Last Week at the Legislature
Sunday, January 21, 2024
Hi Friend,
Welcome to Last Week at the Legislature, my weekly report to you on what's happening in your State House, what I'm doing, and how I voted. It's an honor to serve you.
As one of your state representatives, it's important to me that I am listening and reporting back to you. That's why in addition to these newsletters, I also regularly hold coffee chats and Town Halls. This coming week, Stephanie Simacek, candidate for State House in 2024 and I will be holding a zoom Town Hall. Use the links below to sign up and join us!
Judy
Representative Judy Schwiebert, LD2
jschwiebert@azleg.gov, JudySchwiebert.com, 602-935-0468
My campaign wants to know what issues are important to you. Will you please fill out our 2024 Priorities Survey? You can fill it out here.
We want to hear from you. Register for this Thursday's 7 pm Virtual Town Hall at this link, and we'll email you back on Wednesday with a link to join the zoom.
Governor Hobbs' Budget
As is customary with every governor, this past week Hobbs released her proposed budget for next year. I believe it’s a great start on a fiscally responsible plan. While its provisions go too far for some, and not far enough for others, it prioritizes the most crucial issues Arizonans face right now, while responsibly addressing the current deficit.
Arizona has gone from a $2 Billion surplus last year to now a deficit of HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars because of 1) the previous administration's flat tax that mainly benefits the wealthiest Arizonans; 2) an explosion in the number of parents who could already afford to send their children to private schools now claiming a $7,000+ annual (universal ESA voucher) government handout; and 3) wasteful government spending like
$1 Billion in pet projects to get Republican legislators to approve last year's budget (including $15 Million for the Prescott rodeo)
Duplicative government spending like the school finance transparency portal
Lobbyist-driven paydays for their clients' projects
Money that perpetuates conspiracy theories.
We must do better!
Governor Hobbs' proposed budget is focused on investing in the priorities that my North Phoenix constituents in LD2 - and other Arizonans are rightfully demanding by
Bringing down the cost of living for working families and local businesses by lowering prescription drug costs and expanding home buying assistance for middle class Arizonans. Her budget also expands access to healthcare for more children, and ensures continued access to more affordable child care for our workforce (federal pandemic subsidies will expire in September 2024, which could leave too many families unable to afford still expensive childcare).
Keeping us safe by prioritizing investments to secure our border and fight the fentanyl crisis. Hobbs' budget also addresses solutions to the increasing number of working people and seniors experiencing homelessness. Gov Hobbs' budget includes vital funds to ensure access to safe housing that ALSO includes wrap-around services for mental health and addiction issues for those in need. I'm so grateful, too, to have a Governor who is ALSO focused on creating more long-overdue accountability for bad actors in the long term care, sober living, and behavioral health home facilities
Protecting our vital water resources and managing forests to protect rural communities from wildfire
Investing in a high-skilled workforce, including by making smart investments in training the next generation of healthcare professionals so that every Arizonan gets the care they need. BUT ALSO outside the budget, allowing voters to extend Prop 123 to help increase the salaries of all educators. We have not just a severe teacher shortage, but as a longtime teacher I know that to support students, it's ALSO vital to increase salaries of support staff - as well as to update basic security in our schools, both of which distinguish Gov Hobbs plan - and mine from the Republican proposal. These investments are fundamental to the success of our children, the workforce needs of our businesses, and the strong economy that we all enjoy when everyone contributes.
Ensuring safety for every student, protecting parents' rights, and creating fiscal accountability and transparency for how taxpayer dollars are being spent while maintaining Arizona’s robust school choice climate.
The nonpartisan Center for the Future of Arizona and other are sharing survey results which consistently show that as divided as we may appear, Arizonans actually share most of the same priorities. I'm proud that Gov Hobbs has put forward a budget addressing these bipartisan issues that the people of Arizona, and leaders on both sides of the aisle can support!
Like every other legislator, I have ideas on specific measures we should enact to get us to these priorities, That's why we have a legislative session. (See last week's newsletter for a list of my bills so far. More will follow.)
House Appropriations Committee
It's the job of the House Appropriations Committee to recommend bill proposals - or not - for the budget. However, just because a bill passes doesn't mean it will be funded in the budget, and just because it fails doesn't mean it will NOT. So, it's a kind of bizarre theater but is still considered one of the most powerful committees for hashing out budget considerations.
I'm honored to serve on this committee with our Ranking member Rep Marcellino Quinonez, and Chair Rep David Livingston. The complete committee list can be found here.
