by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 18, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A bill to provide better support to Arizona families has cleared a legislative hurdle.
Last week, the Arizona House of Representatives Government Committee passed HB 2216 “to establish the Positive Alternatives for Pregnancy and Parenting Grant Program within the Arizona Department of Health Services. The bill was sponsored by State Representative Walt Blackman.
According to the release from Blackman, the proposal “advances efforts to provide real, practical support for women and families facing unplanned pregnancies by funding nonprofit organizations that offer medical care, parenting education, adoption assistance, and essential resources like clothing, car seats, and housing support.” If signed into law, HB 2216 would “establish strict accountability measures, requiring annual audits and reports to ensure responsible use of grant funds; [and] prohibit funds from being used for political or religious purposes while ensuring all participating organizations protect client privacy in compliance with state and federal laws.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the bill’s progress, Representative Blackman said, “HB 2216 helps make sure women and families have the resources they need to choose life and build a strong future. Too often, women facing unplanned pregnancies feel like they have nowhere to turn. This program sees they have access to real help – prenatal care, parenting classes, material support, and housing assistance – without pressure or political agendas. We’re putting Arizona families first by funding organizations that empower mothers and protect the most vulnerable among us.”
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, National Association of Social Workers – Arizona Chapter, Arizona Center for Women’s Advancement, Camelback Family Planning, National Council of Jewish Women, Pro-Choice Arizona Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, Arizona National Organization for Women (NOW), and American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, all signed in to oppose the bill.
HB 2216 passed the Senate Government Committee along party lines with a 4-3 vote. It will soon be considered by the full chamber of the Arizona House of Representatives.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 18, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A coalition of Arizona lawmakers have set their eyes on space.
Three Arizona legislators recently transmitted a letter of commitment to the Southwest Regional Aerospace Innovation Alliance’s pending application to the National Science Foundation (NSF) “for funding to develop Yuma as the nation’s next commercial and industrial spaceport.” The lawmakers were State Representatives Justin Wilmeth and Michele Peña, and Senator Tim Dunn.
According to the press release issued by the coalition, the “creation of a Yuma-based spaceport would strengthen national security, boost economic growth, and drive advancements in space exploration, generat[ing] $2 billion in annual economic activity, create thousands of jobs, and establish a strategic hub for commercial space launches and innovation.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the letter, Representative Wilmeth said, “With the new Trump administration prioritizing spaceflight and economic expansion, Arizona is ready to play a leading role. House Republicans urge state and federal officials to support the Alliance’s NSF application, ensuring long-term investment in space exploration and economic growth. Arizona has an opportunity to help drive American innovation and prosperity.”
Representative Peña added, “Yuma is the ideal location for the next spaceport, offering advantages unmatched by any costal alternative. With optimal weather, proximity to military and defense assets, pro-business policies, a skilled workforce, and exclusive launch directionality over the Sea of Cortex, it is the smartest and most efficient choice.”
Senator Dunn also weighed in, saying, “Yuma continues to be leaders in innovation. I ran the legislation several years ago and am proud to support this collaboration and encourage its selection.”
The letter highlights that Arizona passed HB 2423 in 2019 “to promote commercial space flight activities in Arizona ‘through the launch of stratospheric, suborbital and orbital missions’ and to ‘promote the creation of space infrastructure in Arizona to increase economic development.’”
The lawmakers also noted that just last year, the state legislature approved HB 2254 to “establish the Arizona Space Commission and Arizona Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund to support the development of emerging technologies in human space flight, the development of a skilled labor workforce for commercial spaceflight and space commerce, and the development of infrastructure for establishing and maintaining a spaceport in Arizona.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 17, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
One Arizona legislator is seeking to help veterans in his state.
Last week, Arizona State Representative Justin Wilmeth announced that he had introduced HB 2871 “to allocate $10 million for clinical research on ibogaine.” According to a press release issued by the Arizona House of Representatives Republican Caucus, ibogaine is “a promising potential treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – conditions that have severely affected many veterans returning from combat.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the bill introduction, Wilmeth said, “Our military heroes put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms, yet when they come home, too many are left suffering in silence. Traditional treatments have fallen short, and the reality is stark – veterans with TBI and PTSD are at an alarmingly high risk of suicide. Ibogaine treatment has shown incredible promise, and Arizona has an opportunity to take the lead in finding solutions that give these men and women real hope and real healing.”
