Author: Neil Jones

State Representative Kolodin Speaks on Progress to Find Immediate Solution to Rio Verde Foothills Water Crisis

Neil Jones

Arizona State Representative Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale) told The Arizona Sun Times that the State Legislature is trying to find an immediate solution to the water supply issues in the unincorporated Rio Verde Foothills (RVF) area. He called for all members of the State Legislature to come together, put politics aside, and pass a solution for the people who desperately need one.

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Bill Passed Through Arizona Senate Aims to Provide Greater Protections to Children with Disabilities

Neil Jones

A Senate bill (SB) from Arizona State Senator Justine Wadsack (R-Tucson), which aims to provide better protections for children with disabilities and allow parents to retain custody without enduring lengthy and potentially expensive legal processes, passed through the Senate Tuesday.

“This is a human bill, not a partisan bill, and something needs to be done to address this gross abuse of power. It’s time to put the onus of the process in the hands of the one state agency intimately involved in the parents’ and children’s lives, DDD [Division of Developmental Disabilities],” Wadsack said in a statement released Monday promoting the bill.

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Bill to Cut Grocery Tax in Arizona Arrives at Katie Hobbs’s Desk

Neil Jones

The Arizona State House passed Senate Bill (SB) 1063 by State Sen. Sonny Borrelli (R-Lake Havasu), which aims to eliminate the grocery tax across the state, sending it off to the governor’s desk for a final decision.

“At a time when thousands of Arizonans are already struggling to make ends meet, government shouldn’t be contributing to higher costs for basic necessities like food,” said State Rep. Matt Gress (R-Phoenix) following his vote in the bill’s favor. “With Arizonans facing one of the highest inflation rates in the nation, I’ll never stop fighting to lower costs for families, seniors, and our most hard-hit fellow citizens.”

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Arizona State Senator Seeks to Keep National Guard Troops Stateside

Neil Jones

A Senate bill (SB) from State Senator Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff) passed through the Senate Tuesday to protect Arizona’s National Guard from being deployed into active combat unless there is a declaration of war.

“If the president wants to use the Arizona national guard to fight wars halfway across the world, then it can only be done after a majority of the people’s representatives vote to send them there,” Rogers said on the Senate Floor. “If Congress refuses to vote, then it’s a war the Arizona National Guard should not be fighting.”

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Mexican Resident Caught in Possession of over 1 Million Fentanyl Pills to Sell in Arizona

Neil Jones

The Arizona District of the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday that Mexican resident Juan Alfonso Torres-Rodriguez, 27, has been charged with possessing over one million fentanyl pills with an intent to sell them in the state.

According to the DOJ’s report, officials witnessed Torres-Rodriguez participating in a drug transaction in early March. From there, authorities searched his residency and vehicle to discover approximately 108 kilograms of fentanyl.

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New Bill Would Make Arizona Teacher Pay Increases Transparent, Require School Districts to Comply

Neil Jones

Arizona State Senator J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler) shared in his weekly update to constituents that his bill, aimed at ensuring school districts comply with the state transparency laws, is moving along through the Legislature.

“Given the importance of having transparency with such a critical topic as teacher pay, I sponsored a bill (SB 1599) that would add some teeth to the law and instruct the Arizona Department of Education to engage if a school district is not in compliance. The bill has passed the Senate and is poised for a House Floor vote,” Mesnard said.

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Kari Lake Bashes Rep. Ruben Gallego for Reported Involvement with Failed Bank Plan that Took Money from Latinos

Neil Jones

Republican Kari Lake released a statement Monday, bashing Arizona Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) after a report surfaced that he was involved in creating a bank aimed at helping the Hispanic community, which ultimately fell through and took money from some Latinos.

“These troubling revelations should be concerning to every single voter in Arizona. Ruben is just another corrupt politician looking to line his own pockets at the expense of everyday Arizonans. Despite being a Bernie-worshiping socialist, Ruben will always put his own financial interests first. Arizona deserves better than a craven man willing to sell out his constituents at a moment’s notice for an easy buck. I believe Arizonans are ready for a new generation of citizen leaders who are ready to work for the people,” Lake said in an email to the press.

