Search Results

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 8, 2024 PHOENIX- Military and overseas voters will get their 2024 ballots on time, and Arizona will deliver its 11 electoral votes in the upcoming presidential elections – even in the event of a recount – after the Arizona Legislature passed a bi-partisan package of emergency fixes today. Governor Hobbs is expected to sign House Bill 2785. The new law will move up Arizona's 2024 primary election date and adjust the five-day ballot curing period with new processes to ensure as many eligible votes as possible can be counted. Every Senate and House Democrat voted yes to pass the critical negotiated fixes with an emergency clause so county recorders and elections officials can implement the changes immediately. The measure passed first in the House by a vote of 56-2 with all Democrats voting yes. In the Senate, the bill passed 24-2. “From the moment negotiations began we had the simple request that the fix to this issue must not be weaponized to harm voters, and today I can confidently say that we have been successful,” Senate Democratic Leader Mitzi Epstein stated. “I applaud the work of Senator Priya Sundareshan and our staff that made sure this hard-fought bipartisan solution made it across the finish line. This is a moment of celebration because collaboration works. Arizonans have asked time and again for us to find common-sense bipartisan solutions to the state’s biggest problems and we have delivered.” "Our goal was a clean fix, and this bill comes very close. It's not perfect, but it is a true bi-partisan compromise that will protect voters and help keep our elections free, fair, and secure," said House Democratic Leader Lupe Contreras. "I'm proud of the work our members did to keep this plan alive and moving forward, including Representative Laura Terech who was instrumental to our success." -30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 7, 2024 PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has appointed community and non-profit leader Sarah Liguori to fill a seat in the Democratic Caucus vacated recently by Representative Jennifer Longdon. This marks a return to the House for Liguori, who previously served in 2021 and 2022 after being appointed to replace former Representative Aaron Lieberman. "I am honored and eager to return to the Legislature and to the work I love," said Liguori. "I'm looking forward to being back with my Democratic caucus as we push for solutions that will improve the lives of those who live in our great state." An Arizona native with a long history of community engagement, Liguori currently serves as a senior director at the Arizona Community Foundation where she oversees an affordable housing and rural development loan fund. With a background in economics from the University of Arizona, Liguori also brings business experience working in commercial real estate and financial planning to her new role. "We could not be more thrilled that Sarah Liguori is returning to our caucus," said House Democratic Leader Lupe Contreras. "She was an exceptional and effective member in her prior service – always thoughtful and always laser-focused on her constituents. We expect her to pick up right where she left off." -30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 31, 2024 PHOENIX – House Democratic Leaders released the following statement regarding today's resignation of Representative Leezah Sun after the House Ethics Committee unanimously concluded that she engaged in a pattern of disorderly behavior. Sun resigned shortly before today's House floor session effective immediately. The leadership team filed the ethics complaint against Sun on November 2. "Our Democratic leadership team is grateful to the Ethics Committee for its diligent, intensive and transparent work on this report, and to the witnesses who came forward to share their stories under incredibly difficult circumstances. The facts are overwhelmingly clear and speak for themselves. Representative Sun engaged in a pattern of disorderly behavior that damaged the reputation of the House. This is a solemn day, but Representative Sun did what's best for our state and for the integrity of this body."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 31, 2024 PHOENIX – Tempe business and community leader Jevin Hodge has been appointed by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to replace former Representative Athena Salman, who resigned to pursue other opportunities on January 1. Hodge will be sworn in on Friday afternoon. Hodge is a Tempe native, raised by his single mother (Tempe City Council Member Berdetta Hodge) in public housing. A graduate of George Washington University, he now works as Director of National Engagement, Partnerships, and Innovation for the consulting firm LINK Strategic Partners. He also serves as President and Chairman of the Board for the non-profit Booker T. Washington Child Development Center, the longest-running Head Start program in the state. Most recently, Hodge came close to unseating longtime incumbent Republican Congressman David Schweikert in 2022. "The American Dream is alive and well.  I am living proof," said Hodge. "Growing up, my family didn’t have much.  We lived in public housing and we needed government assistance just to get by. Slowly, our lives got better. My mother always told me to never forget where we came from - and to make sure we found a way to give back. I am humbled by this appointment and grateful to all who supported me. Now, it’s time to get to work. My door is open to anyone who wants to make a difference for Arizona." "Jevin Hodge has worked hard and risen to become one of the most dynamic and impactful young leaders in our party," said House Democratic Leader Lupe Contreras. "We are honored and excited to welcome Jevin – along with the energy and fire he brings to everything he does – to our caucus."