Wilmeth added, “Veterans who sustained brain injuries in combat shouldn’t have to leave the country to access treatment that could change their lives. We owe it to our veterans to explore every option to help them have a full and healthy life. If this research can prove that ibogaine can truly heal the unseen wound of war, Arizona will be at the forefront of revolutionizing care for our warriors.”
The press release from the state lawmaker shared that “ibogaine, a plant-derived treatment with roots in West Africa, has drawn increasing attention for its potential to mitigate PTSD symptoms and neurological damage. Veterans, including Congressman Morgan Luttrell and retired SEAL Marcus Luttrell, have credited ibogaine with helping them recover from the physical and mental toll of combat. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry has also emerged as a vocal advocate, calling ibogaine treatment a ‘lifeline’ for veterans.”
If signed into law, HB 2871 would “direct the Arizona Department of Health Services to award grants to a research institution with proven expertise in neurological studies to conduct a certified clinical study on the use of ibogaine for treating TBI and PTSD.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 17, 2025 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A bill to help improve students’ focus at schools around Arizona passed a legislative committee.
Last week, the Arizona House Committee on Science & Technology passed HB 2484 “to require school districts and charter schools to adopt policies that regulate student access to the internet and limit the use of wireless communication devices during the school day.” State Representative Beverly Pingerelli is the sponsor of the legislation.
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the bill’s progress, Representative Pingerelli said, “The excessive use of cell phones in schools is a growing crisis that is harming our children’s education and well-being. It’s time to restore order in the classroom. My bill ensures that schools establish common-sense policies to keep students focused on learning rather than scrolling through social media and texting during class. The goal is simple: devices should be ‘away for the day’ so kids can engage in their education, free from constant digital distractions.”
Pingerelli added, “Education should be about equipping our children with knowledge and skills, not competing with TikTok and Snapchat for their attention. This bill restores a learning environment where teachers can teach, and students can succeed.”
Additional information about the bill revealed that it would “require school districts and charter schools to adopt policies that restrict student access to social media on school-provided internet and limit personal device use during instructional time, allow teachers to grant access to social media only when necessary for educational purposes, [and] ensure that students can use their devices in emergencies or when directed by a teacher for academic work.”
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from Stand for Children, AZ School Administrators, and Arizona School Boards Association signed in to support the proposal; while a representative from the Arizona Education Association signed in as neutral.
State Representatives Biasiucci, Gress, Hendrix, and Márquez joined as co-sponsors of the bill.
In committee, all nine members of the panel voted to send the bill to the full House, giving this proposal an overwhelmingly bipartisan win ahead of its next step in the legislative journey.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 14, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A Republican lawmaker is taking steps to help Arizona’s power supply during the hot summer months.
This week, Arizona State Senator Frank Carroll announced that SB 1309, which he had sponsored, had been approved by the Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water. This bill would “ensure Arizonans have a reliable power supply during the scorching summer months in the desert and the freezing winter months in the high country.”
The bill would require “the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) to ensure that any changes made to an electric power grid are capable of producing enough electricity to meet the demand for power in the summer and winter months,” and “a power generation resource mix that avoids both blackouts and brownouts unrelated to severe weather conditions or power quality incidents.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement, Carroll said, “Because radical Democrats have adopted an extremist environmental agenda, Americans are suffering the consequences during preventable power outages that are endangering lives in the middle of heat waves and dramatic cold spells. Could you imagine if residents in Metro Phoenix experienced a long-lasting power outage when temperatures surge past 110 degrees for days on end?”
Senator Carroll added, “I sponsored SB 1309 to prevent the chaos associated with blackouts, as we’ve seen in states like California, when dangerous green agendas are adopted. We all want a cleaner environment, but not at the potential cost of human life. This commonsense measure will ensure Arizonans’ air conditioners, heaters, lights, and other basic necessities have the power to operate when we need them to.”
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak System, a representative from the Arizona Free Enterprise Club endorsed the proposal; while representatives from the Climate Cabinet Action, Advanced Energy Economy, Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association, and CHISPA ARIZONA – A Program of League of Conservation Voters, signed into oppose the legislation.
SB 1309 will soon be considered by the full chamber of the Arizona Senate.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
