PHOENIX -- At the invitation of the Trump White House, Arizona Republican lawmakers are planning a trip to Washington, D.C. in mid-June -- just two weeks before the deadline for them to have a new state budget in place.
The three-day trip will be paid out of legislative budgets, which are funded by taxpayer dollars.
It is at the invitation of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and will focus on what the state can do to promote President Trump's priorities, state Senate Communications Director Kim Quintero said.
According to the formal invitation, it casts the visit as "an opportunity to hear how President Trump is ushering in the Golden Age by delivering on the America First agenda,'' according to the formal invitation.
The half-day conference will focus on what Arizona lawmakers can do to advance that agenda, the invitation stated.
Arizona House Republicans expect the meeting to focus on Arizona-centric issues such as water, fuel prices and public lands, among other things.
A majority of the 48 Republicans from both chambers will attend the meeting, which is billed as a White House State Leadership Conference. There, they will meet with senior White House officials, Cabinet secretaries and members of the White House Domestic Council, Quintero said.
The Trump administration has previously invited Republicans from other states to D.C. for similar state leadership conferences. Last year, for example, that included delegations from Kansas and Indiana.
Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, extended the travel opportunity to Senate Democrats so they can use the opportunity in Washington to meet with congressional Democrats, and several are planning to go, Senate officials said. There is no word yet if House Democrats will also be invited for the June 15-17 trip.
Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, D-Tucson and the House assistant minority leader, said the trip is a waste of time and money.
"Our job as legislators is to be in Arizona, working for the people and creating a bipartisan budget," she said.
Other key issues that involve Washington can be worked on after a budget is passed, she added.
That goes to the fact that GOP lawmakers are locked in a stalemate with Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs over the budget that will fund state operations as of July 1. Hobbs has vowed to not sign any bills until a bipartisan agreement is in place.
Despite her criticism of the June trip, Gutierrez said there could be one positive result.
"If the Republicans come back with $760 million owed to the state for law enforcement, I would be OK with that,''
she said. Hobbs last year invoked a provision of Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill'' that offers reimbursement to the states for costs related to border protection.
Reach reporter Mary Jo Pitzl at "maryjpitzl@cox.net" or at (602) 228-7566. Follow her on social media through @maryjpitzl
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