Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has vetoed a bill seeking to strengthen the rights of homeowners looking to evict squatters from their property.
The measure, dubbed Senate Bill 1129, garnered bipartisan support and would have allowed a property owner to request law enforcement to remove an individual occupying one’s house illegally.
Under the current law in Arizona, squatters must be pursued through the courts, a process that can become convoluted and lead to property owners spending exorbitant amounts of time and money.
The vetoed measure could have sped up this process by allowing property owners to submit an affidavit to the police to file a report.
Police, acting on the owner’s affidavit, would have had permission to direct the person to leave after verifying they didn’t have a permit or legal reason to be there. If they refused this order, police could charge them with trespassing.
In her veto letter, Ms. Hobbs argued that the proposed measure “fails to leverage existing legal mechanisms, respect the due process rights of lawful tenants, and minimize unintended consequences, such as for victims of domestic violence.”
Republican state Sen. Wendy Rogers, who crafted the bill, criticized the governor’s move in a statement, saying the bill is not aimed at lawful tenants, but illegal squatters.
“This bill has absolutely NOTHING to do with landlord-tenant law and has exemptions for family members and anyone with an agreement to cohabitate,” Ms. Rogers said.
Squatting Cases
During committee hearings, property owners testified about squatters severely damaging their property, leading to high repair costs.
“We should not further victimize homeowners with a time-consuming, cumbersome, and costly removal process,” Ms. Rogers said.
Arizona state Sen. Justine Wadsack, a former real estate agent, also shared at a committee hearing that she encountered a squatter occupying a property she was showing to a client.
“It was a terrifying threat to my safety, the safety of my clients, as well as to the homeowners. When I called the police, I was told there’s not much they could do,” Ms. Wadsack said.
“Nobody should ever be allowed to live in and occupy another person’s home without their permission, yet I continue to have constituents reach out to me with these types of stories,” she added. “It’s a shame Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed yet another piece of commonsense bipartisan legislation.”
Ms. Hobbs’s decision comes amid a surge in national stories about squatters seizing control of vacant homes, refusing to leave, and sometimes terrorizing homeowners.
Florida Gov. Ron De Santis, who signed a similar measure last month seeking to strengthen the rights of property owners in squatting cases, criticized Ms. Hobbs for blocking the bill.
“What kind of a message does that send? You’re saying you can squat in someone’s house and then they basically have to go through a six-month process,” the Republican governor said during a news conference in Redington Shores on April 24.
The bill’s veto also comes as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed similar legislation on April 24 that protects homeowners from squatters with a new law imposing stiffer penalties for squatting and providing for an expedited eviction process.
“It is nothing short of insane that there are some who are entering other people’s homes and claiming them as their own,” Mr. Kemp said in a post on X. “Thanks to our legislative partners, I was proud to sign HB 1017—once again making it clear that illegal squatters are criminals, not residents.”
From NTD News
Not surprising that a Democrat, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs would vetoed a bill seeking to strengthen the rights of homeowners looking to evict squatters from their property.
The destructive, treasonous Democrat Party has imported 10 plus Million Illegal, homeless, jobless, unvetted immigrants and have forced the U.S. taxpayers to provide FREE food, clothing, housing, medical, dental, transportation and cash to their illegal immigrants.
Now these treasonous Democrats like Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs want their illegal immigrants to be able to take someone’s property and live there without any consequences and make it hard for the owner to evict them or hold them responsible for the damage they did to the property.
Why would anyone except these Democrat illegal immigrants vote and support the treasonous Democrat Party??
THIS IS Why the voters, need to RECALL ELECTION her but out of the governors office.
You are exactly right. Hobbs needs to be recalled, and Arizona is one state that is expert at recalling morbid politicians…
THEN WHERE are the republicans in that state, WITH ORGANIZING a recall petition?
Starting a recall is an extremely expensive endeavor and requires good organization.
Good to know, I think I’ll move into the Gov Mansion.
