by Ethan Faverino | Mar 12, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
In a move to protect Arizona’s land, critical infrastructure, and national security, Senate Republicans have passed legislation tightening restrictions on foreign adversaries seeking to acquire interests in state real property or install surveillance-related equipment. SB 1683, sponsored by Majority Whip Frank Carroll (R-LD28), advanced through the Senate on a narrow 18-12 vote last week.
The bill heads to the House for further consideration.
The bill amends ARS § 33-443 to close loopholes that could allow foreign adversary nations or their agents to indirectly control Arizona land or infrastructure through complex ownership structures.
“National security doesn’t stop at our borders; it includes our networks, infrastructure, land, and the systems Arizonans rely on every day,” stated Carroll. “Hostile threats are growing more advanced, more aggressive, and more dangerous – ignoring that reality would be irresponsible.”
Key provisions of SB 1683 include:
- Lowering the threshold for a “substantial interest” in real property from 30% to 15%, calculated as if any contingent interests held by foreign adversaries are exercised, to prevent hidden ownership stakes.
- Prohibiting foreign adversary nations or agents from directly or indirectly purchasing, owning, leasing, acquiring concessions, or obtaining substantial interests in Arizona real property. This covers transactions granting physical access, exclusion rights, development capabilities, or the ability to attach fixed structures.
- Banning the installation, maintenance, data access, or operation of equipment such as uncrewed/autonomous systems, antennas, communications systems, surveillance devices, or high-sensitivity sensors on Arizona property—whether permanent, temporary, physical, or embedded.
- Prohibiting evasion tactics, including the use of shell companies, intermediaries, partnerships, trusts, or restricting to obscure beneficial ownership or maintain functional control.
- Requiring public utilities, telecommunications providers, critical infrastructure owners, and government agencies to report suspected leases, licenses, or colocation agreements that may allow prohibited equipment installation to the Attorney General and Corporation Commission.
- Classifying violations involving prohibited equipment as a Class 5 felony for foreign adversary agents.
- Aligning with federal processes, including violations of Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States mitigation agreements or presidential divestment orders, and allowing the Attorney General to seek injunctions, forfeiture, removal of devices at the violator’s expense, or automatic stays during federal reviews.
- Applying to new transactions and renewals/extensions/modifications of existing interests on or after the effective date, with emergency provisions to preserve public peace, health, and safety.
“This legislation strategically ensures Arizona is prepared, not reactive, in protecting critical infrastructure. Protecting public safety is a core function of government, and that means addressing security gaps,” added Carroll. “Arizona farmland, properties near military bases, airports, utilities, and critical infrastructure must not be used for foreign espionage or as leverage by hostile regimes. It’s a priority for me to put the safety of Arizona and its citizens above all else.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 11, 2026 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne called on state lawmakers and the Governor to prioritize additional funding for the School Safety Program (SSP) in the upcoming state budget, citing a disturbing incident last week at Sunland STEAM Academy in Phoenix where a firearm was discovered on an elementary school campus.
The Roosevelt School District was placed on lockdown on Wednesday, March 4, after a student reported a weapon.
The Phoenix Police Department responded, removed the firearm, and detained two students in connection with the incident. No one was harmed, and the school has since resumed normal operations.
“The discovery of a gun on an elementary school campus is very disturbing and once again shows how important it is that schools have armed officers on campus,” explained Superintendent Horne. “My biggest fear is that a maniac with a gun shoots up a school, killing or wounding children and adults, as has happened in other states.”
Horne emphasized the urgency of strengthening the School Safety Program, which provides grants for School Resource Officers (SROs), School Safety Officers, counselors, social workers, and other personnel to enhance campus security.
“For the upcoming state budget, the legislature and Governor are going to consider added funding for the highly successful School Safety Program so we can add more officers on campuses. They must do so,” Horne added. “The need is clearly there, and we must have safe schools in Arizona.”
Up to now, the program has never denied a grant request, a record Horne hopes to maintain. “Imagine if a school asked for an officer, but the funding was not available, and a maniac got on campus and killed people. Parents would never forgive that,” he said.
