veto letter. She added that the bill could create increased risk.

Senate Bill 1024 - State agencies; payments; cryptocurrency

SB 1024 would have let the state accept cryptocurrency as a method of payment. Hobbs said even with certain built-in protections “it still leaves the door open for too much risk.”

Senate Bill 1027 - Critical telecommunications infrastructure; construction requirements

SB 1027 would have prohibited any “critical telecommunications infrastructure” made with equipment manufactured in China. It would have also required the removal of any existing infrastructure within those guidelines. Violations would result in penalties of up to $100,000. Telecommunications providers would have been required to certify their equipment with the Arizona Corporation Commission annually. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines with no Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill was “unrealistic” and would add burdens to the business community.

Senate Bill 1036 - Public resources; influencing elections; penalties

SB 1036 would have allowed residents to sue a city, town, county or school district for alleged violations of a state law banning the use of public money to influence an election. Under the existing law, only the attorney general or a county attorney can sue to enforce that prohibition. The bill would also have expanded what constitutions influencing an election to include presenting information related to an election in a way that is not partial or neutral. Hobbs vetoed the bill, saying it “is far too broad and subjective; it opens the door to infringe on First Amendment rights and general public discourse.”

Senate Bill 1050 - GPLET; notice; abatement period

SB 1050 would have changed the rules governing GPLETs, or Government Property Lease Excise Tax leases, which allow local governments to incentivize new development by replacing a property owner’s property tax with a reduced excise tax for a limited number of years. The bill would have created more stringent reporting requirements for government bodies engaged in GPLET leases, including requiring them to post all GPLETs on their website. The bill also would have exempted the portion of property tax dedicated for local school districts from being abated. In a veto letter, Hobbs wrote, “this bill has the potential to stunt Arizona’s economic development and negatively affect opportunity in the state.”

Senate Bill 1052 - Voter registration; temporary absence

SB 1052 would have made certain citizens ineligible to vote in Arizona using federal write-in early ballots. A U.S. citizen who has never lived in the country wouldn’t be able to register to vote or cast a vote in Arizona using federal write-in early ballots. The bill passed out of the state legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that the bill would prevent the children of Arizona servicemembers born outside of the country to vote. “I will not sign a bill that diminishes the right of eligible citizens to register to vote, and certainly not one that impacts our military families,” Hobbs wrote.

Senate Bill 1064 - Voting; equipment; internet; custody; violation

SB 1064 would have established several security requirements for voting equipment used in Arizona elections. Among other things, the bill would have prohibited voting machines from having internet access and required a livestream of counting centers on county websites. The bill passed out of the state legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that if these added measures are needed, they should be included in the annually updated Election Procedures Manual.

Senate Bill 1066 - Foreign entities; land; legislative approval

The Arizona State Land Department oversees the sale of state lands. SB 1066 would have prohibited the sale of land to a foreign country deemed hostile to the United States, as defined by the United States Director of National Intelligence. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines with no Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill conflicts with federal law and does not have clear “implementation criteria.”

Senate Bill 1071 - SNAP; TANF; public welfare; verification

SB 1071 would have created new eligibility requirements for Arizonans seeking Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The bill’s provisions include requiring the state Department of Economic Security to find out when families make a certain amount of gambling winnings. DES would have been required to frequently review its own information to discover anyone with a change in finances which could change their SNAP eligibility. DES would also have been required to report data on SNAP cases. The bill passed out of the state Legislature on party lines with no Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that the legislation would be costly and duplicative. She called for more “targeted efforts to secure transactions and prevent theft.”

Senate Bill 1072 - Medical boards; complaints; time limit

SB 1072 would have required the Arizona Medical Board and the Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners in Medicine and Surgery to take action on complaints unrelated to protecting public health and safety within a year. If the boards did not take action in the allotted time, under the bill then the complaint would be considered closed. In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote that every complaint before the boards relates to public health and safety, so the bill could be confusing.

Senate Bill 1087 - Residential contractor assessments; recovery fund

The Arizona Registrar of Contractors administers a recovery fund to assist homeowners recover losses and/or restore their lost property if it’s harmed by a contractor. Contractors pay a biennial assessment fee into the fund. SB 1087 would have reduced the maximum amount of that assessment, and would require the registrar of contractors to keep reducing the assessments if the fund has more than $15 million at the end of a fiscal year until it gets down to $10 million. One Democrat voted for the bill in the state Legislature. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill would negatively impact homeowners who are harmed by contractors.

Senate Bill 1088 - Government; compliance; immigration; deportation

SB 1088 would have required all government agencies to comply with federal immigration laws. The bill would have required the Attorney General to investigate entities who allegedly violate the law and required violators to put 10% of their annual finding into the general fund within 30 days of the violation as a penalty. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that Arizonans should set immigration policies for the state, not politicians in Washington, D.C.

