Author: Neil Jones

Governor Katie Hobbs Vetoes Bipartisan ATV Bill that Would Have Paved the Way for More Electric Vehicle Use in Arizona

Neil Jones

Amongst the latest batch of vetoes handed out by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D) Friday was Senate Bill (SB) 1100, from Senator Frank Carroll (R-Sun City), which aimed to update the legal definition of recreational off-highway vehicles (OHV).

Specifically, this bill would have updated the maximum unladen weight of an OHV from 2,500 pounds to 3,500. Under Arizona law, a person cannot operate an OHV unless it is under the weight limit and they receive a user indicia from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) via an application and fee. Additionally, OHVs are subject to a vehicle license tax, in this case, three dollars.

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Maricopa County Republican Committee Censored on Facebook for Sharing Post Regarding Liberal Bias on the Internet

Neil Jones

Facebook parent company Meta took down a post relating to research on the liberal bias on the internet shared by the Maricopa County Republican Committee on Friday.

According to the county, the post shared support for Dr. Robert Epstein’s research on Google’s liberal bias and linked to mygoogleresearch.com, a website featuring his works and requesting donations. The post also related to the American Institute of Behavioral Research and Technology (AIBRT), founded by Epstein. However, Facebook claimed the link violates community standards.

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House Ethics Committee Holds First Meeting on Ethics Complaint Against Representative Stahl Hamilton

Neil Jones

The Arizona House Ethics Committee met Thursday morning to discuss an ethics complaint filed against Democrat Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton (Flagstaff), an ordained minister, after being caught on camera hiding Bibles kept in the House’s members-only lounge.

“The House Ethics Committee is responsible for considering complaints that are submitted by a House member accusing another member of behavior that violates House Rules,” said Committee Chair Joseph Chaplik (R-Scottsdale). “Today’s hearing was not a trial, but the Committee made every effort to provide Representative Stahl Hamilton the due process to which she is entitled as a member of the House.”

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Arizona Border Drug Operations Seize over a Ton of Fentanyl in Two Months

Neil Jones

The Arizona District of the U.S. Attorney’s Office (District) announced Wednesday the results of a multi-agency collaboration under Operations Blue Lotus and Four Horsemen that has resulted in “more than a ton of fentanyl” being confiscated along Arizona’s border between March 6th and May 8th.

“Thanks to the efforts of our partners at the Department of Homeland Security, we prevented substantial amounts of fentanyl and other drugs from reaching Arizona neighborhoods,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino.

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Center for Arizona Policy Calls for State Supreme Court to Reinstate Arizona’s Pre-Roe Abortion Limitations

Neil Jones

The Arizona Center for Policy (CAP) shared Wednesday that it has entered the legal battle surrounding Arizona’s territorial-era limitations on abortions with an amicus brief to the state Supreme Court.

“State lawmakers kept the state’s pre-Roe law on the books as they passed dozens of laws protecting life while Roe forbade them from going further,” said CAP President Cathi Herrod. “Allowing the lower court ruling to stand threatens thousands of lives a year, as well as the integrity of the judiciary, and the Legislature’s power to govern.”

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New Arizona Law Gives More Power to Property Owners

Neil Jones

While Governor Katie Hobbs has been busy vetoing bills this legislative session, some Republican-backed measures have been able to become law. Most recently, the House Majority Caucus announced Tuesday that one of those bills was HB 2607, sponsored by Representative Barbara Parker (R-Mesa), which aims to give more power to property owners.

Under the law, members of a condominium owner’s or planned community association can call for removing a board member if they feel that member is not serving them well. Community members must submit a petition that contains a certain percentage of members. An association of 1,000 requires 25 percent of members to approve, while larger associations only require ten percent.

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Arizona Department of Education Files Response Brief in Case Challenging Arizona Sports Law

Neil Jones

PHOENIX, Arizona – The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) held a press conference Wednesday detailing a new filing submitted in the lawsuit surrounding Arizona’s law, the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” that prevents biological males from competing against women in school sports.

