Capitol Roundup: Director nominations committee gets back to work
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Senate vetting of Gov. Katie Hobbs' agency director nominees restarted for the first time in nearly a year and a half after the governor unsuccessfully tried to circumvent the contentious confirmation process.
State of play: On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Director Nominations — or DINO committee — unanimously approved Michael Wisehart, the governor's nominee to lead the Department of Economic Security.
- The nomination now goes to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.
Catch up quick: Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, created the committee two years ago to vet Hobbs' agency head nominees.
- The committee became a sticking point between Hobbs and Senate Republicans as chair Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, repeatedly grilled her nominees, several of whom were rejected.
- Hobbs accused Petersen of creating a "political circus" and withdrew all remaining nominees in September 2023, instead naming them as executive deputy directors to lead their agencies.
- Petersen sued, and a judge ruled last June that Hobbs illegally sidestepped the Senate confirmation process.
Between the lines: Hoffman criticized Hobbs for an "unfortunate lack of vetting" with some of her previous nominees.
- But Hoffman praised Wisehart, telling him: "I'm proud to vote 'yes' and to move you along for confirmation."
1 big deadline: Friday is the deadline for the Arizona House and Senate to hear bills in their own committees, so lawmakers sorted through a lot of legislation this week.
Drone hunters: A bill that would give law enforcement agencies immunity from legal liability for property damage if they shoot down drones believed to be used for criminal activities passed a House committee on Thursday.
- The Republican-sponsored bill, intended to help fight drug cartels along the border, has the support of Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes.
Lead-footed lawmakers beware: The Arizona Constitution's legislative immunity provision would no longer shield lawmakers from traffic citations during session under a proposed ballot referral sponsored by Rep. Quang Nguyen, R-Prescott.
- The proposal, which a House committee approved Wednesday, comes on the heels of several recent incidents in which legislators avoided speeding tickets, though the tickets can be reinstated post-session.
Firing squad: A proposed ballot referral that would ask voters to change Arizona's method of execution from lethal injection to firing squad passed out of a House committee on Tuesday.
- Arizona has had numerous problems with lethal injections, including botched executions and difficulty obtaining the drugs.
This week in veto bait: Lawmakers sent their first bill of the session to Hobbs, and the governor responded with the session's first veto, nixing legislation to restrict early ballot drop-offs after the Friday before Election Day to speed up vote counting.
Migrant bounties: A Senate committee Thursday passed Hoffman's bill to provide $2,500 bounties to law enforcement agencies for every undocumented immigrant they arrest who is eventually deported.
- Hobbs spokesperson Christian Slater told the Arizona Republic there's "no way in hell" she'll sign it.