The Veto Hammer

As usual when the Legislature is in session, we are watching the Governor’s vetoes. How often have recent Governors exercised their veto?

We looked at the Regular Legislative Sessions of the last four governors, then compared the number of vetoes in the session to the number of bills that were enacted. Our comparison does not include special sessions, which happen when the Governor calls the Legislature into session to work on a specific issue or set of issues.  

Governor Jane Dee Hull

Governor Jane Hull took office on September 5, 1997. Her predecessor, Governor Fife Symington, had been indicted and resigned as required by state law.

1998-43^rd Legislature, 2^nd Regular Session, met January 12 – May 22, 1998.

12 vetoed bills plus 2 line-item vetoes. Laws 1998, Chapters 1-213, Volume 1 (PDF page 21).

Veto messages: Laws 1998, Chapters 214-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 911).

There were 303 Session Laws enacted that year. Comparing the number of bills enacted to the number of vetoes yields a veto rate of 4.6%

1999-1^st Regular Session of the 44^th Legislature, met January 11 – May 7, 1999.

21 vetoed bills plus 7 line-item vetoes. Laws 1999, Chapters 1-223, Volume 1 (PDF pages 23-24).

Veto messages: Laws 1999, Chapters 224-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 861).

There were 353 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 7.9%

2000-2^nd Regular Session of the 44^th Legislature, met January 10 – April 18, 2000.

15 bills vetoed plus 4 line-item vetoes. Laws 2000, Chapters 1-170, Volume 1 (PDF pages 23-24).

Veto messages: Laws 2000, Chapters 285-End, Volume 3 (PDF page 707).

There were 405 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 4.6%

2001-1^st Regular Session of the 45^th Legislature, met January 8 – May 10, 2001.

28 bills vetoed plus 9 line-item vetoes. Laws 2001, Chapters 1-235, Volume 1 (PDF pages 25-26).

Veto messages: Laws 2001, Chapters 236-End, Volume 2  (PDF page 1105).

There were 388 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 9.5%.

2002-2^nd Regular Session of the 45^th Legislature, met January 14 – May 23, 2002.

9 bills vetoed. Laws 2002, Chapters 1-258, Volume 1 (PDF page 22).

Veto messages: Laws 2002, Chapters 259-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 861).*  

There were 344 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate was 2.6%.

* It appears that the line item disputes had played out the year earlier, during the 2^nd Special Session conducted between November 13 and December 19, 2001, called to address the funding formula for Limited English Proficient Students and to balance the state budget. Nine bills were enacted. Governor Hull exercised the line-item veto on 5 of them. Laws 2001, 2^nd Special Session, (PDF pages 4-5).

Governor Hull’s average veto rate over 5 Regular Sessions was ­­­5.8%.

---

Governor Janet Napolitano

2003-1^st Regular Session of the 46^th Legislature, met January 13 – June 19, 2003.

17 bills vetoed plus 4 line-item vetoes. Laws 2003, Chapters 1-247, Volume 1 (PDF pages 22-23).

Veto messages: Laws 2003, Chapters 248-End, Volume 2  (PDF page 401).

There were 268 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 7.8%.

2004-2^nd Regular Session of the 46^th Legislature, met January 12 – May 26, 2004.

8 bills vetoed plus 2 line-item vetoes. Laws 2004, Chapters 1-205, Volume 1 (PDF page 22).

Veto messages: Laws 2004, Chapters 206-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 749).

There were 343 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 2.9%.

2005-1^st Regular Session of the 47^th Legislature, met January 10 – May 13, 2005.

58 bills vetoed plus 3 line-item vetoes. Volume 1, Laws 2005, Chapters 1 – 226 (PDF pages 22-24).

Veto messages: Laws 2006, Chapters 265-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 777).

There were 334 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 18.2%.

2006-2^nd Regular Session of the 47^th Legislature, met January 9 – June 22, 2006.

 43 bills vetoed plus 1 line-item veto. Laws 2006, Chapters 1-264, Volume 1 (PDF page 23).

Veto messages: Volume 2, Laws 2006, Chapters 265 – End   at PDF 833 (PDF page 833).

There were 395 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 11.1%.

2007-1^st Regular Session of the 48^th Legislature, met January 8 – June 20, 2007.

22 bills vetoed. Laws 2007, Chapters 1-214, Volume 1 (PDF page 22).

Veto messages: Laws 2007, Chapters 215-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 711).

There were 296 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 7.4%.

