Governor Katie Hobbs Celebrates Passage of the Arizona Promise Budget

Phoenix, AZ – Today, Governor Katie Hobbs’ Arizona Promise budget passed the legislature. The budget will bring the state one step closer to restoring the Arizona Promise that Governor Hobbs highlighted in her State of the State and increase opportunity, security, and freedom for everyday Arizonans.

“I am thrilled that the legislature passed the bipartisan and balanced Arizona Promise budget to expand opportunity, security, and freedom in our state,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “By working together, we have secured pay raises for state police and firefighters, made child care more affordable and accessible, taken action to stop drug smuggling and human trafficking, and invested in public education from kindergarten through higher ed. We showed Arizonans what is possible when we are willing to reach across the aisle and deliver common sense solutions for the people of our state. I look forward to signing this budget into law and delivering these big wins for the people of Arizona.”

MORE ABOUT THE BIPARTISAN ARIZONA PROMISE BUDGET:
Keeping Arizona Safe and Securing the Border
Highlights:

5% pay raises for state troopers.
$8 million for the Governor’s SAFE Initiative to secure the border by helping local law enforcement fight drug smuggling and human trafficking.
$10 million for the Governor’s SAFE Initiative to support sheriffs in their county jail coordinated reentry programs.
$1.6 million for the DPS Anti-human Trafficking Fund Deposit.
$20 million to backfill federal cuts to the Victims of Crime Act, supporting victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and other violent crimes with counseling and legal services.

Lowering Costs and Creating Opportunity for Every Arizona Family
Highlights:

$44.9 million from the General Fund and $81 million ($30 million ongoing and $51 million one-time) in federal funds to cut the child care waitlist in half and expand childcare access. This is the largest investment of general funds for child care since the Great Recession.
$3.8 million to eliminate co-pays for reduced-price school meals, providing 10 million free meals to working class children.
$2 million for the Governor’s Homes for Heroes initiative to reduce veteran homelessness.
Full primary residence property tax exemption for 100% disabled Veterans.
$16.5 million for coordinated housing homelessness services through DES, including eviction prevention and shelter operations supporting youth and families.

Securing Arizona’s Water Future and Building a Resilient Arizona
Highlights:

15% pay raises for state firefighters.
$30 million to the Wildland Fire Suppression Fund to prevent and fight wildfires.
$3 million to the Colorado River litigation fund to ensure Governor Hobbs can fight for Arizona’s fair share of Colorado River water.
$11.2 million to continue covering costs for Arizona communities battling wildfires.
$2.9 million to expand access to the outdoors through grants for park, waterway recreation, and trail developments, and growth of the Family Campout program.

Expanding Access to Health Care
Highlights:

Fully funds DDD for over 60,000 people, protecting health care for Arizonans with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and intellectual disabilities.
$4 million for a Graduate Medical Education Rural Incentive Program, expanding access to health care for rural Arizonans through the development of rural residency programs.
$300K to add cochlear implants and outpatient speech therapy as covered AHCCCS services.
$100K to expand Medicaid to cover Traditional Healing services for Tribal members by drawing down over $200 million in federal funds.
$4.2 million to support critical access to hospitals in rural and underserved areas.

Providing a Quality Education for Every Arizonan
Highlights:

Fully funds K-12 education and waives the Aggregate Expenditure Limit for two years to prevent a K-12 school funding cliff.
$297 million to build new K-12 schools and improve existing school facilities.
$24 million to support SPEED bonding that will allow ASU, NAU, and UofA to unlock $325 million in bonding capacity for capital projects, including initiatives like a new medical school and nursing school.
$54 million for the Arizona Promise Program, the largest investment to date in the program that will provide scholarships for working class students ($16.3 million one-time general fund, $20 million ongoing general fund, $17.7 million one-time other funds).
$3 million for the Arizona Community College Promise Program, providing the first ever funding to this program that will create a scholarship program for working class students at the state’s community colleges.

Governor Hobbs will sign the budget bills later this afternoon.

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