FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 2, 2023
President Petersen Announces Formation of Committee on Director Nominations
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— In an effort to establish a clear system of checks and balances over state agency directors, Senate President Warren Petersen is creating the new Senate Committee on Director Nominations. This committee will be tasked with gathering information and evaluating qualifications on the Governor's executive appointments in order to recommend a course of action for the Senate to take on each individual.
Arizona Revised Statute 38-211 requires the Senate to confirm the Governor's appointments. This statute also requires the Governor to "promptly" send documentation outlining those nominations to the Senate. The Governor began appointing agency leaders prior to her official inauguration, on December 27, 2022. However, as of today, the Governor has failed to submit this required documentation to the Senate on 23 out of 25 individuals who have so far been appointed. These individuals oversee agencies and have a direct impact on the lives and livelihoods of every single citizen within Arizona, so it is imperative that the Governor adhere to established protocol in order to protect the public.
The members that will serve on the Committee on Director Nominations are:
• Senator Jake Hoffman (Chair)
• Senator Sine Kerr (Vice-Chair)
• Senator T.J. Shope
• Senator Christine Marsh
• Senator Eva Burch
"Katie Hobbs’ apparent refusal to follow the law when it comes to submitting her agency director nominees for Senate confirmation is unacceptable and demonstrates her willingness to play political games with the lives and safety of Arizona citizens." said Chairman Jake Hoffman. "We currently have people charged with overseeing state agencies, which serve our most vulnerable populations, who have not been properly vetted by the Senate, as prescribed by Arizona law."
"The individuals who are currently serving as directors of our state agencies, as appointed by the Governor, are currently collecting salaries funded by taxpayer dollars. These individuals are making staffing changes. They're making major changes to how departments are run. This is quite concerning, considering we don't know yet if these individuals are even qualified to hold these positions," said Majority Whip Sine Kerr.
"For a Governor who has made numerous comments on wanting bipartisanship at the Capitol, the way to achieve that goal is to not ignore statutory duties or intentionally delay statutory checks and balances," said President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope. "We look forward to meeting with these individuals in a timely fashion, so that we can begin the process of thoughtful examination, as the voters who elected us to office expect us to do."
The first committee hearing will be held on Thursday, February 9, 2023.
###
For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus
kquintero@azleg.gov