2008-2^nd Regular Session of the 48^th Legislature, met January 14 – 27, 2008.

32 bills vetoed.  Laws 2008, Chapters 1-218, Volume 1 (PDF page 22).

Veto messages: Laws 2008, Chapters 219-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 1013).

There were 315 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 10.1%.

Governor Napolitano’s average veto rate over 6 Regular Sessions was ­­­9.5%.

---

Governor Jan Brewer

Governor Janet Napolitano resigned upon her confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. Governor Brewer was sworn in on January 21, 2009.

2009-1^st Regular Session of the 49^th Legislature, met January 12 – July 1, 2009.

22 bills vetoed plus 2 line-item vetoes. Laws 2009, Chapters 1-113, Volume 1 (PDF pages 18-19).

Veto messages: Laws 2009, Chapters 114-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 608).

There were 191 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 12.5%.

2010-2^nd Regular Session of the 49^th Legislature, met January 11 – April 29, 2010.

14 bills vetoed. Laws 2010, Chapters 1-247, Volume 1 (PDF page 22).

Veto messages: Laws 2010, Chapters 248-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 991).

There were 338 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 4.1%.

2011-1^st Regular Session of the 50^th Legislature, met January 10 – April 20, 2011.

31 bills vetoed. Laws 2011, Chapters 1-237, Volume 1 (PDF pages 22-23).

Veto messages: Laws 2011, Chapters 238-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 1192).

There were 357 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 8.6%

2012 –2^nd Regular Session of the 50^th Legislature, met January 9 – May 3, 2012.

26 bills vetoed. Laws 2012, Chapters 1-250, Volume 1 (PDF page 23).

Veto messages Laws 2012, Chapters 251-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 1295).

There were 362 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 7.1%

2013-1^st Regular Session of the 51^st Legislature, met January 14 – June 14, 2013.

26 bills vetoed. Laws 2013, Chapters 1-201, Volume 1 (PDF pages 21-22).

Veto messages: Laws 2013, Chapters 202-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 740).

There were 256 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 10.1%.

2014-2^nd Regular Session of the 51^st Legislature, met January 13 – April 24, 2014.

25 bills vetoed plus 3 line-item vetoes. Laws 2014, Chapters 1-194, Volume 1 (PDF pages 20-21).

Veto messages Laws 2014, chapters 195-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 1181).

There were 278 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 10%.

Governor Brewer’s average veto rate over 6 Regular Sessions was 8.7%.

---

Governor Doug Ducey

2015-1^st Regular Session of the 52^nd Legislature was the first session of Governor Doug Ducey. The Legislature met January 12 – April 3, 2015.

20 bills vetoed. Laws 2015, Chapters 1-200, Volume 1 (PDF page 24).

Veto messages Laws 2015, Chapters 201-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 924).

There were 324 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 6.1%

2016-2^nd Regular Session of the 52^nd Legislature, met January 11 – May 7, 2016.

14 bills vetoed. Laws 2016, Chapters 1-202, Volume 1 (PDF page 19).

Veto messages: Laws 2016, Chapters 203-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 1549).

There were 374 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 3.7%

2017-1^st Regular Session of the 53^rd Legislature, met January 9 – May 10, 2017.

11 bills vetoed. Laws 2017, Chapters 1-184, Volume 1 (PDF page 21).

Veto messages: Laws 2017, Chapters 185-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 1274).

There were 342 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 3.2%.

2018-2^nd Regular Session of the 53^rd Legislature, met January 8 – May 4, 2018

23 bills vetoed. Laws 2018, Chapters 1-235, Volume 1 (PDF page 21).

Veto messages: Laws 2018, Chapters 236-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 1269).

There were 346 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 6.6%.

2019-1^st Regular Session of the 54^th Legislature, met Session January 14 – May 28, 2019.

11 bills vetoed. Laws 2019, Chapters 1-191, Volume 1 (PDF page 23).

Veto messages: Laws 2019, Chapters 192-End, Volume 2 (PDF page 1119).

There were 321 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 3.4%.

2020-2^nd Regular Session of the 54^th Legislature was disrupted by the COVID 19 pandemic.  The Legislature met January 13, 2020 – May 26, 2020.

There were no vetoes. Laws 2020, Chapters 1-90. The only Governor’s Message was a statement regarding the budget (PDF page 809).

There were 90 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 0.

2021-1^st Regular Session of the 55^th Legislature, met session January 11 – June 30, 2021.