This week we met on Tuesday to receive a presentation from Marge Zella of the Governor's Budget Office to review the budget in detail, and on Wednesday we heard from Richard Stavneak, Director of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) about their projections for this and following budget years. No voting took place in either meeting.
The JLBC's non-partisan presentation explained that the main cause of the deficit is the enormous reduction in revenue from the flat tax (enacted by the Ducey administration and which provided a huge annual tax cut for the wealthiest Arizonans.)
House Education Committee
The House Education Committee meets every Tuesday afternoon following the House Floor session. It's an honor to be part of the Dem Teacher Caucus serving on this committee. All of us are former - or current teachers. That includes (L to R) Representatives Jennifer Pawlik, Rep Laura Terech, (Ed policy intern and Ed policy advisor), Rep Nancy Gutierrez, and me. A complete list of House Education Committee members can be found here.
This week our agenda included:
HB2039 (Cook-R) allowing Santa Cruz & Gila community colleges to partner with universities while working on their full accreditation. Passed 10-0.
HB2086 (Hendrix-R) repeals the requirement that candidates for county school superintendent hold an Arizona teaching certificate. I voted NO because it's important for the county superintendent to have that background. The bill was opposed by the AZ Association of County School Superintendents, Association of School Business Officials, and 151 others on Request to Speak (RTS). 11 on RTS urged a yes vote, However, It passed along party lines 6-4.
HB2095 (B. Parker-R) would expand the School Tuition organization (STO) voucher program to students in foster care, although they are already eligible for Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA vouchers) which have provided as much as $70,000 per year for students with special needs. Though I look forward to finding other ways to support children in foster care, I voted NO on this proposal. In fact, 143 people urged a NO vote on RTS, while 14 on RTS urged a YES. However, It passed along party lines 6-4.
HB2172 (Pingerelli-R) would allow the Charter School Board to continue for 10 years. Every state agency/program undergoes what's called a "sunset review" every certain number of years. The committee that reviewed the Charter School Board this year recommended the board be continued for 10 years. However, Chair Pingerelli introduced a verbal last minute amendment reducing it to six years. It passed 9-1, despite objections to the surprise last minute reduction from Dems, and a NO vote from Rep Jones, a Republican, who thought six years was still too long.
HB2174 (Pingerelli-R) would allow school personnel to obtain and administer emergency glucagon for children with diabetes. The bill is a copy of Democrat Senator Eva Burch's 2023 bill which passed 26-2 out of the Senate, but was not heard in the House. This year, it passed unanimously out of our House Ed committee. Rep Gutierrez asked for an amendment to include any school that receives taxpayer funds, and that may be considered on the House floor.
HB2089 (Hendrix-R) REVERSES SB1013 passed 57-1 last year to reduce penalties for Maricopa & Pima Community Colleges when they exceed their expenditure limitation this year and next. This gives Maricopa breathing room while they prepare to ask voters for an increase to these antiquated expenditure limits, but this bill (2089) would apply retroactively, and disrupt the carefully crafted budgets community colleges developed to serve students and the employers who depend on this pipeline to the workforce. Pima & Maricopa already are the only community college districts that receive NO operations money in the state budget. Despite eloquent testimony, it passed along party lines 6-4 and will move on to the Rules Committee and then the House Floor. (See video of my No vote explanation below.)
Sub-Approps on Budgetary Funding Formulas (BFF)
I serve on this committee chaired by Rep Matt Gress. There are technically four members but Rep David Livingston who as chair of Appropriations must approve the agendas does not generally attend. Other members are Rep Quang Nguyen, and me as the lone Democrat.
We meet every Thursday morning at 9 am when Chair Gress uses the committee to convene speakers on issues he selects. However, he has invited me to request topics and speakers, which I will be doing.
The first week we heard a valuable presentation from the AZ Department of Housing on the thoughtful, transparent and accountable process they developed to allocate both the $150 Million allocated last year to address the affordable housing shortage and the $60 Million designated for emergency services. (Their proposal process for the $60 million brought in $295 million in requests from organizations needing funds for their vital work to assist people experiencing homelessness. The need is so great.)
We also heard from the City of Mesa about their very successful Community Court system which for the past five years has helped well over 100 people annually to successfully lift themselves out of homelessness in their city.
This past week we heard from two organizations about how they believed Arizona's budget deficit happened and how to fix it. It was interesting that all four of their recommendations were actually already included in Governor Hobbs' budget proposal.