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Another Lawsuit Filed Against Arizona’s New ‘Dark Money’ Law over Potential First Amendment Violations

Neil Jones

The grassroots advocacy organization Americans for Prosperity (AFP) filed a lawsuit in the Arizona District Court Friday in opposition to Arizona’s newly enacted “dark money” law, alleging that it presents possible first amendment violations.

“The First Amendment safeguards the right of individuals to donate to private advocacy organizations without undue risk that they will be subjected to their identities being disclosed or other chilling by the government,” according to the complaint.

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Arizona State Representative Calls on Attorney General to Investigate Root Cause of Rio Verde Foothills Water Supply Predicament

Neil Jones

Arizona State Rep. Austin Smith (R-Suprise) announced Friday that he had sent a letter to the office of Attorney General Kris Mayes (D), asking for her commitment to further investigate the water situation for the Rio Verde Foothills (RVF) area residents.

“I sent a letter to Kris Mayes asking if she will be investigating the root cause of the water crisis in the Rio Verde Foothills. This affects every Arizonan and our water future,” Smith shared.

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Arizona State Senator Says He Hasn’t Received ‘Necessary Responses’ from Democrats to Work on State Budget

Neil Jones

Arizona State Senator John Kavanaugh (R-Fountain Hills), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told The Arizona Sun Times Friday that attempts to work with Democrats on a state budget have not received necessary responses.

“This year, nobody is going to be able to claim that we shut them out,” Kavanaugh said in a phone interview.

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Arizona Senate Republicans Pass Bills to Keep Explicit Performances Away from Children

Neil Jones

The Arizona Senate Majority Caucus announced Thursday that two Senate Bills (SBs) from Sen. Anthony Kern (R-Glendale) aimed at regulating sexually explicit performances, so minors are not exposed to them passed through the floor despite receiving no Democrat support.

“Senate Democrats don’t seem to have a problem with children being exposed to sexually explicit adult performances. If they did, they would have voted in support of these two bills. Instead, all Senate Democrats voted against protecting our Arizona kids,” the caucus tweeted.

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Arizona State House Passes Bill Aimed at Helping Mothers Receive Additional Child Support

Neil Jones

Arizona State Representative Matt Gress (R-Phoenix) announced Wednesday that House Bill (HB) 2502, aimed at providing more options for a mother to receive child support, had passed the House.

“My mom received child support for 2 of her 4 kids. It helped our family immensely: groceries, gas, utilities, clothes,” Gress tweeted. “This week, the Arizona House passed #HB2502, which will make parents who owe child support, primarily fathers, pay their FAIR SHARE from the date of pregnancy.”

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Arizona Legislative Leaders Join in Legal Battle over Capital Punishment for Aaron Gunches

Neil Jones

Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Mesa) and House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) announced they are fighting back against Gov. Katie Hobbs’s (D) opposition to executing death row inmate Aaron Gunches.

“Governor Hobbs’ unilateral decision to defy a court order is lawless and should not be tolerated by the Judiciary,” said Toma in a statement emailed to the Arizona Sun Times. “We filed this amicus brief because the Governor is not above the law and simply cannot choose which statutes or court orders to follow. Moreover, I’m proud to stand with the victims in this case. Governor Hobbs’ actions have been a flagrant insult to the Price family, denying them of their legal rights as crime victims, and of the justice they are very much due.”

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State Legislators Say Ranked Choice Voting Will Only Cause Problems If Implemented in Arizona

Neil Jones
Woman voting at booth

The Arizona Freedom Caucus (AFC) released a statement Tuesday, allowing several members to speak out against Ranked Choice Voting (RVC) in Arizona and promote two bills that would prohibit it in the state.

“RCV may not always result in the candidate with the most first-choice votes winning the election,” said AFC Member Senator Anthony Kern (R-Glendale). “I am aware that there are groups in Arizona advocating for RCV, but this will only lead to chaos, and we must ensure that our constituents have easy and fair access to the ballot box.”