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 25, 2024 PHOENIX – House Democratic Leaders released the following statement regarding the announcement that Representative Jennifer Longdon will resign her seat on Friday for a new career opportunity. "Representative Longdon has been one of Arizona's most effective and compassionate leaders, both inside and outside the Legislature. On the issues of gun violence prevention and advocating for the rights of those living with disabilities, there is no stronger voice. On behalf of our caucus and the constituents she has served so well, we are grateful for her work and the lives she has impacted. We will miss her presence but we also know that her work will continue and that great things lie ahead."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 23, 2024 PHOENIX – Earlier today, the Arizona Department of Water Resources initiated steps to potentially declare the Gila Bend Groundwater Basin southwest of the Valley – which has been in significant decline -- an Active Management Area to mitigate the impacts of excessive, unsustainable groundwater pumping. Senator Priya Sundareshan and Representative Christopher Mathis, who are the ranking Democrats on the Senate and House Natural Resources, Energy and Water committees, commended Governor Katie Hobbs and her administration for taking these critical first steps to protect rural groundwater supplies for future generations. ADWR will hold an informal public meeting to initiate procedures to designate the Gila Bend Groundwater Basin as an AMA from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday Jan. 30 (in-person and virtually). Details here. "I commend Governor Hobbs for following through on her promise to take action in the face of continued refusal by our Republican colleagues to consider any meaningful solutions to address the lack of protections for rural groundwater in most of the state," Mathis said. "This should be a wake-up call for the Legislature to finally pass a bill that gives localities the tools they need to manage their groundwater supplies for all who rely on them.” “Protecting Arizona’s groundwater must be larger than partisan politics," Sundareshan added. "I applaud this action taken by ADWR but must stress that we need to move faster and more comprehensively to protect the long-term health of our rural aquifers and ensure our children and grandchildren have water for the next 100 years. The current reality in Arizona is that if we fail to update the Groundwater Management Act soon, the long-term health of our water basins may never recover. The days of working in silos on water policy are over; it’s time to have honest and transparent negotiations amongst all interested stakeholders.” ADWR outlined the groundwater conditions in the Gila Bend basin, and others, at an August meeting of the Governor's Water Policy Council Rural Groundwater Committee. -30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 12, 2024 PHOENIX – Earlier today Governor Katie Hobbs released her second-year budget plan to keep our economy growing by continued investment in public education, additional focus on our affordable housing crisis and protecting our most vulnerable Arizonans. The Governor's budget also proposes reforms to an out-of-control Republican ESA voucher scheme for private schools, and strategic budget solutions to address a mounting revenue shortfall driven by Ducey-era tax cuts for the wealthy. "We applaud the Governor for producing a budget that protects the priorities that will drive our state forward and that our caucus has consistently championed for our communities – public education, affordable housing, childcare for working families and vital services for the most vulnerable Arizonans. She is listening and leading," said House Democratic Leader Lupe Contreras. "However, decades of irresponsible Republican tax policies and expansion of ESA vouchers with no oversight have created a revenue shortfall that appears to be ballooning. Even in a strong and growing economy, our job gets tougher every day. We will have to work very hard and together to fulfill our obligations to help our most vulnerable populations, to fund our public-school students and teachers, to ensure public safety, to help our overburdened border communities and to secure our incarcerated populations. We have our starting point and it's time for the adults in the room to get to work on some tough decisions." -30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 4, 2024 PHOENIX – The Lukeville port of entry was reopened this morning, a month after it was shut down because of increased migrant arrivals. While Legislative Democrats who represent border communities celebrate the reopening, they continued their call for the federal government to increase its funding and resources for Arizona border towns. The members stressed that the closure of the Lukeville port of entry resulted from lack of resources from the federal government for southern Arizona communities to manage the ongoing influx of migrants. Instead of sending money and resources to Arizona, and other southern border states, the federal government has consistently underfunded their greatest partners in executing humane, swift crisis management. “I am happy to see the Lukeville port of entry reopen. The month-long closure created negative economic impacts on Arizona’s surrounding border cities and towns, including Nogales and Naco,” said Senator Rosanna Gabaldón. “On top of the economic impacts, the closure also created humanitarian issues by separating families who once were able to cross the border and visit relatives easily.  While opening the Lukeville port of entry is a good first step, the Biden administration still needs to send a surge of resources and staffing to Southern Arizona and start working with Congress to deal with the root causes of migration and develop a coordinated and long-term federal response.  