By Daniel Stefanski |

An influential Republican state senator is taking the reins of a powerful committee for the upcoming Arizona legislative term.

Earlier this month, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen announced that he had assigned Senator T.J. Shope to chair the Committee on Natural Resources. Petersen also revealed that Shope would “negotiate the Senate’s required approval of Arizona’s entrance into the post-2026 Colorado River Operation agreement.”

This committee will have great significance in the divided Arizona government over the next two years, as per the release issued by the Senate Republican Caucus. The Caucus shared that “Legislatively, the Hobbs Administration reneged on the inclusion of Pinal County in an ‘Ag-to-Urban Conservation Program’ following months of negotiations with the administration and legislative Democrats at the table,” and that “Administratively, Hobbs is rushing a rulemaking package that the administration knows effectively excludes Queen Creek and Buckeye, the two remaining affordable growth areas in Maricopa County.”

“As the sponsor of the Ag-to-Urban Conservation Program, Chairman Shope intimately understands that Arizona has the ability to conserve water while increasing housing affordability in both Maricopa and Pinal counties. These two areas have been the targets of the Governor’s anti-growth agenda,” said President Petersen. “If the Executive continues to fail to effectively address housing affordability in Colorado River negotiations, Chairman Shope will lead the Senate’s defense of Arizonans during the required approval of any Colorado River deal by the Legislature.”

“In representing Pinal County, I understand the importance of agriculture and homebuilding to Arizona’s economy,” said Chairman Shope. “The Ag-to-Urban Conservation Program would have allowed these two important sectors to work together to increase housing supply while conserving water, but Governor Hobbs elected to stand in the way. I am grateful the President is entrusting me with this important role to strengthen Arizona’s water security while increasing housing affordability.”

Shope will also return as the chamber’s Senate President Pro Tempore for the 57th Arizona Legislature. In the previous term of office, Shope served as Chairman of the Health and Human Services, and Vice Chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water.

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.