The Veto Queen Strikes Again: Gov. Katie Hobbs Rejects Six GOP Bills Including Library Freedom Act and Charlie Kirk Highway Proposal

Six Bills, One Message: Governor Defends SNAP Programs and Public Education

Gov. Katie Hobbs added to her state-record veto tally Tuesday, swatting down six bills introduced by Republican lawmakers in the Arizona Legislature. The vetoes span issues from public school library funding to SNAP benefits to controversial highway renaming proposals, with the governor making clear she will not sign partisan legislation that she argues harms Arizona families.

Hobbs vetoed the bills late Tuesday, including:

• House Bill 2008, which would have barred public school libraries from spending public money on professional association memberships
• House Bill 2396, which would have restricted SNAP recipients from buying less-healthy items with their benefits
• House Bill 2040, which would have required mandatory adoption education alongside STI information in schools
• House Bill 2075, which would have required school districts to publish employment contracts
• House Bill 2289, which would have changed notice requirements for school district bond elections
• Senate Bill 1787, which addressed zoning appeals

The most contentious of the vetoes came with HB 2008, dubbed the "Library Freedom Act." The bill would have specifically targeted the American Library Association, which conservative lawmakers have criticized over its book selection guidance and tracking of banned books nationwide. Alabama, Wyoming, Missouri, Texas and Florida have all cut ties with the group, according to Politico.

"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.

Third Veto on Social Credit Score Ban

The governor also vetoed, for a third time, a bill that would have banned Arizona banks from using "social credit scores" in lending decisions.

"This bill is unnecessary and marks my third veto for this poorly constructed and unnecessary policy change," she wrote in her veto letter.

Introduced by Rep. Steve Montenegro, House Bill 2903 would have barred the state from requiring a bank to use a social credit score when evaluating whether to lend money to a customer. The one-sentence bill would have added a new section to Arizona banking statutes.

Social credit score bans have gained traction in Republican-led state legislatures in recent years amid fears that environmental, social and governance metrics could be used to deny financial services based on political views, religious beliefs or gun ownership. States like Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming all passed similar legislation, according to a research firm which tracks ESG policies.

SNAP Crackdowns Meet Their Match

Hobbs has been in a yearslong battle with GOP lawmakers over SNAP benefits, and this session was no different. The governor vetoed HB 2206, which would have required the Arizona Department of Economic Security to cut its administrative error rate to 3 percent by 2030, or face budget cuts.

"SNAP is the most robust and effective anti-hunger tool we have in Arizona — I know this firsthand," Hobbs wrote. "It's also the most secure, thanks to strong anti-fraud measures and oversight. Instead of creating more needless frustration for Arizona families, I invite you to join me in actually lowering costs for them."

Hobbs also vetoed HB 2396, which would have barred SNAP recipients from buying less-healthy items like soda and snack foods with their benefits.

"I appreciate your intent to improve health outcomes of Arizonans," she wrote. "Yet, instead of offering Arizonans more options to feed their families, this legislation would deprive them of the dignity and economic freedom enjoyed by other grocery shoppers."

Charlie Kirk Highway Gets Shot Down

One of the more unusual vetoes came with a bill to rename Loop 202 as the "Charlie Kirk Highway" after the slain conservative influencer. SB 1010 would have given $17 from every license plate purchased to the nonprofit branch of Turning Point USA, the controversial right-wing organization Kirk founded in 2012.

The proposal sparked strong reaction from residents of the Valley before it was vetoed by Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs. The debate was about much more than re-naming a highway, it was all about "who" the highway would be renamed for.

Several residents had already raised concerns about the proposal.

"Being a long-term resident of the Valley I do not think that our highway should be renamed after a person that expressed opinions segregating so many people. I do not agree with him. He does not deserve the honor and there are others that are far more deserving," resident Alyssa Boertman said.

Another Valley resident Zach Reick told Northeast Valley News "It would be a waste of taxpayer dollars to rename a highway."

Alyssa Hubbard was one of a few who supported the renaming. "I agree with it. Charlie Kirk being from Arizona, it's nice to be represented by someone who was born here. I stand by someone who stands by their own opinion. I stand by renaming the freeway after someone who has impacted our community," she said.

The veto also came mere weeks after Hobbs vetoed another GOP-backed bill that would have created a specialty license plate in honor of Kirk.

A Pattern of Veto Power

Two years ago, Hobbs broke the all-time vetoes record by swatting down 216 bills in her first two years in office, topping the career mark previously held by Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano. Last session, Hobbs ran up the score, vetoing a whopping 174 bills, which is a single-session record.

That brings her three-year total to 390 rejected bills, a number that will only swell in 2026. This legislative session has seen more bills introduced by lawmakers than ever before. Considering both chambers of the Arizona Legislature are controlled by Republicans, that will mean more veto fodder for Hobbs.

The Arizona Capitol Times noted that the governor has vetoed a string of GOP bills, calling one "shameful and misguided." The publication highlighted her rejection of legislation that would have barred public school libraries from spending public money on professional association memberships.

"We want to hear from you. Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here," the Arizona Capitol Times reported.

What Comes Next

The Republican-controlled legislature now faces the challenge of overriding Hobbs' vetoes. While Arizona state law allows for a veto override with a two-thirds vote in each chamber, that is politically difficult given the current political landscape.

For now, the vetoed bills remain dead, and the governor has made clear she will continue to veto legislation that she views as partisan or harmful to Arizona families.

The next legislative session will begin in January, with lawmakers expected to bring new bills to the floor. Given Hobbs' track record, many of those bills may face the same fate as the six she rejected Tuesday.