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Tucson Man Heads Behind Bars After Attempting to Smuggle Fentanyl into Arizona

Neil Jones

The Arizona District of the Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Tucson resident Jose Antonio Cota, 33, has been sentenced to jail time for attempting to smuggle fentanyl into the state.

“Cota pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl in April 2022,” according to the release from the DOJ. “In August 2020, Cota was a passenger in a commercial shuttle van when it stopped for a routine immigration inspection at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Amado, Arizona.”

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Arizona State Representative Calls on Governor Hobbs to Improve Arizona-Mexico Commission to Optimize National Trade

Neil Jones

Arizona State House announced Monday that Rep. David Cook (R-Globe) is attempting to work with Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) to improve the Arizona-Mexico Commission (AMC) and the state’s foreign trade capabilities.

“As we continue to build on a global economy, we look at strengthening partnerships with Mexico and Arizona to better our regions for the world markets in the 4th Industrial Revolution of the 21st Century,” Cook wrote in a letter to Hobbs. “It is our common interest to further promote our close friendship with Mexico and its states and to adapt to current global paradigm shifts.”

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Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell Files Brief in Favor of Capital Punishment Opposed by Katie Hobbs

Neil Jones

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (R) filed an amicus curiae brief to the Arizona Supreme Court (ASC) Tuesday, stating her belief that Governor Katie Hobbs cannot refuse to execute death row inmate Aaron Gunches, 51.

“As County Attorney, I took an oath to uphold the US Constitution and the constitution and laws of the State of Arizona. These recognize that both the victim and the accused have rights. Our brief recognizes and supports the right of victims to a ‘prompt and final conclusion of the case,'” Mitchell said regarding the filing.

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Election Integrity Legislation Addressing Early Ballot Tabulation and Polling Locations Pass Senate Floor

Neil Jones

In a weekly update to constituents, State Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler) announced Monday that three of his election-related bills recently passed the Senate floor.

“Several of my bills that focus on improving our elections process by speeding up ballot tabulation, while preserving accuracy, security, and transparency, have now passed the Senate and are advancing to the House,” Mesnard shared.

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Arizona Education Chief: The Key to Success in College Depends Directly on the Academic Quality Students Receive Before They Enroll

Neil Jones

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) told The Arizona Sun Times over the phone that he hopes his administration can increase the number of Arizona high school graduates enrolling in universities by improving the education they receive before graduating.

“In order to go onto college, students have to get a good academic education, and that’s my total focus, to improve the academic education students get,” Horne said via the phone. “I’m doing everything I can to raise the academics in the schools.”

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New Arizona Party No Labels Confirms It Has No Current Plans to Run Candidates Outside of the Presidential Race in 2024

Neil Jones

Following Tuesday’s news that the political party, the No Labels Party (NLP), qualified for Arizona’s 2024 ballot, the party confirmed to The Arizona Sun Times that it would only be using its presence on the ballot for a potential presidential candidate.

“Right now, we do not have any plans to use the ballot lines for races other than the presidency,” said a spokesperson for the NLP.

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Lawsuit Filed Against Arizona School District Alleging Religious Discrimination

Neil Jones

Arizona Christian University (ACU), represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), filed a lawsuit against the Washington Elementary School District (WESD) Thursday, alleging the district discriminated against the school based on its religious beliefs.

“By discriminating against Arizona Christian University and denying it an opportunity to participate in the student teacher program because of its religious status and beliefs, the school district is in blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution, not to mention state law that protects ACU’s religious freedom,” said ADF Senior Counsel David Cortman, vice president of U.S. litigation. “Washington Elementary School District officials are causing irreparable harm to ACU every day they force it to choose between its religious beliefs and partnering with the area’s public schools.”

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Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne Announces ‘Empowerment Hotline’ to Report CRT in Schools

Neil Jones

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne announced Thursday that he is launching the “Empowerment Hotline” (EH) so constituents can call in reports of students receiving alleged inappropriate teachings in the classrooms.

