STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX –  Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro announced today that the Arizona House will move forward with a continuation budget to keep government open and avoid a shutdown—after determining that the executive budget passed by the Senate does not have enough votes to pass the House.

“The executive budget plan passed in the Senate does not have the votes in the House—with bipartisan opposition from Republicans and Democrats. Now, with time running out and no viable path forward for their plan, it’s our responsibility to act to prevent a shutdown.

House Republicans have worked in good faith throughout the session. Last week, we did our job—passing a balanced budget that prioritized public safety, infrastructure, and government accountability. That budget was ignored by the Senate.

The House is not going to be forced into a take-it-or-leave-it deal that doesn’t reflect the will of our members or the people we represent. We will do what responsible legislators should do: take action to keep government running and protect Arizona taxpayers.

A continuation budget is being drafted now. It will provide the funding needed to keep state operations open past June 30 and give us the time we need to continue negotiations on other balanced spending proposals.

The House will advance this continuation plan in the coming days to avoid a government shutdown and ensure that core functions of state government remain funded beyond the June 30 deadline.

The House is working—as it has all session. We’re focused on preventing a shutdown, protecting the state, and making sure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.”

Steve Montenegro is the Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives and serves Legislative District 29 in the West Valley, Goodyear, and Surprise. Follow him on X at @SteveMontenegro.