STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – The newly formed House Ad Hoc Committee on Executive Budget Mismanagement, chaired by State Representative Matt Gress, will hold its first meeting this Thursday, April 3, at 8:30 a.m. in House Hearing Room 4 (HHR4).

The committee will hear a JLBC presentation on growth in the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and recent policy changes, followed by discussion and questions with state agencies regarding the Section 1115 waiver process and the program scope for Home and Community Based Services within DDD. Scheduled speakers include Carmen Heredia, Director, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), and Michael Wisehart, Director, Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES). Following this, the committee will hear from Idaho State Representative Megan Blanksma, who will provide testimony about her state’s experience managing growth in its developmental disabilities program.

“This committee was created because Arizonans deserve answers,” said Chairman Gress. “When basic financial management is ignored at the highest levels of the Executive Branch, it puts essential services at risk. We’re here to follow the facts, uncover the truth, and hold this administration accountable—because taxpayers deserve transparency, not surprises.”

The full agenda is available here:
https://www.azleg.gov/iagenda/House/04032025houseahocexecutivebudgetmismanagement.1.1r.pdf

Members of the public and the press may view a livestream of the meeting at:
https://www.azleg.gov/videoplayer/?clientID=6361162879&eventID=2025041001

Speaker Montenegro formed the committee in response to a string of financial failures from the Hobbs administration. Most recently, the Department of Child Safety’s Congregate Care program was on the verge of bankruptcy until legislative Republicans stepped in and directed the agency to use existing funds. That followed similar budget shortfalls in the Developmental Disabilities program and AHCCCS.

Committee members include Republican Representatives Matt Gress (Chair), Justin Olson (Vice Chair), Michael Way, Nick Kupper, Neal Carter, and Selina Bliss; and Democratic Representatives Nancy Gutierrez, Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, and Quantá Crews.

Matt Gress is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 4 in Phoenix and is Chairman of the House Committee on Education. Follow him on X at @MatthewGress.