Joe PittsWith much of the legislative action for 2023 complete, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry is cheering a host of wins the business community earned this legislative session that advocates say will pave the way for further economic development, preserve Arizona’s pro-growth business climate, and maintain the integrity of the citizen initiative process.
The Chamber is particularly enthusiastic about the passage of HB 2809, a priority bill for the organization that it says will spur the development of public infrastructure to ensure cities’ ability to attract and support major manufacturing projects.
The bipartisan bill was signed into law Monday by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs.
“When we encourage businesses to invest or expand in our state, infrastructure is always a top consideration for employers,” Chamber President and CEO Danny Seiden said. “That’s why we fought so hard for HB 2809, a measure that will continue a proven, self-funded economic development tool to improve local infrastructure and ensure Arizona remains the top state for manufacturing investment and growth. We are grateful to the bipartisan group of legislators who supported this effort, particularly bill sponsor Rep. Michael Carbone, and to Gov. Katie Hobbs for signing it into law.”
The Chamber also applauded the recent passage of SCR 1015, a resolution to ask voters in the 2024 election whether more Arizonans should have a say in which initiatives appear on the statewide ballot.
By requiring a minimum threshold of petition signatures from each legislative district for a proposition to qualify for the ballot, supporters like the Chamber say that the bill guarantees a more comprehensive and accurate reflection of the state. Under current law, petition signatures can be collected from wherever the proponents choose.
“For too long, initiative proponents have been able to gather their petition signatures from a relatively small area of the state without ever having to make their case to voters outside the metros,” said Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs Courtney Coolidge.
To date, 18 bills supported by the Chamber have been signed this session. This includes a dual enrollment measure enacted in the state budget – a crucial bipartisan policy championed by Sen. Steve Kaiser, R-Phoenix, that the Chamber says will enhance educational opportunities and workforce development across the state.
The Chamber says that their focus continues to be on protecting the current regulatory structure and tax environment, ensuring no rollback of the pro-growth policies implemented during the previous decade. Moreover, the Chamber continues to prioritize defending businesses from government overreach.
The Chamber this session has advocated on behalf of the business community against a barrage of bills that it says would have undermined the ability of job creators to set their own workplace policies. All 45 bills the Chamber opposed this session were either defeated or amended to address business community concerns.
Examples included a resurrection of vaccine-related requirements on employers, as well as an uptick in bills that sought to further involve government in employer’s operations, including telling companies who they can and can’t do business with, mandating the payment options a business must accept, and more.
The Chamber commended the “business champions” from both parties at the state Capitol who have worked to advance Arizona’s reputation as the most attractive state in the nation for investment, job creation, and economic development.
Noemi Santaella
Danny Seiden
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