Arizona Legislature a step closer to enacting state budget

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Legislature on Memorial Day broke an impasse that had prevented passage of a state budget for weeks.

The budget negotiated between majority Republican lawmakers and GOP Gov. Doug Ducey was hung up by some members wanting more cash for their priorities and a non-budget issue — a proposal giving childhood sexual assault victims more time to sue their alleged assailants.

Republican Sens. Paul Boyer and Heather Carter refused to back a budget deal without the child sexual assault statute change.

The measure passed Monday extends the statute of limitations for suing from age 20 to 30 and allows victims now barred from the courthouse to sue until December 2020. It also increases the standard of proof needed to sue in those older cases.

The proposal passed the Senate on a 29-0 vote and was immediately taken up by the House, which also passed it unanimously. Gov. Doug Ducey vowed to sign it.

The Senate immediately began debating the budget passed by the House early Saturday setting the stage for remaining legislation to be on Ducey's desk.

The budget for the year beginning July 1 is up 11%, and includes $386 million in tax and fee cuts meant to offset higher revenue the state expects to see from taxing more online sales and from a quirk in the 2017 federal tax overhaul. Republicans say the state shouldn't get a windfall. Democrats fought against the tax cuts, saying the state should use the money to pay for education, highways, housing and other priorities they say are neglected.

The budget makes a massive deposit in the state's main savings account, more than doubling the rainy day fund to $1 billion. That was a top priority for Ducey, who said he wants to avoid the draconian cuts Arizona was forced to make during the Great Recession.

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