The financial and humanitarian costs are too high for us to ignore this issue any longer.  This is as much a matter of the heart as it is a matter of policy – it’s time to put away partisanship and fix our immigration system and invest in our crisis management abilities.” “As a Representative of the district that includes Lukeville and after advocating directly to President Biden, I’m pleased to see the port of entry reopen today,” said Representative Mariana Sandoval. “Border communities like Why and Ajo have been hurt economically by the closure. However, they won’t be the only ones that feel the brunt without critical funding from the federal government. Pima County spends almost $4 million a month in federal funds to address the humanitarian crisis at the border but will run out of that funding within the next few months. Once gone, our southern Arizona communities will no longer be able to provide agencies with the critical resources they need to assist asylum seekers.” Senator Brian Fernandez added, “Opening the Lukeville port of entry is a good first step in helping Arizona address the influx of migrants seeking asylum but that does not change the fact that the federal government's decision last month to shut down the port of entry was a direct result of the dereliction of federal responsibility. Even with the port of entry reopened, the migrant situation is unsustainable and growing worse each day as Congress ignores the human and economic impact in southern Arizona. Our border communities deserve safety and security. It is vital that this funding finds its way to southern Arizona immediately.” “Arizona communities are on the frontlines of this humanitarian crisis at the southern border. We have seen a record number in asylum petitions at our southern border and the financial responsibility of this process should not fall solely on state and city governments,” said Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton. “We continue to urge Congress to provide the needed funding to address this crisis and to assure we hold intact the dignity and respect of every migrant as they move through the immigration process.” ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 20, 2023 PHOENIX — Representative Analise Ortiz will introduce legislation for the 2024 session to ban businesses from charging misleading and deceptive junk fees, such as the “processing” or “convenience” fees charged by large corporations such as Ticketmaster. These fees have become ubiquitous across the economy — in sectors as diverse as live event tickets, rental lodging, food delivery, cell phones, and rental housing — and collectively cost consumers billions of dollars annually, while providing them no actual benefits or services. Research has shown that junk fees can add as much as 20 percent to the total cost of a product. Junk fees also unfairly disadvantage local business owners who want to deal honestly with customers, and whose products appear artificially more expensive by comparison. “Large corporations unfairly charge Arizona consumers loads of bogus junk fees, nickel and diming those who can least afford it,” said Ortiz, who will formally introduce the measure in early January. “Under my bill, the price you see is the price you pay — period. Businesses should compete on providing the best service at the lowest price, not on coming up with new ways to trick and frustrate consumers with deceptive fees.” Rep. Ortiz’s legislation would require businesses to list the full price of a product, including all mandatory fees, up-front, so consumers could fairly compare actual prices from the beginning of each transaction. There is a growing movement across the country, from the Biden Administration to legislators in several states, to ban junk fees. “Bogus, deceptive junk fees are an unfair and anti-competitive business practice, and banning them would benefit all Arizonans,” said Pat Garofalo, director of state and local policy at the American Economic Liberties Project. “We applaud Rep. Ortiz for her leadership on this issue and urge the legislature to pass her bill ASAP.” -30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 14, 2023 PHOENIX – This past week, Governor Hobbs announced steps she intends to take to put more resources at the southern border to help address the spike in migrant crossings impacting local communities. The Governor's plan includes redirecting nearly $23 million in previously appropriated monies from the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs to support local law enforcement, reduce street releases and coordinate emergency management – all needing Legislative review and approval at today's meeting of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. Inexplicably, Republicans refused to put the request on the agenda, delaying or denying the desperately needed aid to border communities and law enforcement contending with the ongoing federal closure of the Lukeville port of entry. Senate Democratic Leader Mitzi Epstein and House Democratic Leader Lupe Contreras said the decision smacks of politics and shows that Republicans are more intent on politicizing the border than addressing the issue. "It's pretty clear that Republicans would rather perpetuate the crisis at the border for political purposes rather than take direct action or work together to address the problem," Contreras said. "We should be hearing the Governor's request today. But our colleagues across the aisle would rather point fingers and play politics." Border Senator Brian Fernandez (LD23) added, “It is irresponsible and negligent to continue blocking these security efforts. Republicans know that the failure to redirect these monies will result in unmitigated street releases that our cities are not able to handle. Border communities deserve our investment, they are economic drivers in the state, and it is critical that their safety is taken seriously.” "The Governor provided a solid plan and solution to assist with the humanitarian crisis at the southern border that forced the closure one port of entry, Lukeville," said Representative Mariana Sandoval (LD23), whose district includes the Lukeville port of entry. "Instead of working with the Governor to help address this humanitarian crisis, Republican leadership refused to put this item on an agenda to allow for the funding to execute the solution. