When the session ends, there is a collective sigh of relief from those monitoring bad policies, now knowing they are officially dead. I share in this comfort as well, because even until the very last hour, we stayed vigilant and defeated bad legislation that tried to sneak over the finish line.
This year, two major items are still active beyond the legislature's adjournment: water management and ballot initiatives.
One of the first actions Governor Hobbs took after assuming office was issuing an executive order to establish the Governor’s Water Policy Council. This group has made progress in outlining a variety of ways to balance growth and sustainability. However, the Council has also faced significant challenges that reflect the broader divisions and differing perspectives towards water management. Rural agricultural Senator Sine Kerr and the Farm Bureau both left the Water Policy Council in 2023. Their choice to walk away was a loss to the discussions as irrigated groundwater for farming constitutes the largest use of water in our state, consuming 74% of our supply. This session also brought an influx of water legislation, but many of the policies seemed more reactionary catering to special interests rather than focusing on holistic, long-term management.
The bright spot is that two groups of stakeholders have been meeting to forge water solutions in Urban and Rural Groundwater Management. Although the session ended without agreement on paths forward, ongoing discussions could lead to a special session on one or both topics. I hope we can find common ground in this area for the sake of our state's long-term water sustainability and the economic future of the farmers who put food on our tables.
Ballot referrals were also plentiful this year, as the Republican majority pushed through an unprecedented number as their way to bypass the veto stamp of the Governor. We will soon find out just how many will be referred. The ballot for Maricopa is already two pages, front and back on each page, and could see a third, making it one of the longest in history. This raises concerns about the cost and time required for processing election results as well as potential voter confusion and fatigue.
By the numbers, here is what the ballot initiative volume consists of:
Republicans introduced over 70 initiatives.
13 citizen initiatives are in the process of submitting signatures to qualify for the ballot.
In 2023, the legislature referred 5 initiatives to the ballot.
In 2024, the legislature has referred 2 initiatives (HCR 2023 and SCR 1021), with a potential 14 still in play.
Speaking of ballots, we are rapidly approaching the day primary ballots will be sent to our mailboxes (July 3rd!). Review these dates below to be ballot-ready.
With Kindness,
Sarah
