Lawmakers in the state House of Representatives took the first steps in waiving a spending limit that would require each K-12 school in Arizona to cut 17% of its operating budget. 

In the past few weeks, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and top Republican lawmakers have engaged in some public mudslinging. 

The “spear tip” of legislative conservatism is already pushing back hard against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, but not all the dissenters will identify themselves. 

Gov. Katie Hobbs is putting education at the top of her agenda for 2023. In her State of the State address on Monday afternoon, Democrat Hobbs said she wants to lift a spending cap that could kneecap public schools, increase funding for public education – specifically teacher pay – and improve oversight of non-district schools that receive public money. 

The Arizona Freedom Caucus announced it would be filing a lawsuit challenging Gov. Katie Hobbs’ first executive order barring discrimination in hiring practices. Caucus leaders claim Hobbs is illegally legislating to, “advance her woke agenda,” by issuing executive orders.  

The leadership teams for Republicans and Democrats in the state House of Representatives are set after House Republicans met Tuesday to elect their caucus leaders, with current Majority Leader Ben Toma, R-Peoria, elevated to speaker-elect.