“I promised to establish this hotline so that anyone could report the teaching of inappropriate lessons that rob students of precious minutes of instruction time in core academic subjects such as reading, math, science, history and the arts. That promise is being kept,” Horne said.

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Judge Rules State Legislative Leaders Can Intervene in Lawsuit to Protect Arizona Abortion Ban

Neil Jones

U.S. District Judge Douglas Rayes released an order Wednesday stating that Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Mesa) and House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) may intervene in a court case involving an abortion ban law enacted in 2021.

“When it became clear that Attorney General [Kris] Mayes [D] would not defend Arizona’s law prohibiting discriminatory abortions, the Legislature had to step in. I applaud the federal court’s order recognizing our legislative authority and granting our motion to intervene to defend the constitutionality of this law,” Toma said in a statement emailed to The Sun Times.

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New Bill to Crack Down on Fentanyl Peddlers Passes Arizona State Senate

Neil Jones

A new bill from State Sen. Anthony Kern (R-Glendale) aims to bring harsher punishments on those who traffic fentanyl passed through the Senate floor Tuesday with bipartisan support.

“The numbers speak for itself. Trafficking fentanyl is a deadly issue in our state that is only growing and tearing families apart,” said Kern. “These lethal pills are infiltrating our schools and communities. As a result, young and innocent people are losing their lives.”

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Governor Katie Hobbs Set to Veto Anti-Critical Race Theory Bill

Neil Jones

A bill from State Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler) aimed at preventing Critical Race Theory from being taught in state classrooms made its way to Governor Katie Hobbs’s desk Monday. However, Josslyn Berry, a spokesperson for Hobbs, told The Arizona Sun Times that is as far as the bill would get.

“I can confirm we’ll be vetoing this one [Senate Bill (SB) 1305],” Berry said via email.

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Arizona Free Enterprise Club Sues State over Early Ballot Signature Verification Process

Neil Jones

The Arizona Free Enterprise Club filed a lawsuit against the state Monday, alleging that the early ballot signature verification process outlined in the Elections Procedures Manual (EPM) violates state law.

“The signature presented on an early ballot affidavit is the fulcrum on which the integrity of that ballot pivots; it is the only means by which the county recorder can verify that a person casting an early ballot by mail is, in fact, a duly qualified elector,” according to the lawsuit. “And given the centrality of early ballots to elections in this state, signature verification is also foundational to the overall integrity of Arizona’s elections.”

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Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell Announces Jail Time for Former Attorney Found Guilty of Abuse

Neil Jones

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (R) announced Friday that former prosecutor and defense attorney Edward Maldonado, 48, will face six years of jail time for sexual abuse.

“Justice prevailed today for the victims of a lawyer who took advantage of his position and his stature to sexually abuse and take advantage of women in the legal profession,” said Mitchell. “I am very proud of this office for standing up for these victims and helping them find justice.”

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Arizona State Sen. Anthony Kern Calls for Resignation of Tamillia Valenzuela from Valley School Board Following Anti-Christian Comments

Neil Jones

Arizona State Sen. Anthony Kern (R-Glendale) released a statement Friday calling for Tamillia Valenzuela to resign from the Washington Elementary School District (WESD) Governing Board after making anti-Christian remarks during a recent meeting.

“While we’re facing a shortage of teachers, Valenzuela is impugning the motives of teachers with certain religious beliefs. This is NOT what our country was founded on,” said Kern.

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Goldwater Institute Reacts to Arizona Supreme Court Decision That Respects Due Process

Neil Jones

The Arizona Supreme Court released an opinion in the Legacy Foundation (Legacy) v. Clean Elections Commission (CEC) Thursday, which the Goldwater Institute (GI) celebrated as a victory for checks and balances.

“State bureaucrats cannot simply decide the reach of their own authority,” said GI Vice President of Legal Affairs Timothy Sandefur. “When bureaucrats—who are often not answerable to voters at all—have the power to make the rules, investigate infractions, and punish people for violating those rules, that authority can undermine our most important constitutional values and threaten individual rights.”

