PHOENIX — The Arizona House of Representatives considered and approved a series of budget and related policy bills during a floor session that included committee reports, floor amendments and final third-reading votes.

The Appropriations Committee repeatedly reported bills “do pass” and the House adopted floor amendments before holding final votes. Key measures in the package included budget implementation and capital outlay bills, a K–12 funding bill that raises the base level per student, transportation and higher education funding measures, revenue and tax technical changes, and health- and human-services-related appropriations.

Why it matters: The package contains core spending decisions for the current fiscal year and sets implementation steps and policy conditions for education, transportation and state operations. Several provisions also adjust administrative rules and funding oversight for agencies that administer large state programs.

Representative Livingston, speaking in the committee of the whole, framed many of the bills as routine budget implementation and highlighted specific provisions. On the K–12 bill he told members the measure “increas[es] the base level of funding per student to 5,013 current year to 5,113 and 26¢ next fiscal year,” calling it “the highest ever in the state of Arizona” for baseline per-student funding. On revenue changes he said the bill funds a Department of Revenue system upgrade: “we are upgrading. We're in the middle of a sys upgrade system. Upgrading all of the Department of Revenue software and hardware for the whole state.”

Other committee remarks explained program details and reasons for amendments: the Auditor General was allocated roughly $2 million to expand audits of county treasurers after an embezzlement case; the state building management bill discussed the current $17.87 per-square-foot charge for office space and options to adjust it; the capital outlay bill included transportation projects such as Riggs Road work and an I‑10 widening project; and an environmental bill added authorization for qualified third parties to assist a commissioner with processing applications.

Leaders and members repeatedly moved the Committee of the Whole to “rise and report” after each calendar consideration; floor amendments were adopted where noted in committee. Several bills were described on the floor as short, technical or administrative, while larger measures — notably K–12 and higher education bills, the revenue bill and the capital outlay package — drew more explanation.

Votes at a glance (final third-reading results recorded on the floor):
- HB 2947 (budget closing/omnibus): passed, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting.
- HB 2948 (amusements/technical): passed, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting.
- HB 2949 (capital outlay; transportation projects including Riggs Road, I‑10 widening): passed as amended, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting.
- HB 2950 (commerce/administration items): passed, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting.
- HB 2951 (public-safety/procedures and related provisions): passed as amended, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting.
- HB 2952 (environmental appropriations; qualified third-party processing): passed as amended, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting.
- HB 2953 (healthcare licensing, long-term care/ADHS-related items): passed as amended, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting.
- HB 2954 (higher education bonding/tuition provisions): passed as amended, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting. Members noted the bill increases university bonding capacity and contains tuition-reduction language described on the floor as a 2.5% reduction and a temporary freeze.
- HB 2955 (human services/SNAP and related preparedness): passed, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting. Committee discussion flagged potential federal changes that could shift costs to the state.
- HB 2956 (K–12 budget): passed as amended, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting. Committee discussion emphasized an increase to the baseline per-student funding to new levels and described the bill as “fully fund[ing] K–12.”
- HB 2957 (local government appropriations/auditor general funding): passed, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting. Committee remarks said ~$2 million was added for Auditor General audits of county treasurers.
- HB 2958 (state building management): passed, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting. Discussion explained square-foot charge mechanics and tradeoffs if the rate were changed.
- HB 2959 (revenue/budget technicals and Department of Revenue systems upgrade): passed, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting. Representative Livingston described a system upgrade and said the bill includes multiple provisions on revenue administration.
- HB 2960 (budget implementation/appropriations technicals): passed, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting. Committee comments noted language on consultation and separation of legislative branch data handling.
- HB 2961 (tax items; small tax cuts and credits): passed as amended, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting. Committee discussion described a modest overall tax cut (reported in committee as under $1,000,000) and a $3,000 adoption expense credit expansion and targeted veteran property-tax relief.
- SCR 1004 (Senate concurrent resolution proposing a constitutional amendment related to taxation): passed, recorded 31 ayes, 0 nays, 29 not voting.

What was not decided here: Several members asked for clarifications that were noted for follow-up rather than resolved on the floor — for example, a question on why specific transportation line items (summary lines 18 and 22 in the capital outlay summary) were exempted from review by the Joint Committee on Capital Review (JCCR). Representative Livingston said he would “get back to you on that.”

Next steps: The clerk recorded passage of the bills and the clerk was instructed to convey each passed bill to the Senate. Leadership announced a brief recess and adjournment until the House reconvened, with additional committee drafting, engrossing and potential Senate action to follow.

Sources: Floor transcript of the Arizona House Committee of the Whole and floor session (committee reports, floor amendments, committee explanations and final third-reading votes). Direct quotes in this story are taken from the transcript and attributed to the speakers named in the record.