“This case turns on one crucial fact: can plaintiffs prove that pre-puberty boys have no sports advantage over girls? They cannot,” according to the brief shared with reporters.

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Grants Approved to Fund Safety Officers on 301 Arizona Schools

Neil Jones

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) announced Monday that the State Board of Education has approved grant funding for 301 statewide schools to finance a school resource officer (SRO) on campus. This shows a significant increase in schools seeking armed security, as 190 campuses utilized the grant for officers during the previous cycle.

Additionally, it is not only more SROs coming to campuses, as Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne also got payments approved for 566 counselors and social workers around the state in over $45 million in grants. In total, the School Safety Program offered nearly $100 million in funding from state and federal monies. The grants will go into effect in the Fall of 2023 and last until the 2025/26 school year.

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Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs Vetoes Ballot Image Bill

Neil Jones

Among the vetoes recently handed out by Governor Katie Hobbs (D) was one for House Bill (HB) 2560, sponsored by House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria), relating to ballot images.

Had this bill become law, it would have created a database of who in the state is registered to vote, who actually voted in the election, the ballot images from the election, and the cast vote record. This database would show if anyone voted who should not have and if any ballots were incorrectly approved by showing voters precisely what was certified. However, the record and images would not disclose who cast the vote.

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Gilbert Murderer Headed Behind Bars After Killing Wife in 2017

Neil Jones

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) has announced the sentencing for Mark Eric Ponsati, 42, of Gilbert, Arizona, for murdering his wife in 2017 and attempting to pass the crime as an accident.

The sentencing given out Friday by Maricopa Superior Court Judge Michael Blair will see Ponsati put away in the Arizona Department of Corrections for the next 25 years, the maximum penalty for second-degree murder.

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Republican Lawmakers Upset after Several More Bills Felled by Katie Hobbs’ Veto Hammer

Neil Jones

The office of Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D) revealed she had taken action on several more pieces of legislation Monday.

Of the 13 bills she dealt with, eight were on the receiving end of her veto stamp, including bills on pronouns in schools, election officials, and the Rio Verde Foothills (RVF) water solution.

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Governor Katie Hobbs to Have Final Say on Bill Aiming to Provide Water to Rio Verde Foothills Area

Neil Jones

As the residents of the unincorporated Rio Verde Foothills (RVF) area have gone over five months without steady access to water, House Bill (HB) 2441 could provide a solution and arrived at Governor Katie Hobbs’s (D) desk Tuesday and is awaiting a final decision.

This bill, sponsored by State Representative Gail Griffin (R-Hereford), is an emergency measure that states if a city provides water service within a county with a population greater than 1.5 million that city must execute an agreement with “one or more third parties for at least three years, treat and transport water to a standpipe and allow use of the standpipe for water to be hauled to residences that are outside the city’s or town’s water service area[.]”

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Complaint Filed Against Senator Kyrsten Sinema over Campaign Spending

Neil Jones

A group known as the Change for Arizona 2024 PAC (CFAPAC) filed a complaint to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I) Thursday, alleging that she had misused her campaign funds.

“Specifically, Complainant alleges that Senator Sinema, through her Committees, illegally diverted funds that were donated to her for campaigning for federal office by making expenditures for her personal use and benefit,” according to the complaint.

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Another U.S. Citizen Caught Smuggling Migrants Gets Sentenced to Prison

Neil Jones

Tucson resident Michael Lopez-Loreto, 22, has been sentenced by the U.S. District Court for conspiracy to transport illegal immigrants for profit and placing the life of a person in jeopardy.

According to a Tuesday release from the Arizona District of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Lopez-Loreto is going to jail for two-and-a-half years following an incident in January 2023. After receiving a call from a property owner reporting an unidentified car parked on their land, Border Patrol agents witnessed people running through the desert into Lopez-Loreto’s car. However, the group ran into agents blocking the road before he could make it far.

