Despite holding the majority, Arizona GOP lawmakers failed to advance these priorities in 2025

Republican lawmakers in the Arizona House of Representatives failed to advance two of their priorities before the end of the legislative session last week, because too many legislators had already left for the summer.

As it voted on the state budget last week, the House also considered one bill that would have cut Medicaid spending by over $100 million and another that would have asked voters to ban traffic enforcement cameras.

Both measures failed on 29-27 votes, because 31 votes are needed to pass legislation out of the House. Republicans hold 33 seats in the chamber, but four Republican lawmakers — Reps. Leo Biasiucci, Matt Gress, Laurin Hendrix and Nick Kupper — had already left for the summer by the time the Medicaid and camera proposals reached a final vote on June 26.

The traffic camera ban, sponsored by Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff), already passed out of the Arizona Senate on party lines and would have gone to the 2026 ballot for voter approval if it passed the House.

The House already passed a similar bill that would ban traffic enforcement cameras, but that measure needs Gov. Katie Hobbs’ signature. And Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale) predicted Hobbs will veto that bill.

Kolodin said the ballot referral had a better chance of passing with voters, and he blamed House GOP leaders for bringing the traffic camera referral to a vote too late — a decision he claims was calculated to ensure the measure wouldn’t pass.

“And some of the people whose names are in green on this board are responsible for ensuring that this bill went up on a day without 31 Republicans,” Kolodin said. “This is why you get fooled, people of Arizona, into voting for people who pretend to be conservative but aren’t.”

But House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-Goodyear) said the House and Senate agreed not to put up ballot referrals until after a budget passes.

“That’s an understanding that we’ve had for years. That’s why it’s going up after the budget,” he said.

However, lawmakers actually voted to send two referrals to voters in the weeks before the budget passed late last week.

The House passed SCR 1004, which would prohibit the state from levying taxes based on vehicle miles, on June 13. The Senate passed HCR 2021, which would ban cities from issuing a tax on food meant for home consumption, on June 19.

Republicans also failed to pass another partisan measure last week that would have cut Medicaid spending by $108 million. Rep. Justin Olson’s bill would have also frozen enrollment in Medicaid for people eligible for the program under an expansion passed by lawmakers in 2013, and another expansion approved by voters 2000.

Olson (R-Mesa) argued Medicaid spending is out of control and that the bill is needed as congressional Republicans consider cuts to federal spending on the program.

“We’re likely going to have to address this in the near future,” Olson said. “I hope that this body collectively and the policymakers of this state, including the governor, will recognize that we’ve got to get under control the out-of-control spending.”

The 29 Republicans in attendance voted for Olson’s bill, but not a single Democrat backed the measure.

Rep. Nancy Gutierrez (D-Tucson) argued the measure would hurt Arizonans who rely on Medicaid and that it was premature as Congress continues to debate President Donald Trump’s tax cut and spending plan that could drastically cut federal Medicaid spending.

“I do not know why we would preemptively give up millions of federal funds in draw down to cut a program that Arizonans clearly need and want, because Congress may or may not pass a bill that basically defunds our health care system,” Gutierrez said.