Senate Bill 1091 - School districts; bonds; overrides; ballots

SB 1091 would have required certain ballot language for school district votes on budget overrides. When a school district budget goes over an established statutory aggregate budget limit, the school district governing board must have an override election. The bill would require ballots to say the estimated secondary property tax reduction without the budget override authorization if the override will be funded by a secondary property tax. The bill would also require ballots to say when the reduction would begin. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. This bill is “Detrimental, Ineffective, Nonsensical and Objectionable,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter. The capitalized letters spell DINO, which is also the abbreviation for a committee the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jake Hoffman, leads in the Senate tasked with vetting the governor’s nominees to lead state agencies. Hobbs used the term to veto multiple Hoffman bills.

Senate Bill 1094 - Business; discrimination prohibition; social criteria

SB 1094 would have prohibited financial institutions, insurers or credit reporting agencies from discriminating on anyone based on factors like political affiliation, or other values-based or impact criteria. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. This bill is “Detrimental, Ineffective, Nonsensical and Objectionable,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter. The capitalized letters spell DINO, which is also the abbreviation for a committee the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jake Hoffman, leads in the Senate tasked with vetting the governor’s nominees to lead state agencies. Hobbs used the term to veto multiple Hoffman bills.

Senate Bill 1095 - Central bank digital currency; ban

SB 1095 would have prohibited central bank digital currency (which is a digital form of money) from being used as money. The bill passed out of the legislature on party liens without Democratic support. The bill passed on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that a central bank digital currency doesn’t exist yet.

Senate Bill 1097 - Elections; voting centers; polling places

SB 1097 would have made a number of changes to election law, including prohibiting counties from replacing precinct-based polling places with voting centers that can be used by any county voter, regardless of which precinct they live in. The bill would have still allowed counties to use voting centers in addition to precinct-based polling places. This bill is “Detrimental, Ineffective, Nonsensical and Objectionable,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter. The capitalized letters spell DINO, which is also the abbreviation for a committee the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jake Hoffman, leads in the Senate tasked with vetting the governor’s nominees to lead state agencies. Hobbs used the term to veto multiple Hoffman bills.

Senate Bill 1098 - Early ballot drop off; identification

SB 1098 creates new requirements for voters dropping off multiple ballots at voting locations. It would have required voters dropping off filled out early ballots to show ID to an election worker. Violating the law would result in a Class 5 felony. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. This bill is “Detrimental, Ineffective, Nonsensical and Objectionable,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter. The capitalized letters spell DINO, which is also the abbreviation for a committee the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jake Hoffman, leads in the Senate tasked with vetting the governor’s nominees to lead state agencies. Hobbs used the term to veto multiple Hoffman bills.

Senate Bill 1109 - Designated countries, land ownership, prohibition

SB 1109 would have made it illegal for China to have any substantial ownership interest of 30% or more in Arizona land. The bill also included a legislative statement that the act is necessary to protect Arizona from “global threats” and to stop the influence of the Chinese Communist Party. A different version of the bill had mixed bipartisan support in the House, but the final version passed out of the Senate on party lines without any Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill is “ineffective at counter-espionage and does not directly protect our military assets.” She added that there isn’t enough implementation criteria and could open the door to arbitrary enforcement.

Senate Bill 1116 - Groundwater model; receipt; written findings

SB 1116 would have required the state Department of Water Resources to respond quickly to applicants to submit groundwater models with information about groundwater conditions. If the department were to reject a model, they’d have to say why. Hobbs said in her veto letter that the bill would redirect ADWR to “meet arbitrary timelines” by responding to “undefined ‘alternative groundwater models.’” Hobbs said the bill is unnecessary and does “nothing to protect consumers or ensure water security.”

Senate Bill 1119 - Residential utilities; consumer office; definition

SB 1119 would have altered the mission for the Residential Utilities Consumer Office, or RUCO, which was created by the state Legislature to advocate for residents when utilities want to change their rates. The bill would have required the agency to advocate “for the safest and most reliable utility service achievable at the lowest retail rate possible.” During hearings at the Legislature, critics argued those goals — safety, reliability and cost — are sometimes at odds with each other, meaning the language could provide RUCO contradictory directions. In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote that RUCO’s “ability to protect Arizona consumers should not be hampered by unnecessary legislation.”

Senate Bill 1123 - Watermark; paper ballots

SB 1123 would have required all Arizona ballots to include at least three out of ten outlined “fraud countermeasures.: Versions of this bill have cropped up several times in the past few legislative sessions, but they have never succeeded. The countermeasures are: a unique barcode or QR code, a hologram, watermarked security paper, holographic foil, complex security background designs, variable digital infill, color changing ink, stealth numbering in secure ink, multicolored invisible ultraviolet designs and fraud detection technology built into ink. Hobbs said simply in her veto letter that she believes in the ability of Arizona’s election officials to carry out fair and free elections without added complication and expense. The bill passed out of the Legislature without Democratic support.

