Key Points:

• Arizona lawmakers stall bill activity due to budget negotiations

• House and Senate members still come to the Capitol despite no floor sessions

• Lawmakers are using the break to campaign for the upcoming primary election

With ongoing budget negotiations stalling bill activity, members of the House and Senate are no longer meeting for regular floor sessions — but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still showing up to the Capitol. 

One of those members is Rep. Quang Nguyen, R-Prescott Valley, who told the Arizona Capitol Times he had driven to the Capitol from his home every day this week for legislative business. On May 13, he had just met with a group of high school students who visited the House. 

“I have meetings that I cannot call off, and I don’t want to push these people back who made the appointment,” Nguyen said. “I’m not going to disappoint those people because I have the day off.”

The Senate did have some floor activity on May 11, but did not meet for the rest of the week and does not plan to meet again until May 18. 

And while the House isn’t scheduled to meet again on the floor until June 1, lawmakers could be called back at any time this month if legislative leaders determine it’s necessary. Rep. Kevin Volk, D-Tucson, said that fact alone has kept him and other lawmakers from taking any summer vacations that would make them unavailable for an impromptu floor session.

“It’s not like a vacation, but it’s doing work in the community. For me, knocking on doors of constituents, trying to catch up on my personal life, which I put aside doing this,” Volk said of the break. “But I think most of us would rather just get the job done.”

Nguyen said he also didn’t plan any vacation time since he knew he could be called back at any moment. 

“If you’re going to call me a state representative, I better be representing 24/7,” Nguyen said.

House Republicans last week voted to recess until June 1, saying they had no more bills to discuss on the floor and had a general unwillingness to propose any, given Gov. Katie Hobbs’ ongoing bill signing moratorium. House Democrats opposed the recess but lacked the votes to prevent it. 

In a news release, House Democrats called the recess a “month paid vacation,” although Republicans have taken exception to the recess being described as a vacation or a break.

Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, defended the actions of Republicans in a May 5 post on X saying that many members, including himself, would still be at the Capitol every day of the week.

The recess isn’t unusual from Arizona’s lawmakers, and past sessions have seen similar breaks in floor activity for similar reasons during Hobbs’ term — usually to negotiate the budget. 

House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos, D-Laveen, confirmed he met with Hobbs the morning of May 12 to discuss the budget, but wouldn’t give any specific details on what was discussed or where budget negotiations stand. 

Volk likened the House’s yearly breaks to those members of Congress take from Washington D.C., and warned his fellow legislators against appearing too much like their federal counterparts. 

“It’s not normal, and I don’t want Arizonans to think it’s normal,” Volk said. 

For other lawmakers, the recess has given them a chance to attend some professional development events or spend more time in their districts and with constituents. 

House Minority Co-Whip Stacy Travers, D-Tempe, who also voted against the recess, said she’s using the opportunity to bolster her understanding of subjects that aren’t in her area of expertise and for attending community events. 

Travers compared the summer break to an extended Friday, a day lawmakers normally use for meeting with constituents and scheduling or attending events instead of meeting on the floor. 

“Every day is a Friday. I can now book doctor’s appointments,” Travers said. “I care-give for my mom, so it allows me to take her to different appointments.”

With the primary election fast approaching, many lawmakers are also using the time to campaign, particularly with the Arizona Clean Elections debate schedule starting. Democrats in the Tucson district of Legislative District 20 participated in a web debate on May 13, while Republicans in the Scottsdale District of Legislative District 3 debated on May 14.