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Arizona Gov. Hobbs Vetoes Six More Republican Bills

Neil Jones

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs (D) announced Wednesday that she had made decisions regarding another batch of bills sent to her desk by the legislature.

Of these nine bills, Hobbs vetoed six, including bills on natural resource conservation, modified firearms, and the voting equipment used in state elections.

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Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs Has a Chance to Sign Bill Expanding Judge Retainment Elections

Neil Jones

Among the nearly 100 bills delivered to Governor Katie Hobbs (D) by the Arizona State House on Monday is one relating to judge retainment elections. 

House Bill (HB) 2757, sponsored by House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria), addresses judges from the Arizona Court of Appeals (ACOA), which has two divisions, one in Phoenix and the other in Tucson. The ACOA comprises 28 judges, with 19 in Division 1 and nine in Division 2. Under current law, these judges are first appointed by the governor for an initial term of two years, but after that point, judges can only retain their position if approved by the public in an election. However, the only citizens who can vote to keep an ACOA judge are those within the court’s division. So, when a Division 2 judge is up for election, only Pima, Pinal, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Greenlee, Graham, and Gila County residents can make that decision.

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New Joint Legislative Committee Holds First Meeting on Arizona’s Water Stability

Neil Jones

The Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee on Water Security met for the first time on Tuesday, hearing testimony from state water authorities and outlining its plans for the coming months.

“Arizona has 12 to 13 million acre-feet of water banked underground. Arizona has water, but we have challenges, and we need to come up with solutions for those challenges,” said Representative Gail Griffin (R-Hereford), Co-Chair of the Committee.

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Arizona Legislature Passes Bills on Fentanyl, State Sovereignty, and More During Busy Day at Capitol

Neil Jones

The Arizona State Legislature had a busy Monday, with the House making decisions regarding nearly 100 bills covering various issues.

“Busy day at the #AZHouse! 95 bills on the House “shot clock”: the number of bills we’ll vote on today,” shared State Representative Matt Gress (R-Phoenix).

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Bill Heads for Governor Hobbs’s Desk to Punish Those Who Own Childlike Lewd Objects

Neil Jones

A bipartisan House Bill (HB) is headed to Governor Katie Hobbs’ desk, which aims to crack down on a disturbing trend of sex dolls that resemble children.

Under HB 2169, one of these objects is defined as a “doll, mannequin or robot” that has “the features of or features that resemble those of an infant or a child who is under 12 years old” and is “intended to be used for sexual stimulation or gratification.”

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Arizona Department of Education Pushes for Phoenix School Safety Grants Despite Delays from District Board

Neil Jones

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) announced Friday it would be recommending the State Board of Education (SBE) approve public safety grant requests presented by six Phoenix schools, despite inaction from the district board.

“Our first responsibility is to protect the safety and the lives of students and staff. The worst tragedy would be for a maniac to invade a school and kill students with no police officer there to protect them. In addition, the police officers are there all year, befriend the students, so students view them as friends rather than as the enemy, and the police officers also teach courses,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R).

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State Senator Lauds Passage of Upcoming Tax Rebates Coming to Arizonans

Neil Jones

Arizona State Senator Jake Hoffman released a statement Friday celebrating the upcoming tax rebates Arizonans will receive based on the State Budget passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Katie Hobbs (D).

“Gas, groceries, housing, and energy prices have surged over the past three years since Democrats took control of the federal government,” Hoffman said. “This is the first time in at least 30 years our state lawmakers have been able to step up to the plate to provide a tax rebate of this magnitude for our citizens. I’m proud of the leadership of the Arizona Freedom Caucus, and for the support of our Republican colleagues, to dedicate $260 million to helping struggling Arizona families.”

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Phoenix Law Enforcement Association Applauds Indictment of Suspect Who Assaulted a Police Officer

Neil Jones

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) announced Thursday that Rudy Gomez, 29, has been indicted after brutally assaulting Phoenix Police Officer George Manciu during a domestic abuse incident. In response, the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) said the indictment was the right call.

