By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
PHOENIX -- Arizonans who are laid off won't have to worry about their unemployment benefits being cut off sooner.
And the state won't add additional requirements to those who get food stamps.
Republican-sponsored bills with those mandates were among 12 vetoed late Tuesday by Gov. Katie Hobbs. That means she has now rejected 87 measures sent to her by state lawmakers.
The common thread of the bills on benefits is access to help when needed.
Under Arizona law, those who lose a job through no fault of their own are entitled to payments from a special account financed by a tax on employers.
The benefit is supposed to equal one-half of what the person was making. But Arizona law limits the payments to just $320 a week, regardless of the person's prior salary, one of the lowest caps in the nation.
Those payments now can last for up to 24 weeks -- and 26 weeks if the state jobless rate exceeds 5%. During that time, recipients have to be available for work and seek employment.
The proposal by House Majority Leader Michael Carbone, R-Buckeye, sought to cut off benefits in as little as 12 weeks any time the unemployment rate was below 5%. That includes now where the statewide rate is just 4.1%.
And the jobless rate would have to hit 8% for the full 26 weeks of benefits.
The measure drew scrutiny amid concerns that it can take more than 12 weeks to find suitable employment.
It also was noted that the jobless rate the legislation would use to compute maximum weeks is an average and does not reflect what is available throughout the state. For example, the current unemployment rate for Yuma County is 11.2%
"Cutting unemployment insurance will not connect Arizona workers to jobs that match their skills more quickly,'' Hobbs wrote in her veto message. "If anything, it will send them and their families into needless financial hardship.''
The governor had similar thoughts in rejecting another measure dealing with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
More informally known as food stamps, there already are requirements to work at least 30 hours a week unless someone fits an exception. These range from being a caregiver to a young child or incapacitated person, a student in a recognized school or training program, or participating in drug or alcohol treatment and rehabilitation programs.
Rep. Julie Willoughby, R-Chandler, sought to add a mandate that those who do not meet any of the exceptions must participate in an employment and training program.
"Putting up additional barriers for families already struggling to put food on the table is not the way to expand opportunity, security and freedom for Arizonans,'' Hobbs wrote in her veto.
The governor also questioned the effectiveness of what Willoughby had proposed. Hobbs said a better idea would be for lawmakers to expand the existing SNAP Career Advancement Network which already provides, on a voluntary basis, the ability for food stamp recipients to get employment and training opportunities.
Among the other bills that Hobbs rejected was a proposal by Rep. Rachel Keshel to require the state's Medicaid program to provide a conspicuous link on its website to direct individuals where they can find more information an adoption and support for pregnant women.
Hobbs, however, said she saw the proposal by the Tucson Republican as one-sided, particularly in the wake of the repeal last year of the state's territorial-era law outlawing most abortions -- a vote that she noted occurred over the objection of most Republicans.
"Unfortunately, that same legislative majority continues to send me bills that limit access to abortion and information on the full spectrum of reproductive health choices available to Arizona women,'' the governor wrote.
And Hobbs rejected another Keshel bill, this one that would have barred the attorney general from bringing criminal charges or filing a civil lawsuit against any county supervisor who refused to certify election results.
That measure followed the indictment of two Republican members of the Cochise County Board of Supervisors on charges of interfering with an election after they had initially refused to perform the formal canvass following the 2022 general election, claiming they had questions about the equipment.
Peggy Judd eventually pleaded guilty to a single count of failing to perform her duties and was placed on probation for 90 days. Tom Crosby continues to battle the charges.
"My priority lies with protecting the voice of every eligible Arizona voters, not protecting politicians,'' wrote Hobbs who had been secretary of state at the time of the election.
Other measures meeting with the governor's displeasure include:
- Requiring all election equipment used by 2029 to be built in this country using only domestic parts. Hobbs said the legislation "is predicated on conspiracy theories rather than fact.''
- Outlawing vote centers where anyone in the county can cast a ballot and instead require voters to show up at their local precincts. The governor said she will not sign anything "that makes it harder for eligible Arizonans to exercise their constitutional right to vote.''
- Requiring separate hand-count audits for early and election-day ballots, something Hobbs called "inefficient and cumbersome.''
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