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State Sen. Jake Hoffman Urges Hobbs to Reinstate Previous Arizona Department of Child Safety Director Mike Faust

Neil Jones

Arizona State Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) sent a letter to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) Thursday, urging her to reinstate former Department of Child Safety leader Mike Faust as the department is in need of a new leader.

“There are few executive agencies in Arizona as important as the Department of Child Safety,” Hoffman wrote. “Ensuring appropriate, experienced, and well-vetted leadership running the agency that seeks to protect the most vulnerable children in our society should be of utmost concern to us all.”

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Arizona Legislature Threatens Legal Action Against NAAG Regarding Use of Funds

Neil Jones

Arizona State Legislators, House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) and Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Mesa) sent a letter to the National Association of Attorney Generals (NAAG) Wednesday, threatening legal action because of the association’s utilization of funding.

“It is time that Arizona’s laws and regulations start applying to NAAG and that this unaccountable slush fund activity stop now,” the legislators wrote in the joint letter. “At this point, litigation is reasonably likely between us. Consider this letter a litigation hold notice.”

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The Goldwater Institute Sues the City of Phoenix for Not Producing Requested Union Records

Neil Jones

The Arizona-based Goldwater Institute (GI) announced Wednesday that it had filed a lawsuit against the city of Phoenix for refusing a public records request relating to union records.

“The public’s business should be done in public, not behind closed doors,” says GI Staff Attorney Parker Jackson, lead attorney on the case. “The city of Phoenix has a duty to comply with state law—and the city’s own code—so that residents can find out what their government is up to.”

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Anti-Regulatory Overreach Bill from State Representative Justin Wilmeth Passes Through House Floor

Neil Jones

Arizona State Representative Justin Wilmeth (R-Phoenix) announced that his bill, House Bill (HB) 2254, aimed at restricting the state from enacting overreaching regulations, passed through the House Floor on Tuesday.

“Burdensome regulations can lead to higher prices, fewer small businesses, and fewer jobs,” said Wilmeth. “HB 2254 says legislative approval would be required before high-cost rules could be implemented by the state.”

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Arizona Republican Legislative Leaders Reach Out to Gov. Hobbs to Negotiate a State Budget

Neil Jones

With a potential government shutdown looming on the horizon, State House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) and Senate President Warren Petersen (R-Mesa) sent a letter to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) Tuesday requesting a meeting to discuss ways to compromise on the state budget.

“In our first and only meeting to discuss the budget, your office stated it was unwilling to receive feedback or take questions. Obviously, we need some level of agreement to pass a budget. We believe we can achieve most of our priorities and including yours that are reasonable,” the Legislators wrote in their joint letter.

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Center for Arizona Policy Celebrates Passage of Anti-Infanticide Bill in Arizona Senate

Neil Jones

Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) released a statement Monday from President Cathi Herrod, who praised the work of State Sen. Janae Shamp (R-Surprise) for sponsoring the “born alive” bill, which protects all babies born alive in the state.

“The Senate’s passage of SB 1600 along party lines tells you everything you need to know about which lawmakers refuse to draw the line before infanticide. The bill ends the inhumane practice known as “slow code,” in which healthcare professionals withhold medical care to babies not expected to live long in order to hasten their death,” Herrod said. “I am grateful for Senator Shamp’s courage in sponsoring this important bill.”

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Fountain Hills Council Prevents ‘Green New Deal’ Style Environmental Plan from Adoption

Neil Jones

Fountains Hills Town Councilman Allen Skillicorn announced Monday that conservative members of the Town Council prevented implementing a “Green New Deal” style environmental plan.

“Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) must have turned green with envy when Fountain Hills tried to pass an Environmental Plan Tuesday February 21. All based on an 11-page utopian manifesto,” Skillicorn said in a statement emailed to reporters. “Luckily the conservative majority on the Fountain Hills town council stopped this expansion of the Green New Deal.”

