House Engrossed governor; question time State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 HOUSE BILL 2051 An Act amending title 41, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-117; relating to the governor. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
House Engrossed governor; question time
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
HOUSE BILL 2051
House Engrossed
governor; question time
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
2025
HOUSE BILL 2051
An Act
amending title 41, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-117; relating to the governor.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Title 41, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-117, to read: START_STATUTE41-117. Governor's questions A. Beginning january 4, 2027, on the third Wednesday of each month during the legislative session, the governor shall appear before the legislature and answer questions asked by members of the legislature. B. The governor shall: 1. Appear for questioning in front of the house of representatives and senate on alternating months, beginning with the senate in odd-numbered years and the house of representatives in even-numbered years. 2. Answer all of the following: (a) Two questions posed by the majority leader or the majority leader's designee. (b) Two questions posed by the minority leader or the minority leader's designee. (c) One question each by four members of the body, selected at random by the presiding officer of the body. (d) One follow-up question to each question asked, if requested by the questioner. C. If the governor is not present in the state, the lieutenant governor shall perform the duties of the governor prescribed by this section. In other circumstances the governor, with the approval of the presiding officer of the body to be attended, may designate the lieutenant governor to perform such duties. D. This section does not do any of the following: 1. Affect any of the legislature's or governor's other rights or privileges that may exist at law. 2. Recognize, create or disparage any other rights or privileges. 3. Prevent each body from enforcing any of the body's rules, including rules of decorum. END_STATUTE Sec. 2. Legislative findings The legislature finds that: 1. Impromptu exchanges between the legislature and the executive such as the United Kingdom's Prime Minister's questions are associated with higher levels of voter turnout, political knowledge and political engagement among the general public. These relationships hold even when accounting for many other factors known to affect political engagement. Rob Salmond, Parliamentary Question Times: How Legislative Accountability Mechanisms Affect Mass Political Engagement. J. Legis. Stud. 20, 321-341 (2014). 2. Article V, section 1 of the Arizona Constitution states that the governor "shall perform such duties as are prescribed by the Constitution and as may be provided by law." 3. An effective and accountable government relies on an engaged, well-informed voter base and it is the duty of all elected officials to provide the public with opportunities to become informed about state government. Creating opportunities for regular exchanges between the legislature and the executive will increase civic engagement among Arizona voters and provide engaging learning opportunities to Arizona students.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 41, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-117, to read:
START_STATUTE41-117. Governor's questions
A. Beginning january 4, 2027, on the third Wednesday of each month during the legislative session, the governor shall appear before the legislature and answer questions asked by members of the legislature.
B. The governor shall:
1. Appear for questioning in front of the house of representatives and senate on alternating months, beginning with the senate in odd-numbered years and the house of representatives in even-numbered years.
2. Answer all of the following:
(a) Two questions posed by the majority leader or the majority leader's designee.
(b) Two questions posed by the minority leader or the minority leader's designee.
(c) One question each by four members of the body, selected at random by the presiding officer of the body.
(d) One follow-up question to each question asked, if requested by the questioner.
C. If the governor is not present in the state, the lieutenant governor shall perform the duties of the governor prescribed by this section. In other circumstances the governor, with the approval of the presiding officer of the body to be attended, may designate the lieutenant governor to perform such duties.
D. This section does not do any of the following:
1. Affect any of the legislature's or governor's other rights or privileges that may exist at law.
2. Recognize, create or disparage any other rights or privileges.
3. Prevent each body from enforcing any of the body's rules, including rules of decorum. END_STATUTE
Sec. 2. Legislative findings
The legislature finds that:
1. Impromptu exchanges between the legislature and the executive such as the United Kingdom's Prime Minister's questions are associated with higher levels of voter turnout, political knowledge and political engagement among the general public. These relationships hold even when accounting for many other factors known to affect political engagement. Rob Salmond, Parliamentary Question Times: How Legislative Accountability Mechanisms Affect Mass Political Engagement. J. Legis. Stud. 20, 321-341 (2014).
2. Article V, section 1 of the Arizona Constitution states that the governor "shall perform such duties as are prescribed by the Constitution and as may be provided by law."
3. An effective and accountable government relies on an engaged, well-informed voter base and it is the duty of all elected officials to provide the public with opportunities to become informed about state government. Creating opportunities for regular exchanges between the legislature and the executive will increase civic engagement among Arizona voters and provide engaging learning opportunities to Arizona students.