Capitol roundup: Lawmakers send Hobbs bill for earlier primary elections
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Arizona's primary election would permanently move up on the calendar under a proposal that's on Gov. Katie Hobbs' desk.
State of play: The House and Senate this week overwhelmingly approved legislation that would permanently move the primary election from the first Tuesday in August to the second-to-last in July, changing the date this year from Aug. 4 to July 21.
- Hobbs has until Wednesday to sign or veto the bill.
Why it matters: Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale), who sponsored the House version of the bill, said the timeline change is a result of changes to federal law and is needed to ensure that military and overseas voters from Arizona aren't disenfranchised.
- Federal changes already led the Legislature to move the primary to July 30 in 2024.
In other legislative action this week:
🤑 In the wake of Hobbs' veto of GOP tax legislation, House and Senate committees advanced a new tax conformity bill that aligns Arizona with changes made in federal law last year.
- Tax forms from the Arizona Department of Revenue include the federal tax changes that would be codified by the bill.
- Hobbs signalled another veto, telling reporters Tuesday that the bill is a "nonstarter" and again urging Republicans to pass her tax cut package and negotiate other changes as part of the budget later in session.
🌊 With a federal deadline nearing on multistate Colorado River negotiations, the House unanimously passed legislation adding $1 million to Arizona's water litigation fund for a possible legal fight.
💵 Several Republicans joined Democrats on the House Commerce Committee to advance legislation creating a $5 million rental assistance program, sponsored by Rep. Alma Hernandez (D-Tucson).
🗓️ The Legislature would have to adjourn each year by April 30 under a proposed ballot measure approved by the House Ways and Means Committee.
- Arizona has no set deadline for when the session must end, and it's not uncommon for lawmakers to be at the Capitol well into June.
🎖️ Disabled veterans would be exempt from paying property taxes under a bipartisan bill passed unanimously by the House.
☢️ On a party-line vote, Republicans in the House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee passed a bill that would limit counties' ability to restrict where small, modular nuclear reactors can be located.