The SSP primarily relies on state dollars. According to the Arizona Department of Education, as of the 2025-26 school year, the program currently funds personnel at over 1,077 awarded schools across 14 counties, including:
- 369 School Counselors
- 143 Social Workers
- 247 School Resource Officers
- 3 Juvenile Probation Officers
- 243 School Safety Officer positions
The grant request process for schools without officers remains open through mid-April. To date, districts and charters have requested approximately $103 million for the FY27 School Safety Program, which would fund more than 700 additional positions for officers and counselors, with more requests anticipated.
“The high number of requests for money to pay for officers and counselors speaks volumes to the concerns school leaders have about campus safety,” Horne concluded. “As last week’s incident in Phoenix shows, the need for officers is great. The legislature and Governor must not fail in their efforts to find the resources schools need to protect innocent lives.”
In September 2025, Superintendent Horne submitted a legislative budget request for $180 million to sustain and expand the program. Current state funding, including initial appropriations and carryover, totals just over $128 million, supplemented by $20 million in federal dollars—both set to expire this year.
Approval of the $180 million request would maintain existing levels and provide an additional $32 million to add more officers and training to schools across the state.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 10, 2026 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The U.S. labor market experienced a sharp downturn in February 2026, with nonfarm payroll employment declining by 92,000 jobs, according to the latest Employment Situation report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, released March 6. This marked a significant reversal of January’s stronger-than-expected performance and fell well short of economists’ consensus forecasts for modest gains.
The Joint Economic Committee highlighted the figures in its Monthly Employment Update, noting that the decline consisted of -86,000 jobs in the private sector and -6,000 in government.
The headline unemployment rate (U-3) rose 0.1% to 4.4% while the broader U-6 measure—which includes underemployed workers—improved slightly, falling 0.2% to 7.9%. The labor force participation rate dipped 0.1% to 62%, and the employment-to-population ratio decreased to 59.3%.
Significant downward revisions to prior months compounded the weaker outlook. December 2025 was revised to show a net loss of 17,000 jobs (from an initial gain of 45,000), and January 2026 was adjusted down by 4,000 to 126,000 jobs. Combined, these revisions reduced reported employment gains for December and January by 69,000 jobs.
Sector performance in February showed mixed results. Gains were led by financial activities (+10,000 jobs) and other services (+8,000 jobs). Losses were concentrated in private education and health services (-34,000 jobs, influenced by strike activity in health care) and leisure and hospitality (-27,000 jobs).
On a year-over-year basis (February 2025 to February 2026), total nonfarm payroll rose by approximately 156,000 jobs, with strong contributions from private education and health services (+658,000) and leisure and hospitality (+126,000). However, notable declines occurred in federal government (-314,000) and trade, transportation, and utilities (-191,000).
Wage growth remained positive amid the slowdown. For all private non-farm employees, average hourly earnings increased 3.84% year-over-year to $37.32, while average weekly earnings rose 4.14% to $1,280.08. Among production and nonsupervisory employees, hourly earnings grew 3.69% to $32.03, and weekly earnings advanced 4.31% to $1,082.61.
The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey data (for December 2025) indicated cooling demand, with nonfarm job openings falling by 386,000 to 6.54 million. Hires rose by 172,000 to 5.29 million, while separations increased by 107,000 to 5.25 million, including modest gains in quits and larger rises in layoffs and discharges.
The data points to emerging softness in the labor market, influenced by temporary factors including the severe winter weather and significant strike activity in health care, though broader indicators like wage growth and a still-low unemployment rate suggest resilience.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 9, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-LD15) strongly condemned Governor Katie Hobbs for vetoing SB 1439, a measure he sponsored that would have authorized an optional specialty license plate to honor the late Charlie Kirk and support related efforts.
In her veto letter, Governor Hobbs stated that the legislation “inserts politics into a function of government that should remain nonpartisan.”
Governor Hobbs just vetoed a specialty plate “For Charlie” that was passed by the Arizona Legislature,” tweeted Turning Point Action’s CEO Tyler Bowyer. “They’re very worried about Arizonans wanting to support the cause of Charlie.”
Hoffman, who is closely associated with Turning Point, called this reasoning hypocritical, deeply disappointing, and inconsistent with Arizona’s long-standing tradition of recognizing individuals and causes through state designations, including specialty license plates.