“The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association is pleased that the Grand Jury found sufficient probable cause to indict the suspect in the brutal attack on our officer. Any other outcome would have been wrong. We thank the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for its pursuit of justice,” PLEA said in a statement shared with The Arizona Sun Times.

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Republican Representatives Call on Governor to Activate State Resources to Protect Southern Border

Neil Jones

A group of Republican lawmakers sent Governor Katie Hobbs a letter Thursday, asking her to use all available resources to enforce the southern border and protect Arizona.

“Arizona’s law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed with this endless flood of illegal activity, and those threats have been magnified with President Biden’s reckless decision to abandon Title 42,” the lawmakers wrote. “We call upon you to take immediate action and activate all available state resources to keep our communities safe from these dangerous and unprecedented threats.”

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Improvised Explosive Device Found on Suspect Trying to Enter Arizona, State Legislature Emphasizes Need for Strong Border Security

Neil Jones

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), an incident recently occurred at the Douglas Port of Entry where a suspect attempting to enter Arizona was found trying to smuggle in an improvised explosive device (IED).

A statement CBP emailed to The Arizona Sun Times revealed that the incident occurred on May 6th. Officials from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrived to confiscate the device after it was found in the suspect’s vehicle. There were no other items of interest found.

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New Report Finds That Arizona’s Highest Performing Schools May Start Missing Out on Funding

Neil Jones

Research group Common Sense Institute Arizona (CSIAZ) released a new report Monday that found Arizona’s highest-performing schools may start receiving less state funding moving forward as the new state budget is set to repeal a program that funded schools based on results.

“We hope the report sparks a conversation about the benefits of funding outcomes in K-12. We believe the report lays out a case for focusing future investment on achievements. And, policymakers will need to consider the impact that the cut to results based funding will have on high performing schools, especially those low-income, high-performing schools, after the one-time money in this year’s budget expires next year,” said CSIAZ Executive Director Katie Ratlief in an email to The Arizona Sun Times.

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Arizona State Senator Disappointed After Hobbs Vetoes Another of His Bills

Neil Jones

State Senator Anthony Kern (R-Glendale) released a statement Tuesday, disagreeing with Governor Katie Hobbs’s (D) decision to veto his Senate Bill aimed at balancing power between the legislative and executive branches of government.

“The Legislature is tasked with deciding major questions of statewide policy. SB 1255 would have recognized that duty by giving the Legislature final approval over costly bureaucratic agency rulemaking before rules go into effect and economically impact Arizonans,” Kern said.

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Maricopa County Joins List of Arizona Governmental Entities Banning TikTok on Official Devices

Neil Jones

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) voted unanimously Wednesday to ban the popular social media app TikTok from being used by government-owned and leased devices, citing cyber security concerns as the driving reason.

“We know social media companies gather loads of personal information on users to better customize the content they serve. And we know TikTok is not alone in doing this. But there are national security and privacy concerns when TikTok’s interests interfere with the best interests of Maricopa County’s residents,” said MCBOS Member Thomas Galvin in a statement to reporters.

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Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Warns Parents to Remain Aware of Fentanyl Use as Cases Continue to Rise

Neil Jones

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (R) released a statement Monday pleading that parents remain vigilant for fentanyl use.

“I’ve spoken one-on-one with parents who have lost their kids to this poison. It is gut-wrenching to hear them talk about having a conversation with a child one evening, only to find that child gone the next morning,” said Mitchell. “We will keep prosecuting these cases and continue to get this information in front of parents and the public.”

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Arizona Border City Prepares for the End of Title 42 as Immigrants at Federal Stations Relocate

Neil Jones

The City of Bisbee released a statement Monday outlining what it is currently doing to prepare for the expiration of Title 42 on Thursday, which is expected to cause a mass influx of immigrants seeking to enter the country across the southern border.

