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Senate confirms Thomas David Cole as registrar of contractors, some senators cite need for conflict safeguards
Summary
The Arizona Senate confirmed Thomas David Cole as registrar of contractors 27-3 after a committee endorsement; several senators requested conflict-of-interest safeguards tied to union relationships and a rescission of a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Labor.
The Arizona Senate confirmed Thomas David Cole as the state’s registrar of contractors by a 27-3 roll-call vote after the director nominations committee reported favorably.
Senator Jake Hoffman, chair of the Committee on Director Nominations, presented the committee's report recommending confirmation and moved the nomination on the floor. The motion was seconded and put to a roll-call vote.
Senator Ortiz, a member of the director nominations committee, told colleagues he was "impressed" by Cole's background, cited letters of support from the National Electrical Contractors Association and the Associated Specialty Contractors of Arizona, and said Cole had led the agency to fiscal stability during his tenure.
A different senator who explained a no vote on the floor raised concerns about safeguards against undue influence from labor unions. That senator said the nominee "has uniquely close ties to the upper echelons of the union community" and urged that either the governor’s office or the registrar adopt conflicts policies similar to those used in a recent gaming nomination; the senator also asked that a memorandum of understanding the nominee signed with the U.S. Department of Labor be rescinded or reconsidered.
Senator Hawken was recorded on the floor as voting no; the clerk announced the final tally as 27 ayes and 3 nays. The secretary was instructed to notify the governor and the secretary of state of the confirmation.
Why it matters: The registrar of contractors oversees licensing and regulation that affect construction firms and public safety in building work. Several senators asked for explicit conflict-of-interest safeguards tied to the registrar’s contacts with labor organizations and for clarity about the registrar’s relationship to an MOU with the U.S. Department of Labor.
The nomination passed following committee endorsement and floor debate; the vote was recorded as 27 ayes and 3 nays.