Senate Bill 1143 - Firearms transactions; merchant codes; prohibition

SB 1143 would have barred the government and certain private entities from creating a legal distinction between those who sell guns and all other types of retailers. The governor said these “merchant categories codes” are “vital tools that help law enforcement identify perpetrators of illegal activity, including mass shootings.”

Senate Bill 1164 - Immigration laws; local enforcement

SB 1164 - known as the Arizona ICE Act - would have required state and local entities to cooperate with the enforcement of federal immigration laws. It specifically required cooperation with federal detainer requests. It would have established incentives for political subdivisions of the state to enter agreements with federal entities. The bill would require the state attorney general to investigate practices which allegedly restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs said in her veto letter that both she and Senate President Warren Petersen have disagreed with various federal immigration policies, and she doesn’t believe state and local officials should be forced to “take marching orders from Washington, D.C.” Hobbs also highlighted existing border security efforts in Arizona.

Senate Bill 1268 - Hospitals; patient immigration status; reporting

SB 1268 would have required hospitals that accept federal Medicaid funding to inquire about a patient's immigration status. Republicans argued the bill would not result in denial of medical care or immigration-related arrests but that it would give the state an idea of the costs of illegal immigration on the state. Hobbs said that the legislation was opposed by business leaders, hospitals and others “who understand that immigration enforcement is best left to federal law enforcement and not health care professionals.”

Senate Bill 1300 - San Simon Valley; groundwater; election

SB 1300 would have allowed the Cochise County or Graham County Boards of Supervisors to vote on whether to create an “irrigation non-expansion area” in the San Simon Valley Groundwater Subbasin. An irrigation non-expansion area is a region where it’s illegal to expand irrigation acres to protect groundwater. Hobbs vetoed the legislation with a slew of other groundwater-related bills. She said in her veto letter that the bill is “pointless” and would weaken groundwater protections or duplicate existing programs. “Bills that are just political cover for the Legislature’s inaction on water security will meet my veto pen,” Hobbs wrote.

Senate Bill 1309 - Public utilities; electric grid improvements

SB1309 would have required the Arizona Corporation Commission - which regulates utilities - to require a public service corporation to make sure any changes they make to a power grid will still leave it capable of providing service throughout the year. The bill passed out of the Legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that Arizona is facing more demands on its energy industry. She said the bill fails to define specific specific standards, and would create regulatory uncertainty.

Senate Bill 1310 - False documents; recording; violations

SB 1310 would have increased the penalty for knowingly filing a forged, groundless, misstated, or otherwise invalid document with a county recorder asserting the filer’s claim to real property. The bill would have raised the penalty from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 4 felony. The bill passed out of the legislature with bipartisan support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that she takes home title fraud seriously, but the bill doesn’t fix it.

Senate Bill 1322 - State broadband office; transfer; ADOA

SB 1322 would have moved the State Broadband Office away from the Arizona Commerce Authority and over to the Arizona Department of Administration. Only one Democrat in the state legislature voted yes. “This bill would delay deployment of critical high-speed internet infrastructure and access to communities across the state that have too long been excluded from the digital economy,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter.

Senate Bill 1373 - Digital assets strategic reserve fund

SB 1373 would have created a Digital Assets Strategic Reserve Fund using money appropriated by the legislature and digital assets seized by the state. It would also allow the State Treasurer to invest up to 10% of that money annually and make loans from the fund. Hobbs said the bill was too risky, arguing volatility in the cryptocurrency market “does not make it a prudent fit” for state dollars.

Senate Bill 1435 - Attorney discipline investigations; costs

SB 1435 would have allowed attorneys who win disputes in disciplinary matters with the State Bar of Arizona to recover not only their legal fees and court costs but also be reimbursed for lost earning and allow the lawyers to sue for damages to their reputations. Hobbs said this appears to be aimed at a case involving one attorney who peddled “conspiracy theories.” “Attorneys who speak honestly and practice with dignity have nothing to worry about,” she said.

Senate Bill 1441 - School districts; partisan elections

Currently, school district governing board candidates appear on ballots without a party designation. SB 1441 would require the candidates’ political party to appear on the ballot beside their name. Hobbs vetoed the same bill last session. She said in her veto letter this year (and last year) that partisan politics don’t belong in Arizona schools.

Senate Bill 1463 - Initiatives; existing laws; impact statement

SB 1463 would have required descriptions of ballot initiatives to include a list of statutes, which are likely to conflict with, or be impacted by the proposed measure with a summary of how the statutes could conflict. The bill passed on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs said proponents of ballot measures should not be required to make their opponents arguments for them.