28 bills vetoed. Laws 2021, Chapters 1-232, Volume 1 (PDF pages 25-26).

Veto messages: Laws 2021, Chapters 375-End, Volume 3 (PDF page 1105).

There were 447 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 6.2%

2022-The official Session Laws of the 2^nd Regular Session of the 55^th Legislature are not yet published, but the 2022 Legislative Summary is online. The Legislature met January 10 – June 25, 2022. There were 388 Session Laws and 5 vetoes. The veto messages are among the Governor’s Letters here.

There were 388 Session Laws enacted that year. Veto rate 1.2%.

Governor Ducey’s average veto rate over 8 Regular Sessions was 3.8%.

---

Over more than 2 decades, Arizona Governors and Legislatures have faced an ever-changing landscape of issues and circumstances. The number of vetoes issued by each Governor varied widely. We’ll leave it to you to puzzle out the reasons.

Arizona Says No to Daylight Saving Time

While most of the rest of the United States observes Daylight Saving Time (DST), Arizona does not. In March, most of the country will “spring forward” and set their clocks one hour earlier. In November, they “fall back” and reset the clocks to an hour later, gaining back the extra hour returning to Standard Time. Meanwhile Arizona stays on standard time all year long, inspiring the refrain: Spring remain, Fall the same. Arizona is in the Mountain Standard Time (MST) zone, also known as Mountain Time. Places in the Mountain Time zone who observe daylight saving time are referred to as Mountain Daylight Time (MDT).

When did this happen, and why?

How did we get here?

Original U.S. Law 40 Stat. 450 & 56 Stat. 9.

The idea of changing clocks to take advantage of more sunlight in the summer months is not new. Congress first adopted a measure in 1918 to extend the workday and conserve fuel needed for war industries during World War I. The same legislation established standard time zones (40 Stat 450 & 56 Stat 9). After the war, the nationwide mandate was repealed but DST continued as a local option. DST was implemented again as “War Time” during World War II. The nationwide mandate was repealed again in 1945. Once again state and local governments could choose to observe it. They had the additional authority to decide when would start and end. By 1966, there was a patchwork of local laws that caused confusion and inefficiencies for radio and TV stations, railways, airlines, and bus companies. And, presumably, anyone who wanted to know what time it was.

In 1966, Congress passed the Uniform Time Act, intended to “promote the adoption and observance of uniform time within the standard time zones”. It implemented a plan to adopt DST. It instructed all Americans to move their clocks forward one hour on the last Sunday of April and back one hour on the last Sunday of October of each year. The law allowed any state to exempt itself from the time changes, provided the exemption applied to the entire state.

15 U.S.C. §§260-64.

Since 1966, standard time has shrunk to about 4 months as Congress has shifted the start of DST earlier and the start of standard time later. Currently, DST starts the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November.

Photograph of the 28th Arizona State Senate

In 1968, the Arizona Legislature exempted the state from the DST, choosing to remain on standard time throughout the year. Filed that same year was Senate Concurrent Resolution 2 proposing to refer the issue to the voters. Both measures passed the Senate and were transmitted to the House at about the same time. The House opted to proceed by passing a statute. Senate Bill 1 was approved in the Senate by a vote of 25 to 3 (PDF page 972) and in the House of Representatives 49 to 1 (PDF page 782), enough to pass with an emergency clause. It became effective upon the signature of Governor Jack Williams on March 21, 1968. You can read it at Arizona Revised Statutes §1-242. It has never been amended.

Laws 1968, Chapter 183. PDF pages 719-120

Map of Hopi villages and communities in Arizona. From ResearchGate.net.

Not all areas inside the borders of Arizona shun DST. The Navajo Nation lies in northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah. The Navajo Nation is on DST, keeping the entire reservation on the same time. But it’s a little more complicated than that. The Hopi Nation, which is surrounded by Navajo land, is not on DST and therefore is on the same time as most of Arizona. Given that there is also a portion of the Navajo Nation that is surrounded by Hopi land, you may need a map to be able to tell what time it is during DST in northeastern Arizona. 

Why did Arizona oppose DST? To Arizonans living in areas with intense heat, an extra hour of sunlight in the evening is not appealing. It would not spur people to go out and enjoy the longer evening hours that are beloved by Americans in summer-loving climates. In addition, in the Arizona desert observing DST is unlikely to meet the original goal of energy conservation. A few other areas have opted out of DST, including the State of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.

Is DST a good idea?