“Katie Hobbs’ grotesque partisanship knows no bounds,” stated Senator Hoffman in a press release condemning the Governor’s decision. “Even in the wake of a global civil rights leader — an Arizona resident and her own constituent — being assassinated in broad daylight for his defense of the First Amendment, Hobbs couldn’t find the human decency to put her far-left extremism aside simply to allow those who wish to honor him to do so. Katie Hobbs will forever be known as a stain on the pages of Arizona’s story.”
Senator Hoffman highlighted the inconsistency in Hobbs’ position, noting that Arizona has historically honored public figures across the political spectrum without similar objections. “It’s absolutely absurd for Hobbs to suddenly claim that honoring someone through a state recognition is ‘too political.’ Arizona highways, buildings, and memorials have been named after elected officials and public figures for decades,” added Senator Hoffman. Congressman Ed Pastor, a proud Democrat, has a freeway named in his honor. No one suggested that recognition was inappropriate simply because he held political views.”
Arizona currently offers dozens of voluntary specialty license plates supporting various causes and organizations, allowing drivers to opt in and contribute if they choose. SB 1439 would have provided the same opportunity to honor Kirk.
“Charlie Kirk inspired millions of young Americans to engage in their communities, exercise their First Amendment rights, and participate in our democratic system,” continued Hoffman. “Hobbs’ veto sends a chilling message that honoring someone who championed free speech is unacceptable if their views do not align with her political ideology. This was a simple, voluntary way for Arizonans to honor a man whose life’s work centered on civic engagement and the peaceful exchange of ideas. Katie Hobbs chose petty politics instead.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 7, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
In a display of strong bipartisan support, the Arizona Senate unanimously advanced legislation designed to crack down on deed fraud and better protect property owners statewide.
On Tuesday, the Senate passed SB 1479, sponsored by Majority Whip Frank Carroll (R-LD28), and sent the measure to the House for further consideration.
With deed fraud schemes growing more complex and repeatedly targeting vulnerable homeowners, lawmakers are acting to close dangerous loopholes in Arizona’s real estate recording system.
The bill updates statutes to improve identity verification, increase transparency, and impose stricter penalties on those who exploit the system for fraudulent purposes.
SB 1479 requires individuals submitting deeds or related documents in person at a county recorder’s office to present valid photo identification, with exemptions provided for trusted entities such as escrow officers, title insurance agents, banks, credit unions, active members of the State Bar of Arizona, and governmental entities. Recorders may note identification details in the system, but are prohibited from retaining copies of the identification, and this information remains non-public and exempt from disclosure.
“Property ownership is one of the most basic rights Arizonans have, and protecting that right should never be controversial,” stated Carroll. “When criminals can forge documents, quietly transfer property, or exploit weak safeguards, it puts families, seniors, and small businesses at real risk of losing what they worked their entire lives to build.”
The legislation also directs county assessors to establish a voluntary notification system by January 1, 2027, enabling property owners to opt in for prompt alerts—via email, text message, or similar means—whenever changes are made to ownership or mailing address information.
Additionally, the bill strengthens affidavit requirements for deeds and contracts transferring title by requiring the inclusion of mailing addresses, telephone numbers, and optional contact details such as email addresses for buyers and sellers.
For high-risk real property documents—including deeds, quitclaim deeds, deeds of trust, and power of attorney affecting real property—notaries must obtain a thumbprint in their journal, with exceptions for foreclosure-related trustee’s deeds, releases, and certain compliant remote notarizations that include retained audiovisual recordings for at least seven years.
The measure repeals outdated provisions, increases penalties for recording forged documents, and makes clear that property fraud carries serious criminal consequences.
“This legislation restores trust in our system by strengthening identity verification, improving transparency, and holding bad actors accountable,” added Carroll. “The unanimous vote shows that protecting property owners isn’t partisan—it’s common sense. Arizona is sending a clear message that we will stand with rightful owners and will not allow fraudsters to game the system.”
As concerns over property scams continue to rise across the state, SB 1479 represents a proactive effort to ensure Arizona’s recording processes prioritize legitimate owners and deter fraud at every stage.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
