Arizona Gov. Hobbs signs executive orders on homelessness, elections

PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs continued her First 100 Days Initiative with a pair of govt orders on Friday.

The primary — and second signed since Hobbs took workplace — reinstates a fee on homelessness and housing that was abolished in 2020. The opposite order signed on Friday establishes a bipartisan elections job pressure.

Govt Order 2 creates the Governor’s Interagency and Group Council on Homelessness and Housing, which might be chaired by the sitting governor of Arizona. The council will plan and develop insurance policies geared toward addressing homelessness within the state.

Co-chairs might be administrators of the Division of Financial Safety and the Division of Housing. The council will include 13 members appointed by the governor.

A piece group with employees from every state company represented on the council, a statewide homelessness advocacy group and different private and non-private entities chosen by the council will present suggestions and report their actions.

“We can’t deny that Arizona is in a homelessness and reasonably priced housing disaster, and we’d like all arms on deck,” Hobbs mentioned in a press launch. “Each homelessness and housing are multifaceted points, and we’d like a multifaceted strategy to bettering the scenario for thus many Arizonans who’re struggling.”

Greater than 37,000 folks obtained homelessness providers in 2021.

A 2010 govt order signed by Jan Brewer launched the Governor’s Arizona Fee on Homelessness and Housing, however a 2020 order by Doug Ducey disbanded the group.

Govt Order 3 established the Governor’s Bipartisan Elections Job Drive to review and discover suggestions to additional bolster the state’s election legal guidelines and practices.

The sitting governor will chair the duty pressure, which is able to embody of the secretary of state, one county recorder nominated by the president of the state senate, a county recorder nominated by the Arizona home speaker, an election official from a metropolis or city nominated by the League of Cities and Cities, amongst others.

“Whereas I might’ve appreciated this management from the final governor, I now look ahead to the duty pressure’s suggestions and can proceed working towards significant election reform that may enhance the democratic course of for voters and election directors in Arizona,” Hobbs mentioned.

The duty pressure is requested to provide a report of its findings and concepts to Hobbs by Nov. 1 with regulation enchancment suggestions.