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Lawmakers seek more oversight over AZ Housing Department
Lawmakers are considering cutting the number of years the Arizona Department of Housing can continue to operate without legislative oversight after a state audit identified multiple problems with the agency’s policies, including inadequate fraud security measures that led to $2 million being wired to people pretending to represent a housing nonprofit. On Tuesday, lawmakers on […]
AZ Freedom Caucus: The ‘single most important task’ is defeating Dems in 2026
The far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus set a contentious tone for the start of the new legislative session, vowing to unseat the state’s three top Democrats in the next election and making clear that is the top priority for the group as lawmakers return to work. “The single most important task that we will work on […]
Gallego, Kelly and Hobbs line up behind bill to jail immigrants for non-violent crimes
Arizona’s Democratic U.S. senators and Gov. Katie Hobbs are joining Republicans in backing legislation that would require federal officials to jail immigrants, including asylum seekers and DACA recipients, for non-violent crimes like shoplifting — even before they’ve been proven guilty. Under the Laken Riley Act, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security would be forced to […]
Ruben Gallego, AZ’s first Latino senator, says there’s room to work with Trump on border security
Arizona’s first Latino U.S. senator, Ruben Gallego, says he’s willing to work with Donald Trump’s administration on border security, echoing the Democratic Party line of tentative cooperation that emerged after an election marked by Republican wins and voter concerns over immigration. Gallego was sworn in as a senator on Friday. “We’re not going to automatically […]
Half of AZ teachers are thinking about changing careers because of low pay, a new study finds
More than half of public school teachers in Arizona say they may leave the profession in the next two years if working conditions don’t improve, according to a new study examining the state’s teacher shortage crisis. The report, commissioned by Gov. Katie Hobbs’ Educator Retention Task Force, examined professional satisfaction among current and former teachers […]
After Republican electoral victories, GOP anti-trans student bills are back
The ability of trans kids in Arizona to be who they are at school is once again under attack, as Republican lawmakers, buoyed by November’s electoral wins, revive bills restricting preferred pronouns and prohibiting the use of school facilities based on gender identity. Officially the second and third bills to be filed ahead of the […]
Judge tosses GOP lawsuit to purge 1.27 million Arizona voters
A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit launched by Arizona Republicans claiming that the state is violating federal law by failing to clean up the state’s voter registration list, saying there is no legal grounds to sue. Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Gina Swoboda, Arizona Free Enterprise Club President Scot Mussi and Republican businessman Steven […]
Following abortion rights election victory, lawsuit aims to overturn AZ’s 15-week abortion ban
After voters last month approved sweeping constitutional protections for abortion in Arizona, two local doctors and Planned Parenthood are suing to void the state’s 15-week gestational ban. Last month, more than 60% of Arizonans voted to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, including access to the procedure generally up to the date of fetal […]
Rio Verde man sentenced to 15 months in prison for threatening elected, federal officials
An Arizona man will spend a year and three months in prison for making violent threats online against elected and federal officials. On Monday, United States District Judge Dominic Lanza sentenced Michael Lee Tomasi, a 38-year-old resident of Rio Verde, to 15 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release. He will also be […]
Arizona voters said yes to abortion rights, but old restrictions are still on the books
Arizonans overwhelmingly voted to make abortion a fundamental right, but overturning the state’s current 15-week gestational ban — and multiple other anti-abortion laws still on the books — isn’t automatic. Just an hour after she joined Gov. Katie Hobbs, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Ann Timmer on Monday to […]
Voters swat away GOP bid to give judges lifetime appointments, retain controversial justices
Arizonans overwhelmingly rejected the idea of giving state judges lifetime appointments, defeating a ballot initiative that would have protected judges from going before voters by a margin of nearly four to one. With almost half of all ballots counted, 79% of Arizonans voted to kill Proposition 137. The constitutional amendment would have overhauled Arizona’s judicial […]
‘Secure Border Act’ sails to easy passage
Arizona will once again be at odds with the federal government over immigration enforcement, after voters supported a GOP bid to give the state the power to jail and deport migrants. With about half of all ballots tallied, 61% of voters had backed Proposition 314, and the Associated Press predicted that the proposition would pass. […]