Arizona House passes budget stopgap to stave off shutdown

The Arizona House passed a “continuation budget” Tuesday night to keep the state government open on its terms rather than push through the governor-supported Senate budget.

State House Republicans have refused the $17.6 billion budget that was negotiated with the GOP-controlled state Senate and Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) after not being afforded the opportunity to engage in deliberations on the matter. Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro framed the move as the only way to keep the state government open.