Make your Voice Heard Next Week!
To learn what's coming up THIS week so you can make your voice heard in YOUR State House and Senate, I highly recommend subscribing to the Weekly newsletter from the nonpartisan Civic Engagement Beyond Voting. (CEBV) You can read it and subscribe here.
It Was an Honor to Meet Last Week with
....the many Latino, Black, Native, and other friends at what the first annual Diversity Gala celebrating our everyone's contributions to Arizona last Friday, January 12th. The gorgeous Legends Event Center on West Camelback provided a wonderful setting and delicious meal, too. Thank you to the many sponsors that made it possible.
...alll of you who joined Stephanie Simacek and me at Stand for Children's Education Town Hall last Saturday, January 13. Thank you so much for your great questions and input.
... Emily Senz of Saavi Services for the Blind on Tuesday, January 16th, advocating for the allowing people who are blind to use the same safe digital voting system used by military members serving overseas so that they, too, can vote independently and privately.
...my fellow AEA-Retired members from LD2, Janice Dwosh (Paradise Valley School District) and Gina Aroneo (Deer Valley School District) who visited my office Wednesday, January 17th to talk about K-12 priorities. I so appreciate their lifetime of service and now on-going advocacy for our children and families.
...my LD 2 friends from All Saints Lutheran Church and Lutheran Advocacy Ministries Arizona including Pastor Dan Hoeger on Thursday, January 18th to share their priorities around affordable housing and homelessness. I so appreciate their advocacy.
...folks who came out to the Women's March on Saturday, January 20th to support the initiative to protect Arizonans right to reproductive freedom in our state constitution. You can learn more about what's at stake here - and sign the petition at any of our canvass events here.
...and my fellow past, present and future legislators who came out to join in support at today's Women's March including (L to R) Rep Lorena Austin, future Congresswoman Kirsten Engel, past and future Rep Sarah Liguori, me, Rep Analise Ortiz, and future Rep Stephanie Simacek.
Nominate a Community Builder!
As a lifelong member of our community, I'm so grateful to the many people and local businesses who make it such a great place to live. That's why I'm excited to be partnering with the Bell Road Business Alliance and Stoke Interactive to recognize many of the local Community Builders in our neighborhood.
We need YOU to make this happen, though! Check out our website at LD2NPCB.com to learn more about past recipients and nominate your favorite locally owned businesses or nonprofits in LD2 to thank them for the vital role they play in making our community the safe, thriving, unique place it is.
Past recipients include
Sugar & Lace Bakery, 15414 N. 19th Avenue
Serafina Coffee Roasters at 15414 N. 7th Street
Bell Ford at 2401 W. Bell Rd
West Coast Plumbing & Air at 2222 W. Parkside Lane
Save the Date!
LD2 Democrats of North Phoenix
Wednesday February 21, 6:30 pm
NEW LOCATION!!
Aspire Innovation Center, 20402 N 15th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85027
Do you want a state government that prioritizes
Paying our children's educators better
Addressing the water, affordable housing, and climate change crises
Protecting our freedom to vote by mail or in person
Ensuring we can make our own reproductive healthcare decisions without politicians' interference
Don't let the current legislative majority's culture wars make you lose hope. Join like-minded folks committed to electing a new majority of state legislators who will focus on addressing the vital priorities that all Arizonans share. In 2024, our legislative district is likely to be the one that decides whether we get a new direction for our state.
The LD2 Dems offer hybrid meetings on the third Wednesday of each month where we hear from advocacy groups and candidates about how each one of us can make a difference . RSVP for the zoom link -or get directions here to join us in person!
Our wonderful LD2 State House candidate, Stephanie Simacek, and I will both be speaking about why we agreed to make the commitment to serve our community in the state legislature.
Be Part of the Team To Win for Everyday Arizonans
Volunteer For Our Campaign
We're already hard at work contacting voters in our community about what's at stake in the race for our Legislative District 2 House and Senate seats: a new majority that's listening and working for everyday Arizonans. But no one can do it alone.
The two most important things to do right now are
Join a Community Canvass. We're knocking doors and getting petition signatures to qualify for the ballot as we listen to fellow voters who want a legislature committed to addressing our shared priorities. Use this link to find a day and time that works for you. We'll buddy you up with someone experienced. We need door knockers and drivers.
Donate to our campaign. We need everyone's help to pay for the staff, literature, and other advertising that are essential to winning this competitive race.