Arizona Senate passes budget and ends legislative session despite disagreement with the House

The Arizona Senate passed its annual budget and ended its legislative session Thursday, leaving no room for debate with the state’s House of Representatives ahead of the June 30 budget deadline.

In a late-night 17-12 vote, Arizona state senators approved the $17.6 billion spending plan with members of both parties voting for and against it. Six of the 13 Democrats in the upper chamber voted for it following a deal that had been worked out between Republican leadership and Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ).