Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has announced that she will veto every piece of legislation not already on her desk, as a funding dispute intensifies between her office and the Republican-controlled state Legislature. At the heart of the standoff is the future of Arizona’s Division of Developmental Disabilities, a state agency that serves nearly 60,000 individuals with conditions like autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, epilepsy, and other developmental challenges.
Hobbs is calling on lawmakers to craft a bipartisan agreement that would secure funding for the division through the remainder of the fiscal year. However, Republicans are pressing for reforms before committing to additional funding. One of their key proposals is to reduce the number of hours parents can be paid for providing care to their children with disabilities. In contrast, Democrats argue that funding should be restored immediately, with any policy changes discussed afterward.
While Hobbs’ approach of withholding bill approvals may seem aggressive, it mirrors tactics used by previous Republican governors in budget battles.
Tensions escalated further when GOP legislators discovered that Hobbs was requesting an extra $13 million in emergency funds for the agency, on top of what was already laid out in her executive budget plan. Some Republicans have accused Hobbs of poor financial oversight. Earlier this month, an informal committee was formed to examine what they referred to as “executive budget mismanagement.”
Rep. David Livingston, who leads the House Appropriations Committee, expressed frustration in a recent hearing, arguing that it’s unacceptable for crucial services to potentially shut down in early May due to funding shortfalls.
House Speaker Steve Montenegro criticized Hobbs’ move, calling it “political blackmail.”
Hobbs, who faces reelection in 2026, has pushed back against that claim, accusing GOP lawmakers of using vulnerable families as pawns in political infighting. According to her spokesperson Christian Slater, the governor is willing to veto even the bills she supports until both sides come to a bipartisan agreement.
“We have been waiting for far too long,” Slater said. “Families are at the brink.”
