by Ethan Faverino | Mar 14, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Arizona House of Representatives has passed House Bill 2601, a measure sponsored by Representative Matt Gress (R-LD4), to advance the long-planned Interstate 11 corridor and prevent further delays in critical transportation infrastructure.
The bill, approved on March 10, now moves to the Arizona Senate for consideration. HB 2601 directs the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to take specific steps to segment and progress the project, focusing on the portion between Interstate 10 at Casa Grande and Wickenburg as a “segment of independent utility.”
Under the legislation, ADOT must formally request federal segmentation approval from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) within 14 days of the bill’s effective date. Following federal approval, ADOT is required to complete necessary environmental reviews and secure any required federal or state authorizations consistent with applicable laws and FHWA guidance.
Within three months of that approval, ADOT must initiate any required Tier 2 environmental and engineering studies to prepare for potential construction.
The measure addresses ongoing challenges to the Interstate 11 project, including a 2022 lawsuit that has stalled progress statewide, even in unaffected areas. Legislative findings in the bill emphasize that segmenting the corridor is consistent with federal precedent and National Environmental Protection Act practices, allowing discrete portions to advance independently.
The northern and central segments are described as environmentally distinct from contested southern areas, serving existing and projected transportation needs without relying on unresolved southern alignments. “Arizona is growing, freight is increasing, and traffic is not getting any lighter,” stated Rep. Gress. “This bill keeps a major corridor from stalling out in process and delay. House Republicans are working to expand capacity, improve mobility, and make sure Arizona has the highway system needed to support growth across the state.”
HB 2601 aligns with the House Republican Majority’s broader transportation agenda, which prioritizes reducing congestion, enhancing safety, strengthening freight movement, and aligning infrastructure with Arizona’s rapid population and economic expansion.
Republicans have supported other key investments around the Valley, including widening I-10 between Casa Grande and Chandler, widening SR 347 in Pinal County, West Valley upgrades, and upgrades at the I-17 and Loop 303 interchange.
Interstate 11 is envisioned as a vital north-south corridor connecting Phoenix, Tucson, and Las Vegas, delivering long-term benefits for regional connectivity, efficient freight transportation, interstate commerce, and economic development in growing communities.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Mar 13, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Common Sense Institute (CSI) has announced that Mayor Jason Beck and his wife, Jane Beck, will be honored with the organization’s prestigious Free Enterprise Legacy Award at the 2026 Free Enterprise Summit.
The Becks will also be delivering the keynote address at the event.
The Free Enterprise Legacy Award is CSI’s highest honor, recognizing individuals whose visionary leadership has expanded opportunities for Arizonans, strengthened the state’s fiscal foundation, and advanced the principles of free enterprise.
This honor recognizes not only outstanding business achievement but also meaningful contributions to public policy and community advancement. Jason and Jane Beck embody that legacy through their partnership in entrepreneurship and public service, reflecting a shared commitment to economic innovation and the strength of their community.
As co-founders of TYR Tactical, an acclaimed Arizona-based manufacturer headquartered in Peoria, the Becks have built one of the city’s largest private employers. The company specializes in designing and producing ballistic and tactical equipment that is 100% American made and serves law enforcement agencies, federal entities, and U.S. and allied military forces worldwide.
Through their core philosophy, “Innovate or Die,” TYR Tactical has promoted a culture of relentless innovation and rigorous testing, elevating Arizona’s advanced manufacturing sector and reinforcing the state’s standing as a hub for defense and public safety industries.
Beyond their business success, Jason Beck was elected Mayor of Peoria in 2022. In office, he has brought the same innovative, forward-thinking approach to governance—prioritizing economic development, securing long-term water resources, enhancing public safety, and expanding educational opportunities for families across Arizona.
In a press release announcing the award, CSI Executive Director Katie Ratlief said, “Mayor Jason Beck and Jane Beck represent the very best of Arizona’s entrepreneurial spirit. Through innovation, disciplined leadership, and a commitment to building here at home, they have demonstrated how free enterprise can drive economic growth, create opportunity, and reinforce Arizona’s fiscal strength. Their legacy is one of vision and action, ensuring that opportunity continues to expand for the next generation.”
The 2026 Free Enterprise Summit, CSI’s signature gathering of business, civic, and policy leaders, will take place in Arizona on April 9 and feature discussions on research, data, and policies shaping the state’s economic future.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
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.