Impact of Extended Daylight Saving Time on National Energy Consumption Report to Congress

The original goal of DST was to shift the clocks forward during the months with the most sunlight to maximize use of natural light and save heating and transportation fuel. It’s not clear that DST meets that goal. Life and energy consumption have changed dramatically since 1966. Now, air conditioning is virtually everywhere, there are multiple TV sets and computers in a typical home, and most people who plan activities to enjoy the “bonus hour” use gasoline to get there. The savings were evaluated by the Department of Energy in a report to Congress in 2005 and by the Congressional Research Service in 2020.

Studies suggest that DST is not good for our health. Time changes disrupt our natural circadian rhythm. When clocks are set ahead in the spring, many people can’t fall asleep at night and feel more groggy in the morning.  This can impair focus and judgment during the time it takes our bodies to adjust, resulting in lost productive time and car accidents. Some studies show a higher risk of heart attack following time changes, especially after the “spring forward” change that starts DST. Some people who suffer from mood disorders may experience an increase in depressive symptoms after the “fall back” change when daylight grows shorter.

And most people detest changing their clocks twice a year. A poll published in the Economist/YouGov in November 2021 found that 63% of respondents want to stay on the same time all year. Other polls found the number to be even higher: nearly 75% would prefer not to change their clocks. Twenty-eight state legislatures considered the issue in 2022. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) reports that some 450 bills and resolutions have been considered by state legislatures in the last 7 years.

If DST is eliminated, the choice is between permanent DST or permanent standard time. This is a major dispute. The Economist/YouGov poll found that 48% preferred permanent DST, while 29% favored permanent standard time. A different poll showed that 40% of respondents support permanent standard time, with 31% preferring permanent DST. Eighteen states have enacted measures to establish year-round DST as soon as federal law allows it. In general, businesses that benefit from longer business hours, such as retail, restaurants, and outdoor recreation advocate for permanent DST. For instance, longer daylight in the fall, when the days grow shorter, has been a boon for the candy and Halloween industries. The hurdle to this point of view is that states can opt out of DST, but don’t have the authority to set permanent DST without federal approval.

Climate for Phoenix, Arizona

Others recommend permanent standard time. One factor is the health benefit of standard time. More light in the morning, for example, helps many to feel more alert and to maintain a healthful regular bedtime. There is evidence that altering the body’s relationship to the sun can negatively affect sleep, cardiac function, weight, and risk of cancer. Some of the business community agrees. The ski industry, for example, supports standard time year-round because it enables ski activities earlier in the day. Parents have long worried about DST in the fall, when schoolchildren go to school while it is still dark.  And don’t forget us here in Arizona. We Arizonans love our sunshine, but most of us feel we can get too much of a good thing. During the extreme heat of our summers, we don’t want to postpone sunset. Traffic in August is cranky enough already.

Helping Researchers For Over 100 Years

Look what we found!

 

It’s a page from a notepad that belonged to Con Cronin, tucked into the pages of a the 1913 Civil Code, which we recently had rebound! More on that below.

 

 

Con Cronin was the first State Librarian of Arizona. His actual title was State Law & Legislative Reference Librarian. The State Library was established on March 24, 1915 (Laws 1915, Chapter 62, page 156 of PDF). Con Cronin was appointed by name in the enacted provision. Along with his extensive duties to organize and manage the new state library, he had a role in the legislative process:

 

Session laws, State of Arizona, 1915, Second Legislature, Regular Session, First and Second Special Sessions

He served until 1932.

We tried to decipher the tidy penciled notes that were taken on the Con P. Cronin notepad. Apparently it is the 2^nd page of a research request:

It appears that Mr. Cronin had been asked about the process for paying or showing payment of the Road Tax, but the citation doesn’t match: Paragraph 505 (page 351 of PDF) pertains to legal grounds for postponement of a trial.

The 1913 Revised Statutes governed road taxes in Paragraph 5056 and the following sections. As if we needed a reminder that 1913 was a long time ago, Arizona’s law in 1913 provided for collection of a tax to maintain the roads. The law stated that “every able-bodied male resident of the state, over twenty-one years and under sixty years of age…shall be required to pay a road tax of two-dollars per annum to be collected by the county tax collector…”. Upon payment, the resident would receive a receipt. Here’s the provision from 1913 R.S. §5056:

The provision had also appeared in the 1901 Revised Statutes of the Arizona Territory, at §3964 (page 996 of the PDF).

This seems to answer the patron’s question. And here we are, some 105 years later, still answering patrons’ research questions about Arizona legal history.