Here's what's in Gov. Katie Hobbs' new budget for Arizona

Gov. Katie Hobbs releases new 2024 Fiscal Year budget proposal

The budget proposal, which contains just over $17 billion in spending, includes higher education spending, a child tax credit for low-income families, and plans to make feminine hygiene products tax-exempt in Arizona.

PHOENIX - Governor Katie Hobbs is releasing her first budget for Arizona.

The budget includes just over $17 billion in spending for the 2024 fiscal year. The spending covers a number of areas, including education, health, welfare, natural resources, and public safety.

Some of the proposals, according to a statement released by the Governor's Office, include:

Education

Raising the state education funding from $7,999 per student to $8,250
Repealing the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (For more on ESAs, see our explainer article), with a claim of $1.5 billion in savings over 10 years
Setting up a new, $40 million tuition scholarship program for DACA-eligible students

Health and Welfare

Setting aside $50 million from the General Fund for a refundable child tax credit for low income families, beginning in the 2023 Tax Year.
Making feminine hygiene products tax-exempt, with a cost of $24 million
A $150 million deposit to the Housing Trust Fund to help families and individuals who are currently unhoused, or are at risk of becoming unhoused

Natural Resources

$15 million in one-time funding for a grant program to help rural, Latino, and Indigenous communities get certified well drillers to access safe drinking water
$7.5 in one-time funding to install public infrastructures for electric vehicles at state facilities
$10 million in one-time deposit to the State Parks Heritage Fund for park development and other matters

Public Safety

$69.2 million, including $56.7 million in one-time funding, to support Department of Corrections operations
$17.1 million in reallocated funding to the DPS patrol program for law enforcement duties in areas of greatest need
$12.2 million in reallocated funding, including $11 million in one-time funding,t o provide grants to law enforcement in border communities

During her first State of the State address, Gov. Hobbs announced a number of new programs that she wants implemented, which includes the child tax credit and tax exemptions for feminine hygiene products that is mentioned above.

Gov. Hobbs will have to work with the Republican Party-controlled State Legislature to get a budget passed.