“The Mayor [Ken Budge] and City Staff met with Cochise County Emergency Management staff and the leadership of the [Customs and Border Patrol] CBP Brian Terry Station today,” the city shared. “We were briefed on the resources that are expected to be available to handle immigrants moving forward from local, state and federal agencies. The emphasis is on moving these now-legal immigrants from the border to their final locations or sheltering them in places that can handle a large flow of immigrants.”

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Republican State Representative Applauds Increased Access to Childcare Coming to Arizona

Neil Jones

Arizona State Representative Matt Gress (R-Phoenix) released a statement Friday applauding the new executive rulemaking from Governor Katie Hobbs (D) that aims to increase access to childcare services in the state.

“This policy is designed to expand opportunities for Arizona’s working families and provide more options for their children when they are not in school,” Gress said. “Given the lack of providers for school-age children, it is crucial that we increase the supply of childcare centers to better serve our communities. For parents that qualify for federal subsidy, this effort will help ensure that parents can continue to work and provide for their families. I applaud the Governor for taking action on this important issue.”

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State Lawmakers Urge Gov. Hobbs to Protect Arizona’s Water Supply from the Colorado River

Neil Jones

A group of Republican lawmakers, including Representatives Gail Griffin (R-Hereford), Lupe Diaz (R-Benson), and Senator Sine Kerr (R-Buckeye), sent Governor Katie Hobbs (D) a letter Friday, demanding that she stick up for Arizona’s water future and defend access to the Colorado River.

“Under the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation’s (“BOR”) Action Alternative 1 for allocating cuts on the Colorado River, which allocates cuts based strictly on the seniority of rights, Arizona’s citizens that rely on the Central Arizona Project will see dramatic reductions, potentially cutting them off from the Colorado River completely,” the legislators wrote. “With our state’s population and economic prosperity on the line, protecting our state’s share of the Colorado River from the looming risk of complete disconnection is paramount.”

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Arizona Department of Education Requests Changes for Lawsuit Against Arizona’s Law Separating Boys’ and Girls’ Sports

Neil Jones

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) announced Thursday it had filed a motion in court to have the venue of a lawsuit against the enforcement of an Arizona law changed from Tucson to Phoenix.

“Crucially, counsel for the parties are located in Phoenix. Even Plaintiffs are represented by local counsel in Phoenix, as is counsel for Superintendent [Tom] Horne. The result is that all of the Arizona lawyers are located in Phoenix, none are located in Tucson. That makes an overwhelming difference in the expense to the parties in litigating this case,” according to the motion, emailed to reporters.

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Religious Organizations Celebrate Settlement in Discrimination Case Between Arizona School District and University

Neil Jones

Two months after facing heat for cutting ties with Arizona Christian University (ACU) in an apparent case of religious discrimination, the Washington Elementary School District (WESD) has gone back on its actions. In response, the Arizona-based Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which sued the district, said it was the right move.

“At a time when a critical shortage of qualified, caring teachers exists, the Washington Elementary School District board did the right thing by prioritizing the needs of elementary school children and agreeing to partner once again with ACU’s student-teachers,” said ADF Senior Counsel David Cortman.

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Arizona Lawmakers Rally Behind Solutions to Arizona’s Housing Crisis

Neil Jones

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers met outside the State Capital Wednesday to build support for a potential solution to Arizona’s housing crisis, which involves reforming zoning regulations so more houses can be built.

“You additionally see it in red and blue states across the nation, right now this year, where zoning reform laws are getting signed by governors of every political party,” said State Senator Steve Kaiser (R-Phoenix), the lawmaker behind the policies at hand. “This is bipartisan in every state that it’s done in.”

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State Senator Calls on Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to Do Job and Fill Legislative Vacancies, County Says All Is in Order

Neil Jones

Arizona State Senator J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler) took a moment on the Senate Floor Wednesday to call on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors (MCBOS) to perform its duties and fill vacancies in the Arizona State Legislature.

“The length of these vacancies is the longest, while we’ve been in session, in a half-century, 56 years,” Mesnard said. “I went back and looked; what’s the average time it takes from the point of vacancy to the point of fulfilling the vacancy? 8.76 days is the average.”