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Either you want to solve problem or continue complaining about them for political gain."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2023 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Amid staggering statistics of nearly 50,000 gun-related deaths and more than twice as many firearms-related injuries last year, Representatives Jennifer Longdon, Analise Ortiz and Stephanie Stahl Hamilton took part in the nation's largest-ever convening of state legislators at the White House to address gun violence earlier today. They joined nearly 100 lawmakers from around the country to bring ideas to the table with Vice President Kamala Harris as the White House unveiled its new Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Safe States Agenda. Many of the Agenda's initial proposals mirror Democratic legislative efforts over the past several years to pass common-sense, data-driven gun violence prevention measures in Arizona. Those include safe storage measures like Rep. Longdon's bill "Christian's Law," named in honor of Christian Petillo of Gilbert, who at the age of 15 was accidentally shot and killed with an unsecured firearm during a sleepover with friends. Longdon, a survivor of random gun violence, has also repeatedly introduced bills to strengthen gun background checks and to keep firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers. Despite overwhelming public support to act, Republicans in the legislative majority have consistently refused to hear any efforts to reduce gun violence. Reps. Ortiz, Longdon and Stahl Hamilton said now is the time to redouble efforts to overcome Republican intransigence, not step back from a public health crisis. “We must get ahold of the gun violence that continues to ravage our communities," said Ortiz, D-Phoenix. "This opportunity to connect with policymakers across the country shows the Biden administration’s commitment to making our communities safer. Arizonans are demanding common-sense gun violence prevention measures and our Democratic caucus is ready to bring home what we learned and deliver.” "As a parent of three children who have gone through many traumatizing active-shooter drills, it was striking and heartbreaking to hear the gun violence epidemic described as the new abnormal for Generation Z," said Stahl Hamilton, D-Tucson. "The nation is calling out for change. Vice President Harris put forth a common-sense, evidence-informed plan to reduce gun violence, including ideas we have been working on in Arizona for years. It's time for the politicians standing in the way to hear and pass these measures as their communities are begging them to do." Longdon, D-Phoenix, added, "Today was the first convening of the White House's Safer States Initiative, and it was an honor to be there with legislators from around the country sharing ideas and strategies. It shows the Administration's commitment to the issue of gun safety in America. We have a lot of work to do, with deeply politized opposition, but the public and the facts are on our side, so we won't stop working until we get results. I look forward to our next convening and the work to come." -30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2023 PHOENIX – On December 1, the Arizona Department of Water Resources published its first round of mandated supply and demand assessments, measuring the first seven of 51 groundwater basins. The findings were deeply concerning – but not surprising – with five of the seven rural basins showing declining groundwater levels. The pace of depletion in each groundwater basin varies, but the one thing they all have in common is that there are no scenarios in which groundwater levels can be expected to improve without intervention. After years of legislative inaction and blockage, Governor Hobbs convened a Water Policy Council made up of a diverse coalition of stakeholders and decisionmakers who spent the last six months devising a flexible regulatory framework that addresses the unique needs of rural Arizonans while prioritizing local control. “These supply and demand assessments make it clearer than ever that for rural communities like Wilcox where residents’ wells have already gone dry, the clock has run out for lawmakers to pass rural groundwater reform,” said Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, who has been active on water issues as a legislator representing large portions of rural Southern Arizona. "Between conversations I’ve had personally on the porches of voters from Bisbee to Sasabe and the countless emails my colleagues and I receive daily about this issue, the concerns about water security in rural Arizona have been heard loud and clear. The results of these supply and demand assessments are a stark wakeup call but also an opportunity to come together on a bipartisan plan to address our long-term water security and ensure the sustainability of rural groundwater resources. There should be no more legislative gatekeeping, no more sticking our heads in the sand, only a focus on solutions." Stahl Hamilton added, “Senator Sine Kerr and Representative Gail Griffin, the chairpersons of the House and Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committees, must put an end to their blockade and schedule hearings for the groundwater management proposal developed by Governor Hobbs’ Water Policy Council at the first opportunity during the upcoming 2024 legislative session.” The Governor's water policy recommendations can be found here. -30-