Gov. Katie Hobbs last week vetoed legislation sponsored by Maricopa’s State Rep. Teresa Martinez (R-Casa Grande) that aimed to expand state representation for residents facing steep utility rate increases.

House Bill 2113 would have required the Residential Utility Consumer Office, or RUCO, to represent residential utility customers whenever a utility proposed increasing rates by 100% or more.

Martinez said she introduced the bill after residents of Robson Ranch faced a proposed 190% utility rate increase but were forced to hire their own attorney after RUCO declined to represent them.

“They told me they were focused on fighting a 4% rate increase in Maricopa County because more people were affected,” Martinez told InMaricopa. “You’re telling me because Robson Ranch only has 2,000 people, that’s not enough to invest in? That was the whole reason for the bill.”

RUCO serves as the state’s consumer advocate in utility rate cases before the Arizona Corporation Commission and has discretion over which cases it pursues.

The issue comes after Global Water Resources had its own rate case. Earlier this year, the utility reduced its proposed residential rate increase from about 20% to roughly 7% after negotiations. In April, GWR, RUCO and ACC staff reached a proposed settlement that would increase the median residential water bill by about $2.68 per month if approved by the commission.

Martinez said HB 2113 was designed to ensure smaller communities facing exceptionally large increases would not have to navigate rate cases without state representation.

“What is that magic number?” she said. “Because apparently it’s not 2,000.”

Hobbs vetoed the bill Monday. Martinez said she expects to pursue similar legislation in a future session.

“We’ll try again,” Martinez said.