One month into a Legislative session that sees the Republican-controlled Arizona House and Senate trying to come to terms with a Democrat as governor for the first time in 14 years, GOP leaders are showing no sign that they will make Gov. Katie Hobbs' first year in office a smooth one.

As a Republican former Arizona governor, a Democratic former Arizona attorney general, and an independent Arizona businessman, we were proud to represent the broad political spectrum to stop anonymous political spending in our state. Voters in November approved Proposition 211 or the “Voters’ Right to Know Act," however opponents of the measure aren’t giving up.

Following multiple razor-thin election results in Arizona, proposals from Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer offer solutions to potentially expedite the vote-counting process. Now, the county must work out the details with the Legislature. 

Republicans in the Arizona Senate are targeting "drag story hour'' and other drag performances that have drawn the ire of conservatives, with the sponsor of a proposal banning certain shows before children or in government buildings calling it a case of "good versus evil.''

After changing rules around public records retention last week, legislators are now free to delete vast swaths of electronic records, and they’re turning down requests to get those records before they can be destroyed.  

Republicans in the state Legislature are closing in on sending a budget that is likely dead on arrival to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs next week.  

Republican lawmakers who have spread election conspiracy theories and falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential outcome was rigged are overseeing legislative committees charged with setting election policy in two major political battleground states. Divided government in Arizona and Pennsylvania means that any voting restrictions those GOP legislators propose is likely to fail.

With memories fresh from pandemic-era school closures and curriculum battles — particularly over how matters of gender and race are taught — legions of parents are trekking to the marble floors of their state Capitols to fight to create education savings accounts, also known as ESAs. Such accounts exist in Arizona and West Virginia, though Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs argues the dollars would be better spent bolstering chronically underfunded public schools.

With Republicans and Democrats working together, we can take Arizona to greater economic heights.

The top two Republican lawmakers want Katie Hobbs to put money left over from the inaugural celebration into a state account -- where it can't be used to elect more Democrats.