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Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction: Equitable Grading Does Not Belong Here

Neil Jones

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) released a statement Tuesday, blasting the practice of “equitable grading” that he claims is helping to create a lazy student body.

“In education today, we have a war between excellence and mediocrity. So-called ‘equitable,’ ‘compassionate,’ or ‘standards-based’ grading promotes mediocrity. Test scores show that the students are not learning enough to properly compete in an internationally competitive economy,” Horne said. “If we are to increase learning and show it in increased test scores, students must do homework and be graded objectively. The parents of the state are demanding this result.”

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Legislative Leaders Step in to Defend Women’s Sports in Arizona

Neil Jones

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) announced Monday that he and House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) have motioned to intervene in a court case to defend a state law banning biological men from participating in women’s sports because Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) has refused to do so herself.

“Like it or not, it is Attorney General Mayes’ job to defend state law the Legislature passes. Because she won’t do her job, I feel an obligation as House Speaker, and as a father of five daughters, to intervene in this case and stand up for women and girls who should not be forced to compete in sports with biological males, who have obvious and unfair physiological advantages that cannot be overlooked,” Toma said in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.

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Republican Legislator Announces Ethics Complaint Against Representative Caught Hiding Bibles at State Capitol

Neil Jones

Three Arizona State Representatives, Justin Heap (R-Mesa), David Marshall (R-Snowflake), and Lupe Diaz (R-Benson), announced Monday that the group filed an ethics complaint against Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton (D-Flagstaff) after it was discovered she was removing Bibles on display at the State Capitol and hiding them from sight.

“Today I, @DaveMarshallAZ & @LupeDiaz4AZ filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton. We will not allow a single Member to decide for the whole Legislature & the millions of faithful Arizonans that their beliefs & values are no longer welcome in government,” Heap shared.

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Republican State Senator Celebrates Multiple Freedom and Government Transparency-Centered Bills Becoming Law

Neil Jones

Arizona State Senator John Kavanaugh (R-Fountain Hills) released his weekly update video Monday, sharing that several of the bills he sponsored have been signed by Governor Katie Hobbs (D). Among these is a bill ensuring Arizonans can fly the Betsy Ross flag.

“I have been in a perpetual with rogue, draconian Homeowners Associations [HOA] throughout my 17 years in the Legislature. I’ve had to pass laws to protect constituents from unreasonable actions by them,” Kavanaugh said. “This session’s unreasonable HOA action was one HOA banned people from flying the Betsy Ross flag. Now that’s the first flag of the United States.”

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Another Arizona City Attempts to Require a Prevailing Wage Mandate for Contracted Employees as Opponents Push Back

Neil Jones

The City of Tempe is set to consider an ordinance that would require contractors to pay their employees a prevailing wage. In response, the Arizona-based Goldwater Institute (GI) sent the City a letter asking it to reconsider.

“It’s important that Tempe taxpayers be aware of burdensome mandates that will hurt not only businesses and employees, but all taxpayers. Concerned taxpayers can reach out to their councilmember to urge them not to adopt this mandate,” said GI Staff Attorney John Thorpe in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.

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Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Pushes Back Against Drag Shows in Schools

Neil Jones

On Saturday, a student-led drag show was held at Tucson High School titled the “School is a Drag, Show,” as planned by the school’s Q Space, a club for LGBTQ+ students. In response, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) said these shows should not be held in the schools.

“In my view, adults have first amendment rights to attend drag shows if they choose to, but they don’t belong in school,” Horne said via the phone to The Arizona Sun Times.

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State Senate Launches Intergovernmental Committee to Investigate Arizona COVID Response

Neil Jones

The Arizona Senate Majority Caucus announced the creation of a new committee Friday that will review Arizona’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic was a heartbreaking period for so many people on so many different levels,” said State Senator Janae Shamp (R-Surprise), who will chair the committee. “I lost my job as a Perioperative Nurse because I refused to take the experimental vaccine that we now know has produced serious side effects in a number of otherwise healthy individuals. We’ve witnessed lives and livelihoods lost for no other reason than the mismanagement of COVID-19, and we are determined to hold those accountable for the injustices experienced.”

