Here are the Arizona lawmakers who missed the most work in 2024

Editor’s note: This story was published on Aug. 8 and updated on Aug. 9 to include comments from state Sen. Eva Burch.

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A record number of bills were introduced in the Arizona Legislature during the 2024 session – more than 1,700, with 258 eventually signed into law. However, some state lawmakers were less present than others to witness it.

According to attendance data reviewed by Phoenix New Times, four state senators missed at least 10 out of the 59 days the Arizona Senate held a formal floor session. In the House, which had 56 floor sessions, two representatives missed nine days.

They were the outliers; roughly 63% of legislators missed three days or fewer. Only 12 of the legislature’s 94 members who served in this year’s session had perfect attendance.

It’s not surprising that most lawmakers wouldn’t be there every single day. Arizona has a part-time legislature that generally meets Monday through Thursday from early January until late April or early May. The 2024 session, though, lasted into June as legislators and Gov. Katie Hobbs tried to tackle a budget deficit of more than a billion dollars. Arizona legislators are paid an annual salary of only $24,000, and many hold other jobs.

When legislators miss a floor session, they are marked either “absent” or “excused.” For an absence to be excused, the House Speaker or Senate President must approve. Judging by the numbers, the leaders of both bodies hardly ever say no.

Not a single state senator had an unexcused absence in 2024, though Senate President Warren Petersen gave out 119 excused absences. On the House side, legislators had 22 unexcused absences, while 174 were excused by Speaker Ben Toma.

In the Senate, lawmakers can also be marked as “excused & seated,” which means they missed the roll call but did show up. Notably, in addition to racking up 12 excused absences, Republican Sen. Jake Hoffman was marked late 14 times, the most of any senator.

Though they aren’t paid much in salary, Arizona legislators do receive a per diem, the value of which depends on where they live. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Maricopa County-based lawmakers get $35 a day for the first 120 days of the session, after which it drops to $10 a day. In 2023, per the NCSL, lawmakers outside the county received $238 a day for the first 120 days and half that thereafter.

Here are the Arizona lawmakers who missed the most lawmaking in 2024.

1. Sen. Eva Diaz: 19 days out

Nonexcused absences: 0
Excused absences: 19
Present: 37
Late: 3

Diaz, a one-term Democrat, was excused for family and medical leave. She represents areas of west Phoenix and Tolleson. In Arizona’s July 30 primaries, she easily won reelection over former Rep. Leezah Sun, who resigned before being expelled after a series of controversial incidents, including threatening to kill a lobbyist.

2. Sen. Jake Hoffman: 12 days out

Nonexcused absences: 0
Excused absences: 12
Present: 33
Late: 14

Hoffman, a Republican who founded the right-wing Arizona Freedom Caucus, did not say why he had excused absences when contacted by New Times. He represents a heavily conservative district in Queen Creek and will face Democrat Alan Smith to retain his seat in November.

Hoffman is also the CEO of two political campaign companies: Align For Freedom and Rally Forge, the latter of which was banned by Facebook for running a “troll farm” on behalf of Turning Point USA. In addition, he is the president and CEO of an advertising agency.

He’s made national headlines as one of the 11 fake electors indicted by an Arizona grand jury in connection with an alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election for former President Donald Trump.

3. Sen. Juan Mendez: 11 days out

Nonexcused absences: 0
Excused absences: 11
Present: 45
Late: 3

Mendez, a Democrat who has been a fixture of Arizona’s Legislature for years, did not respond to a request for comment. He’s served in the Senate since 2016 and previously served two terms in the House. He recently attempted to rejoin the House for his Tempe-Scottsdale-based district in the July 30 primary but lost.

In May 2022, Mendez faced the threat of an ethics complaint related to his attendance record. He had missed many floor sessions – for which he received excused absences – citing a doctor’s note related to the risk of exposing his newborn daughter to COVID-19.

Mendez is married to former Rep. Athena Salman, who served District 8 before leaving to join the nonprofit abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All.

4. Sen. Eva Burch: 10 days out

Nonexcused absences: 0
Excused absences: 10
Present: 44
Late: 5

Burch, a one-term Democrat member serving Tempe and Mesa in the Legislature, received national media attention after speaking out about her experience receiving an abortion in light of Arizona’s since-repealed 1864 ban on the procedure. She also works as a full-time nurse and spoke with New Times about balancing her Senate duties with seeing patients.

