Arizona Dem Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoes anti-squatter bill

Arizona’s Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed bipartisan legislation that would have strengthened property owner’s rights to evict squatters.

SB 1129, vetoed on Tuesday, would have permitted homeowners to request police to immediately remove a squatter from their property if the squatter unlawfully claimed a right to live there.

Hobbs said Tuesday in a letter to the president of the State Senate, "Today I vetoed Senate Bill 1129. This bill fails to leverage existing legal mechanisms, respect the due process rights of lawful tenants, and minimize unintended consequences such as for victims of domestic violence."

State Sen. Wendy Rogers, who sponsored the bill, said in a statement, "This bill has absolutely nothing to do with landlord-tenant law and has exemptions for family members and anyone with an agreement to cohabitate.”

Rogers added, "Although we have trespassing laws, it's often difficult to prove a person is unlawfully occupying a home and can result in a lengthy legal battle.”

State Sen. Justine Wadsack said that she had found a squatter occupying a home while she was a real estate broker, "It was a terrifying threat to my safety, the safety of my clients, as well as to the homeowners. When I called the police, I was told there was not much they could do. It's a shame Gov. Katie Hobbs has vetoed yet another piece of commonsense bipartisan legislation."

Hobbs vetoed ten bills on Tuesday, bringing the total number of rejected legislation to 52 this legislative session after issuing a record-breaking 143 vetos in 2023. 

According to Fox News, Hobbs also vetoed a bill that would have codified the defintion of male and female into law and prevent males from using women's showers in school locker rooms in public schools. She also vetoed bills that would have required enhanced sentences for those convicted of multiple incidents of organized retail theft.

Hobbs also vetoed a bill that would have authorized police to arrest illegal immigrants and would have made it a misdemeanor crime for anyone to illegally cross the border at any location other than a lawful port of entry.