Lawmakers mull sine die delay until key senator returns from absence

Regional News

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The Arizona House and Senate may delay adjourning the session until next week, as the Legislature waits for Republican Sen. John Kavanagh to return from a trip to Louisiana to provide a crucial vote for a pair of bills.

After approving a $9.8 billion state budget on Friday morning, legislative leaders had planned to end their annual session Monday or Tuesday, but later changed that goal to Tuesday or Wednesday. Now, they’re saying it could be next week.

House Republican leadership is unwilling to close the session without a vote on two measures: A bill to restore two-year eligibility for cash assistance for needy families and a measure to require municipal tax increase elections be held in November of even-numbered years.

House Speaker Pro Tem T.J. Shope said his chamber is prepared to drag the session out until next week, if that’s what it takes, in order to get two more bills out of the Senate, where the measures are short on votes as Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, is out of town.

Senate President Steve Yarbrough, R-Chandler, said that he’s doubtful that lawmakers will stay until next week, though, because other senators would be absent then.