Senate Bill 1501 - Grid security; cybersecurity; reviews; commission

Senate Bill 1514 - Employer-employee arbitration; contract; disputes

SB 1514 would mandate that a written agreement to arbitrate disputes between employers and employees whose job involves handling goods at a warehouse leased or owned by the employer is valid. The bill passed with some bipartisan support in the Legislature. “This bill would enshrine forced arbitration in Arizona law mandating a take-it-or-leave-it approach to employment practices that hurts working Arizonans,” Hobbs wrote in her veto letter.

Senate Bill 1518 - Subsequent AMAs; groundwater portability

Arizona has designated groundwater protection zones called Active Management Areas (AMAs) in which groundwater use is restricted. AMAs created after 1980 are called subsequent AMAs. SB 1518 would allow anyone in an AMA with irrigation grandfathered rights on their property to use, sell, transfer or lease the rights on that land. They could also choose not to irrigate and give their water rights to another person in the AMA. Anyone getting those rights would be able to irrigate anywhere in the subsequent AMA. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs vetoed the legislation with a slew of other groundwater-related bills. She said in her veto letter that the bill is “pointless” and would weaken groundwater protections or duplicate existing programs. “Bills that are just political cover for the Legislature’s inaction on water security will meet my veto pen,” Hobbs wrote.

Senate Bill 1536 - Cities and towns; primary elections

SB 1536 would have required an election contest to be resolved before a candidate is declared elected, if the office is currently being filled by an appointed person. The bill passed out of the legislature on party lines without Democratic support. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill could incentivize frivolous election contests.

Senate Bill 1584 - Public employees; merit; hiring practices

SB 1584 would have prohibited the state and any subdivision of the state from creating policies requiring employees to be hired based on anything but their merit. The bill would prohibit influencing the “composition of employees” based on race, ethnicity, sex or national origin. In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote that the state doesn’t have a certain required composition of its workforce, and there already is a merit-focused hiring system - apart from some preference for veterans. Hobbs added that the bill is attempting to solve a problem that doesn’t exist and could negatively impact veterans. Read SB 1584 veto letter.

Senate Bill 1586 - Gender transition procedures; provider liability

Under SB 1586, healthcare providers would have been personally liable for costs of “detransition procedures” for minors who underwent gender transition. Hobbs said existing medical malpractice laws already provide a right to sue when patients say they had not given “informed consent” to a procedure.

Senate Bill 1591 - Concealed weapons permits; fees

SB 1591 would have set the fee charged to Arizona residents to apply for or renew a concealed weapons permit at 10% of the fee charged to non-residents by the Department of Public Safety. Hobbs wrote that reducing the fees “would defund the police that administer the Concealed Weapons Permit Unit.”

Senate Bill 1600 - Patient rights; health care services

SB 1600 would have required medical providers to adhere to certain principles. They include to act in the patient’s best interest; do no harm; and to ensure that each medical decision is made with informed consent from the patient, except in emergency situations. Hobbs called the bill "unnecessary." She wrote that “health professionals are already legally obligated to act in their patients’ best interest and to obtain informed consent for procedures.”

Senate Bill 1649 - Legislative appointments; qualifications

SB 1649 would have removed existing requirements and qualification for some legislative appointments to certain boards and commissions, including the Livestock Loss Board, Military Affairs Commission, Arizona Tea Party Committee and the Economic Estimates Commission. Hobbs wrote that appointments by elected officials “should be based on qualifications and subject matter expertise.” “It is the height of hypocrisy for this Legislative majority to attempt to exempt themselves from the standards to which they hold others,” she wrote, referencing the often-contentious hearings in the Senate Director Nominations Committee that vets Hobbs’ agency director appointees.

Senate Bill 1721 - Egg-laying hens; housing size standards

SB 1721 would have prohibited the Arizona Department of Agriculture from adopting rules dictating minimum housing standards for chickens. Hobbs vetoed the bill, noting that she already directed the agency to delay the implementation of a cage-free egg rule in Arizona to avoid contributing to increased egg prices. “It is important however that the Department retain its ability to regulate space standards for egg-laying hens,” she wrote. “Removing this ability entirely could have serious implications in the future if action is needed to protect human health or animal welfare.”

Senate Bill 1725 - Fentanyl; nine grams

Under current law, a person can be sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison if they are convicted of selling 200 grams of fentanyl. That range can extend to 20 years if the person has a prior conviction. SB 1725 would have lowered that threshold to nine grams of fentanyl. Hobbs vetoed the bill, saying she stands by the law she signed last year that set the threshold at 200 grams of fentanyl.