Governor Hobbs Vetoes Six GOP Bills, Calls Library Ban 'Shameful'

Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed six bills this week, including measures that would have barred Arizona public school libraries from funding professional associations, required school superintendents to disclose contracts online, and mandated adoption education alongside discussions of contraception and STIs in schools.

In a flurry of executive actions, the Democratic governor pushed back against a series of Republican proposals she described as harmful to students, transparency, and educational resources.

Library Funding Veto

Hobbs called House Bill 2008, the "Library Freedom Act," a "shameful and misguided attack on public school librarians." The bill would have prevented Arizona public school libraries from paying for membership in professional associations like the American Library Association.

"Knowledge is power, not a weapon, and at a time when literacy rates are on the decline nationwide, I will not support legislation that deprives our children of the resources they need to reach their full potential," Hobbs wrote in her veto letter.

HB2008 passed the Arizona Senate along party lines on April 1. Alabama, Wyoming, Missouri, Texas and Florida have all cut ties with the American Library Association, according to Politico.

Superintendent Contracts Veto

Hobbs also vetoed House Bill 2075, which would have required school districts to post on their websites the contracts for their superintendent, assistant and associate superintendents, and chief financial officers. The legislation would have also required those contracts to be sent to the Arizona Department of Education.

In her veto letter, Hobbs said, "Arizona has a robust school choice environment," and "this bill fails to ensure that all options in the marketplace are held to the same level of transparency."

State Superintendent Tom Horne blasted the governor's veto as "outrageous" and "a slap against accountability."

"This had support of both Republicans and Democrats, but the governor used her veto pen to make sure taxpayers are kept in the dark," Horne said.

ABC15's investigation found that in 2025, more than a dozen Arizona school superintendents could make more than $300,000 in base pay and extra compensation. The station obtained contracts for more than 100 Arizona district school superintendents through public records requests.

Adoption Education Veto

Hobbs vetoed House Bill 2040, which would have required public educational institutions to provide adoption information alongside discussions of sexually transmitted diseases and contraceptives in schools.

"This bill is unnecessary and marks my third veto for this poorly constructed and unnecessary policy change," she wrote in her veto letter regarding a similar social credit score ban.

Other Vetoes

The other bills Hobbs vetoed included:

• HB 2289, which would have changed notice requirements for school district bond elections
• SB 1787, which addressed zoning appeals

Context of Vetoes

Hobbs vetoed six bills this week, one of which would have barred Arizona public school libraries from partnering with professional association memberships.

In other recent actions, Governor Hobbs has vetoed a bill to rename the Loop 202 freeway after conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and a bill that would have created a license plate for the late Kirk.

The governor also vetoed a bill to mandate adoption education alongside STIs, contraceptives in schools.