Water, housing, budget to dominate Arizona legislature with abortion issue hovering in background

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The Arizona legislature is getting ready for its regular session which begins Monday, Jan. 8.

The legislative priorities will vary from party to party, but it’s generally agreed something needs to be done about the state’s water future.

“I think we’re in a moment right now where I think water, we’re going to hear a lot more about that,” said Democratic lawmaker Stephanie Stahl Hamilton. “I think some bold action is required.”

That bold action may come in this session as nearly 20 water bills have already been introduced in the House with the opening session still a week away.

Those water bills come as some communities, in both East and West Phoenix Valley, are denying building permits because a water supply can’t be guaranteed.

“We have to make some choices for the sustainability for the future of our state,” Hamilton said. “More and more people are aware and more people are disgruntled, which you know, sometimes is the best catalyst for pushing that change.”

Also, what also needs to change, and will be a priority for many voters, is the state budget.

According to the December report issued by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, a non-partisan office, the state’s budget has gone from a surplus to a $406 million deficit and is estimated to continue growing.

The office said it’s due, in part, because revenues have dropped more than 37% since lawmakers passed and former Governor Doug Ducey signed, a flat tax rate of 2 1/2%.

Cuts will need to be made somewhere and Hamilton believes the recently passed voucher program will get a hard look.

“What we’ve learned since those universal vouchers have been put into place, is that 75% of the families who have their kids in private schools had them there before they got an ESA voucher from the state of Arizona,” she said.

Each of those vouchers, also for homeschooling, can be worth up to $7,000.

Another priority for the state is housing.

The homeless population is growing in both Phoenix and Tucson, due in large part because of unaffordable housing. Whether buying a home or renting has escalated in price so rapidly, wages have not kept up, forcing many people onto the streets.

Tucson, like other communities, has been looking at changing zoning laws to build tiny homes.

That is on the legislative agenda as well through HB 2096, which has already been introduced.

“A lot of this is inventory and the tiny houses and some of these other things will help us make housing accessible more quickly,” Hamilton said.

Also high on the priority list are women’s health care and access to abortion.

The issue may be headed to the ballot so legislative issues will likely take a backseat. Only one bill has been introduced so far, signaling it may not be a top item to many lawmakers.

Hamilton believes if the issue remains as potent as it did in 2022, it could conceivably change the political landscape.

She believes it’s why a red wave did not materialize in Arizona as predicted in 2022 and why the state has a Democratic Governor in Katie Hobbs and a Democratic Secretary of State in Kris Mayes.

For the constitutional amendment initiative to appear on the November ballot, the supporters will need to gather nearly 385,000 valid signatures.

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