“Unless you are individually wealthy or otherwise well-kept, it is very difficult to serve in the legislature here in Arizona,” said Burch, who has two young sons. “The overwhelming majority of Arizonans cannot maintain the legislative schedule and work a full-time job, but that’s necessary if you have a family to care for.”

The majority of her absences were on Thursdays. Burch said that her full-time employer, which she called “very flexible” and “gracious” about her role as a state legislator, allowed her to work in the morning and then be on the Senate floor by 1 p.m. But that became a conflict when the Senate’s majority leadership moved up floor sessions to the morning.

“It does happen sometimes that as a working legislator, we have conflicts,” Burch said. ‘When changes are made to the schedule, there are going to be times where I have to make tough choices, but I’m never going to be in a situation where I can’t be there for something that is important.”

Burch will face Republican Robert Scantlebury for her seat in November.

Tie-5. Rep. Alma Hernandez: 9 days out

Absent: 3
Excused: 6
Present: 47

Alma Hernandez’s father has faced health challenges this year, and “the three unexcused absences were because of his prolonged ICU stays and being on life support,” she said in an email.

Hernandez joined the legislature to serve parts of Tucson after winning her election in 2018. She is seeking reelection for her seat in November, which she is expected to secure since she faces no Republican opposition.

Tie-5. Rep. Jacqueline Parker: 9 days out

Absent: 0
Excused: 9
Present: 47

A two-term Republican representative, Parker did not respond to a request for comment. She represents the same distinct in Queen Creek as Hoffman, though she is not seeking reelection.

7. Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales: 8 days out

Absent: 0
Excused: 8
Present: 38
Late: 13

Gonzales, a Democrat who represents the same Tucson district as Hernandez, did not respond to a request for comment. She has served in Arizona’s Legislature since 2010. With no Republican challenger on the ballot, she is a shoo-in for reelection in November.

Gonzales also serves as president of the board for the Guadalupe Community Development Corporation, which is an affordable housing organization.

Tie-8. Sen. Theresa Hatathlie: 7 days out

Absent: 0
Excused: 7
Present: 46
Late: 6

A Democrat, Hatathlie represents a large part of northern Arizona, ranging from Flagstaff and the Navajo Nation up to Page and Arizona’s northern corner between Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. She was appointed to the Senate in 2022 and won election in the newly redrawn Legislative District 6 later that year.

She did not respond to a request for comment, but she missed several days after the death of her niece, Danielle, in a sober living home. In May, Sen. Catherine Miranda read a statement from Hatathlie on the Senate floor urging her fellow senators to take action regarding such facilities.

“Danielle’s untimely departure from this world has left an irreplaceable void in my heart,” Miranda read on behalf of Hatathlie. “It was a preventable loss, a loss emblematic of the systemic failures within the very institutions meant to support and care for individuals like her.”

Hatathlie is seeking reelection in November, without a Republican challenger. She also serves as the chair of the Diné College Board of Regents.

Tie-8. Rep. Consuelo Hernandez: 7 days out

Absent: 0
Excused: 7
Present: 49

A first-term Democrat, Hernandez represents parts of Tucson down to Nogales and Arizona’s southern border. While she did not respond to a request for comment, her sister is Alma Hernandez, who missed floor sessions to care for her ill father.

Consuelo Hernandez has also served as an at-large member of the Sunnyside Unified School District and works as a district manager for ADP, a management services company, according to Ballotpedia and her LinkedIn.

10. 10-way tie: 6 days out

Nearly 11% of the Arizona Legislature is tied for 10th place with 10 legislators – split between the House and Senate – each missing six days.

Former Rep. Amish Shah was absent six times – and present six times – before resigning from the legislature to run for Congress. He recently won the Democratic primary for Congressional District 1 and will face off against incumbent Republican Rep. David Schweikert in November.

Former Rep. Jennifer Longdon had six excused absences and was present three times before she resigned from the Legislature.

Four current House members – Quantá Crews, Oscar De Los Santos, Melody Hernandez and Beverly Pingerelli – also had six excused absences each. Lela Alston, Brian Fernandez, Rosanna Gabaldón and Miranda – all senators – round out this 10-way tie with six excused absences of their own.

Pingerelli’s husband died this year, likely contributing to her absences. Gabaldón told New Times she was absent for health-related issues. “I believe in being present and active in my legislative duties, and I took these absences only when necessary,” she wrote in an email.