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Education Superintendent Tom Horne Blasts Opposition to Teacher Pay Increase Bill

Neil Jones

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) released a statement Tuesday blasting opposition from Democrats and the state’s teacher union to House Bill (HB) 2800, sponsored by Representative Matt Gress (R-Phoenix).

“Shockingly, the Arizona teacher’s union and a number of Democrats in the legislature, oppose the bill. All we can think of is that they are opposed to it because it is a Republican bill. These kinds of questions should be bipartisan, and people should not oppose a good bill, just because [a] Republican introduced it,” Horne said.

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Arizona Legislative Leaders Continue Fight Against Federal Vaccine Mandates

Neil Jones

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) announced Wednesday that he, along with House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria), filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to halt any enforcement of President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

“We will not allow President Biden to blatantly undermine the will of the Arizona State Legislature in the protections we’ve provided for our citizens to prevent a COVID-19 vaccine mandate from dictating employment opportunities,” said President Petersen. “The Biden Administration has made it clear that they are against any Americans who push back against this vaccine and will abuse their powers in order to force compliance as a stipulation of doing business with the federal government.”

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State Senator Blasts Gov. Katie Hobbs After Resignation of ‘Extremist’ Appointee to State Judicial Commission

Neil Jones

Arizona State Senator Anthony Kern (R-Glendale) released a statement Wednesday, calling out the resignation of Catherine Sigmon from the Maricopa County Commission on Trial Court Appointments (MCCTCA) after finding troubling information about her.

“After reviewing the Constitutional requirements for the Commission on Trial Court Appointments, two big factors jump out at me,” said Senate Judiciary Chairman Kern. “First, the Commission is to be non-partisan. Second, the Commission’s primary task is to recommend qualified judge candidates to the Governor for appointment.”

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Surveillance Footage Reveals Democrat State Representative Hiding Bibles from View at Arizona Capitol

Neil Jones

New surveillance footage at the Arizona State Capitol, first covered by AZ Family, shows State Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton (D-Flagstaff), an ordained minister, taking two Bibles placed around the House’s member-only lounge and hiding them out of view.

“It’s bizarre and juvenile for an elected public official, an ordained minister nonetheless, to act in this manner. Such actions are disrespectful to the Bible and people of faith, and to the institution of the House and its members,” said House Majority Caucus spokesman Andrew Wilder in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.

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State Representative Calls off Investigation into Tempe’s Upcoming Special Election After Clearing Legal Concerns

Neil Jones

Arizona State Representative Steve Montenegro (R-Goodyear) announced Tuesday that he is rescinding a complaint he filed against the City of Tempe with Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes (D) after alleviating his concerns.

“Based on information and written assurances I have received within the last 24 hours, I hereby withdraw my request for an investigation of the City of Tempe’s Ordinance No. 02022.56, Ordinance No. 02022.57, Resolution No. R2022.l 70, and§ 12.9 and§ 17 of the Development and Disposition Agreement (“Agreement”) between the City and Bluebird Development LLC (“Bluebird”),” Montenegro wrote in a new letter emailed to the press.

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Arizona District Attorney’s Office Charges Almost 2,000 Illegal Immigrants with Illegal Entry During First Three Months of 2023

Neil Jones

The Arizona District of the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) released the first quarter of 2023 immigration enforcement statistics for individuals prosecuted in partnership with the Tucson and Yuma Sectors of Border Patrol.

“Reducing migrant smuggling and mitigating the risk to communities impacted by these offenses continues to be a priority for the Office and its law enforcement partners. Some of these prosecutions are directed against leaders and coordinators of alien smuggling organizations. Other prosecutions are aimed at deterring young adult drivers, often recruited over social media platforms, from engaging in this dangerous activity,” the District shared.

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