PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs wanted the Legislature to fund 615 more prison health care workers in the budget year that begins July 1 to comply with a federal judge’s order requiring Arizona to dramatically boost staffing so it could provide constitutionally adequate care to inmates.
But the Democratic governor got less than half the money needed to fund those new posts in a budget deal she cut with Republicans who control the state House and Senate.
Instead of the $108.2 million for new staff she sought in her January budget proposal, lawmakers only agreed to provide $45.1 million — enough to pay for slightly less than 42% of the workers the judge said in a 2025 order are needed. Hobbs also sought — and actually got — another $9.5 million for health operating costs at the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry.