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Chandler City Councilman Mark Stewart Pushes for Suspension of Food Tax in City

Neil Jones

Chandler City Councilman Mark Stewart held a conversation during the Thursday City Council Meeting regarding the elimination of the city’s grocery tax to provide inflation-relief aid.

“We have an opportunity to help people in their homes, especially the working poor and those folks that don’t qualify for government assistance, or those that don’t want to take government assistance,” Stewart said. “So, mom shouldn’t decide on whether or not to pay for groceries or school clothes because eggs are seven dollars. If there’s a little we can do better, I’d like to consider that.”

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DEA Arizona Announces Massive Narcotics Seizure after Cartel Targeting Operation

Neil Jones

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of Arizona announced Thursday a massive amount of seized narcotics and incarcerations following a three-year-long targeted investigation of the Sinaloa Drug Cartel (SDC).

“DEA Arizona is laser focused on the Sinaloa Drug Cartel. We will not stop,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Cheri Oz. “This investigation is a testament to our strong partnerships which enable us to gain the necessary advantage over these evil criminal networks.”

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Arizona State Senator Calls Out Katie Hobbs After Forced Resignation of Department of Child Safety Director Nominee

Neil Jones

Arizona State Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Director Nominations (CDN), announced Wednesday that Hobbs’s choice to lead the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS), Matthew Stewart, was allegedly forced to resign following questionable behavior.

“It’s disgraceful that Katie Hobbs either did not conduct a thorough review of Mr. Stewart prior to offering him the position as DCS Director, or she thought she could sweep his history under the rug. This agency is tasked with protecting vulnerable children. While Katie Hobbs openly touted skin-color as her seemingly only priority in the search for the next potential DCS Director, it might have also been a good idea to look at experience and qualifications too,” said Hoffman.

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State Rep. David Livingston Sends Follow-Up Letter to Hobbs Regarding Inauguration Funds, Answers Lead to More Questions

Neil Jones

Arizona State Rep. David Livingston (R-Peoria) sent another letter to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) Wednesday demanding more answers regarding where she is placing funds for 2023 inauguration events. While Livingston did receive answers to his first letter, he said those have only led to more questions.

“Those records have not alleviated my concerns regarding your administration’s solicitation of inaugural funds. Instead, they have prompted new concerns and this supplemental request for more information,” Livingston wrote.

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Arizona State Representative Celebrates Bipartisan Passage of Voter Signature Verification Bill

Neil Jones

The Arizona House of Representatives passed a new house bill (HB) Wednesday clarifying the early ballot envelope voter signature verification standards. This bill came from State Representative Alexander Kolodin (R-Scottsdale), who celebrated the bill passing with bipartisan support.

“This goes to show that when you offer reasonable and necessary solutions to problems, you can reach consensus on real solutions for the people of Arizona. We Republicans are willing to do that and yesterday, we found out that there are some Democrats that are willing to do that as well,” Kolodin said.

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Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne Encourages Schools to Adopt a Character Education Program Ahead of Grant Applications

Neil Jones

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) released a statement Tuesday encouraging schools to adopt a character-focused curriculum created by Character Counts (CC) as new matching grant applications will open soon.

“When I was last Superintendent, from 2003 to 2011, we successfully implemented The Six Pillars of Character [Six Pillars]: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship,” said Horne. “Unlike social and emotional learning [SEL], which has become a distraction from academics, this program was integrated into education such as students writing essays on each of the pillars. As we renew the focus on academics, it could provide an important balance to our students’ education.”

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Katie Hobbs Announces Commitment to Flip Arizona House and Senate, Legislators Fire Back

Neil Jones

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs shared Tuesday that she is committing $500k to a fund aimed at securing a Democrat legislative majority when 2024 comes and alleged this was because Republicans are not cooperating in getting necessary policy changes enacted in the state.

“The current GOP legislative majority can play their political games – AZ Democrats are ready to get to work moving our state forward,” Hobbs tweeted. “Help us build on this exciting momentum by pitching in a couple bucks to our Flip the Leg Fund!”

