Democrat governor vetoes bill to combat squatting

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) just vetoed a bill that would have combated squatting, Fox News reports. 

She did so, according to the outlet, despite the fact that the bill that she vetoed had bipartisan support.

For those unfamiliar with squatting, PacificLegal explains:

"Squatting" describes moving into a property without any legal claim or title to the property. Such a person is “squatting”—living on—someone else’s property without consent from the owner.  

Right about now, you are probably asking - what American governor would block a law to combat squatting? One answer is Katie Hobbs.

Arizona Senate Bill 1129

The Washington Examiner explains how this bill would have combated squatting as well as how the bill would have changed the status quo.

Per the outlet:

The bill, S.B. 1129, would allow for a homeowner to call law enforcement to immediately remove a squatter from their home. Under current law, police officers do not possess the authority to remove someone illegally residing in one’s home, leading to a costly legal battle for homeowners experiencing this issue.

The bill made it to Hobbs' desk with bipartisan support, but Hobbs decided to veto it.

As for why she vetoed it, she claimed, "This bill 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."

Hobbs chose not to explain any of this.

"What kind of message does that send?"

As would be expected, Hobbs is receiving significant criticism for her decision to veto the anti-squatting bill. Among those to voice such criticism is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), a governor who, in his state, has signed an anti-squatting bill.

DeSantis said:

The governor of Arizona just vetoed a bill we signed here in Florida so these squatters could be evicted. What kind of 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.

Indeed.

Hobbs, since taking over as Arizona's governor, has rejected an astronomical amount of legislation. Fox reports, "The veto was one of 10 measures Hobbs nixed on Tuesday, bringing the number of bills she has rejected this legislative session to 52. She issued a record-breaking 143 last year . . ."

Fox adds, "Hobbs also vetoed a bill that would define who can shower with whom in public schools and legislation requiring enhanced sentences for those convicted of multiple incidents of 'organized retail theft' . . ."