When it comes to evicting illegal squatters, it is better to ask the Judge and governor for forgiveness than permission. I’ve been in that position and have found that POSESSION is 99 percent of the law. When I entered my own home with an open right to carry sidearm at my side and gave them an offer they could not refuse, they surrendered possession with nary an objection. When woke weakling government gets in the way, First get back the possession by letting those squatting know they are dealing with the wrong person and 99% of the time they just move on to their next timid victim too embarrassed or frightened to bring in the police. Squatters know there are plenty of other frightened rights-surrendering Democrat voters ripe for the picking so why take a chance and resist. I guarantee you this flip-flopping governor would evict any group or anyone descending on the Arizona Capital House or Governor’s mansion refusing to leave until someone well-armed with the Truth and their rights shows up to call their bluff. Powerless Cowards like “Kaite bar the door” to her Governor’s mansion,, with someone else’s taxpayer paid for jeopardized life force, deserves to get herself moved out of the House of THE PEOPLE in the very next election, so someone worthy of Arizona leadership might rush right in, where the current coward fears to tread. When police finally get fed up obeying unworthy lawbreaking governors and start arresting the politicians, the game will soon be over.
YOu can bet her ARMED GUARDS wouldn’t even let you PASS the fence line, LET ALONE Inside the mansion.
Proof beyond a shadow of a doubt democrats loves criminals. Criminals are more important to democrats than.law abiding citizens. Republicans must vote.
i do not think they love them john.
but i believe the love to use them as a means to an end.
just as they use gays , transgenders , abortions , illegal aliens , and race baiting, i left out the green movement.
it is all about complete control of whats left of america.
I disagree Cap. WITH HOW MUCH of the dem platform, CODDLES and essentially CONDONES criminals, from squatters, to mass looters, to mass CRIMINAL PROTESTS, to mass occupy movements, to illegal invaders, THEY ALL SEEM TO BE “PRO” those crimes…
That’s why the Criminal Justice system it being skewed towards justice just for the criminals, taxpayers go pound it and give up your rights so that those who don’t have Our “privilege” can have a better life on Our dime, even if it means looting retail establishments out of business (who risk being sued by the Government for closing down or moving out of the hostile areas), to now homeowners having to spend a fortune on lawyers and spend great lengths of time to evict a trespassing person or persons who felt that your property was abandoned when no one was living there at the time. This is especially egregious when the property was a vacation home, or the proper home of the owners when they were vacationing!
Every time we turn around, some self important lefty is telling the taxpayer to shut up because they don’t matter, they have no rights, and just do what they are told unless they want to be attacked by the court system they pay for…while the criminals are given every advantage and consideration while never contributing in any way.
This is the Golden Age for being a criminal.
What do you expect from a (DEMON) CRAT she gas done everything against the people and everything for the illegals. If you look at what the name Hobbs really stands for it jyst might raise a few eyes. This person is acting just like her name implys, the devil. She is a (DEMON) CRAT all the way to her very core and is showing hatred toward those that own property.
Let’s hope the legislature has the votes to OVERRIDE her veto.
Good to know that the once great state of Arizona has joined Marxifornia in electing leftist, progressive frauds.
“The theory of Communism may be summed up in one sentence: Abolish all private property”. Karl Marx
F-Aridzona
To “FAUXCIFRAUD”, Great handle and I enjoyed your manufactured words. Marxifornia and Aridzona are jewels. I’m a wordsmith (writer) specialty is metered, rhyming long poems (narrative verse) focusing on major historical events and military operations. Former Californian, exiled to Utah. Lived in Tucson for 2 years during USAF service. Contact me at [email protected] for some future contacts. I’d like to stay in touch because of your politics and talents. Warren Rosenbaum
While “Her Fraudulence” is occupying the Governors Mansion, maybe someone should squat in her home(s). My understanding is she’s been involved with several property transaction’s supposedly used to launder money. Maybe that’s why she was able to become Governor against a more popular candidate. One hand washes the other.
Let the anarchy continue. Democrats have become the party of anti-law and order. From illegal immigrants to trespassing squatters, Democrat have proven over and over again they side with the lawbreakers. This is not a coincidence. It is a tool to pressure people into giving up their rights and allowing government to rule without constraints. This is how you grow the government and usher in socialism.
HENCE why i and others, SAY THE DEMS LOVE the criminals..
Don’t recall her. Simply send a group of squatters for her residence and see how efficiently the current legal system helps her
Arizona Governor Vetoes Bill That Would Have Allowed Authorities To Evict Squatters
This act and others CONFIRMS for me that Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is nothing but a F*****g IDIOT!