Hobbs agrees to send director nominations through Senate committee

(The Center Square) – The Hobbs administration will be obligated to send director nominations to a Senate committee that shot down some of its past picks, a court ruled in its final judgement on Monday.

"The Court declares that, because the agency director positions at issue in this litigation became vacant outside of a legislative session, [state law] mandates that the Governor both nominate directors to those positions and transmit those nominations by the first week of the next regular legislative session," the Superior Court in Maricopa County decided, according to court documents .

The lawsuit from the Arizona State Senate centered around whether or not Gov. Katie Hobbs could use "Executive Deputy Directors" to cut around a Senate vetting committee led by Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, who is one of the governor's staunchest critics, before headed to the full Republican-majority chamber for a confirmation vote. She pulled 13 nominees and gave them the "Executive Deputy Director" title in September as her office stated in a news release that the committee "failed to act in good faith" to get picks through in a "timely manner."

It was determined by court in June that the move violated state law.

"I'm grateful we can move forward from the insanity and chaos our state agencies and our citizens have been experiencing due to the Governor's actions, and I look forward to reinstating the confirmation process so that we can properly vet director nominations in an effort to ensure only the most qualified candidates are serving in these critical roles," Senate President Warren Petersen stated on Monday.

Hobbs' office released a statement on the decision Tuesday morning.

"Governor Hobbs will always put politics aside to do what’s best for the people of Arizona," they said. "While she disagrees with the Senate on the law and is disappointed in the earlier ruling in this case, she has reached an agreement that includes transmitting director nominees to the Senate to ensure stability and continuity for veterans, small businesses and vulnerable Arizonans who rely on state agencies to provide critical services that they need. This outcome, rather than continued litigation, is what’s in the best interest of the State right now. "