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Arizona House Committee Approves Bill to Increase Teacher Pay, Several Democrats Oppose It

Neil Jones

Freshman Arizona State Representative Matt Gress (R-Phoenix) Announced his bill, House Bill (HB) 2800, passed through the House Committee on Appropriations meeting Monday, despite pushback from Democrat members.

“I will continue fighting for Arizona teachers. Arizonans want us to work together, finding solutions and common ground. Last night, my Democratic colleagues put partisan politics FIRST, and doing the right thing for AZ teachers and schools LAST,” Gress tweeted.

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The Goldwater Institute Demands Arizona Cities cease Unconstitutional Labor Union Trapping Policies

Neil Jones

The Arizona-based Goldwater Institute (GI) announced Tuesday it had sent letters to the cities of Phoenix and Tempe, demanding the governmental bodies to change allegedly unconstitutional labor union practices that keep employees trapped paying dues.

“We think it is critically important for government employers to respect public employees’ constitutional rights. Under the U.S. and Arizona constitutions, no one can be forced to remain a member of—or make payments to—any private organization, particularly if it engages in speech or political activity the person disagrees with. Unions are no exception, and cities should not be making deals to trap public employees into being union members or paying union dues,” said GI Staff Attorney Parker Jackson in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.
“We think it is critically important for government employers to respect public employees’ constitutional rights. Under the U.S. and Arizona constitutions, no one can be forced to remain a member of—or make payments to—any private organization, particularly if it engages in speech or political activity the person disagrees with. Unions are no exception, and cities should not be making deals to trap public employees into being union members or paying union dues,” said GI Staff Attorney Parker Jackson in a statement emailed to The Arizona Sun Times.

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New Bill from State Sen. Jake Hoffman Aimed at Combating Voter Disenfranchisement Passed Through Committee

Neil Jones

Arizona State Sen. Jake Hoffman’s (R-Queen Creek) sponsored bill, Senate Bill (SB) 1695, passed through the Senate Government Committee Thursday. The bill aims to prevent any possible voter disenfranchisement in future Arizona elections by allowing counties to redo an election.

“We will never stand, as Republicans here in the state of Arizona, for voter disenfranchisement,” said Hoffman during the committee. “I stand on the side of voters, not Republican voters. I stand on the side of all voters, whether they’re an Independent, whether they’re a Democrat, whether they’re a Green Party, a Libertarian, or a Republican. I stand on the side of every single voter. You should not ever be disenfranchised because election officials broke the law.”

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State House Committee Pushes Through Bill to Limit Messaging on Arizona Highway Signs and Avoid Government Advertising

Neil Jones

The State House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed a measure Friday aimed at constricting what the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) can display on dynamic message signs along Arizona’s highways.

“So, they [ADOT] do put on things, sometimes, that are not related to transportation, and that would be, I think, inappropriate,” said State Rep. Neal Carter (R-Casa Grande), the bill’s sponsor, to the committee. “What we’re worried about is the government effectively using it [the signs] as a kind of advertisement for other things.”

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Arizona Court of Appeals Sides with Katie Hobbs in Election Challenge

Neil Jones

The Arizona Court of Appeals officially sided with Go. Katie Hobbs (D) in the ongoing election challenge filed by Republican Kari Lake. However, Lake has already said this is not the end and that the Arizona Supreme Court is her next destination.

“BREAKING: I told you we would take this case all the way to the Arizona Supreme Court, and that’s exactly what we are going to do. Buckle up, America,” Lake tweeted.

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Arizona House Majority Announces New Committee on International Trade

Neil Jones

Arizona State House Speaker Ben Toma (R-Peoria) announced Thursday the formation of the House Committee on International Trade to help improve Arizona’s economic footprint.

“Trade is essential to Arizona’s success,” said Toma. “It fuels our state’s economic growth, generating business and job opportunities – all which is also critical for the prosperity of Arizona families. Our state has tremendous opportunity to grow our trade footprint with international partners, and that is the intention behind this new committee.”

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