by Matthew Holloway | Jan 30, 2026 | Must Read, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona House Republican Majority advanced five of six bills aimed at aligning state law with key provisions of the Trump administration’s signature legislation, H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, during a meeting of the House Health and Human Services Committee on Monday.
According to a pre-meeting press release from the Arizona House GOP Conference, the six-bill package focuses on Medicaid eligibility verification, reporting requirements, rural health workforce issues, and related health policy changes. GOP leaders said the measures are intended to mirror select federal reforms included in H.R. 1, including restoring accountability to Medicaid, strengthening rural health care access and workforce participation, and protecting taxpayer resources.
The following bills were identified by House GOP leadership as part of the package:
Medicaid-related measures:
- HB 2796 (Rep. Michael Carbone, R-LD25) — AHCCCS; enrollment verification; presumptive eligibility: Strengthens eligibility verification for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) by requiring cross-agency data matching to verify income, residency, deaths, and out-of-state activity. The bill limits reliance on self-reporting where not federally required and tightens presumptive eligibility primarily to children and pregnant women. Advanced 7–5.
- HB 2689 (Rep. Ralph Heap, R-LD10) — Hospitals; patient immigration status; reporting: Establishes reporting requirements related to hospital patient immigration status. Advanced 7–5.
Public assistance, health access, and workforce-related measures
- HB 2396 (Rep. Leo Biasiucci, R-LD30) — SNAP; allowed purchases; waiver: Addresses Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) policy options, including purchase eligibility and waiver authority. Advanced as amended 7–5.
- HB 2190 (Rep. Julie Willoughby, R-LD13) — Physician Assistant Licensure Compact: Seeks to join Arizona in an interstate compact to facilitate licensure portability for physician assistants. Advanced 11–1.
- HB 2437 (Rep. Selina Bliss, R-LD1) — EMS reciprocity; compact: Would establish an interstate compact for emergency medical services credential reciprocity. Held.
- HB 2233 (Rep. Walt Blackman, R-LD7) — Arizona Rural Health Transformation Fund; reporting: Requires additional reporting related to the Arizona Rural Health Transformation Fund. Advanced as amended/strike everything 7–5.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed by the U.S. Congress under budget reconciliation and signed into federal law on July 4, 2025. It includes broad federal policy changes affecting tax policy, Medicaid funding, SNAP, border security, and other areas.
The House Health and Human Services Committee meeting was open to the public and available for viewing online via the Arizona Legislature’s official video player.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 29, 2026 | Must Read, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Republican Party’s annual meeting on this past Saturday drew less robust attendance than expected and was characterized by prolonged delays and organizational challenges, even as delegates elected Sergio Arellano as the party’s new chair.
The meeting, held in Prescott Valley, was scheduled to conclude by approximately 5 p.m. but it extended into the evening as party officials conducted hand counts and resolved procedural disputes. Leadership results — including the chair’s race — were not announced until after 8 p.m.
The Epoch Times Arizona reported that the meeting was “over an hour late getting started,” and noted rising tensions inside. Covering the opening remarks by former-Chair Gina Swoboda, the outlet wrote, “Swoboda is effectively filibustering while the meeting can’t officially begin—opening with a unity pep talk amid ongoing controversy over her and school choice.”
Several attendees described the meeting environment and turnout on social media. Independent journalist Christy Kelly wrote, “FACT: The turnout for the AZGOP state meeting was significantly depressed,” responding to a post from gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson, who described the turnout as “amazing.”
Columnist Rachel Alexander noted the significant delay in her coverage via X, writing, “The AZGOP’s election is now going on at 6:20 pm (it’s supposed to be over by 5 pm, started at 8 am).”
Delegates conducted leadership elections during the meeting. After two rounds of voting for state party chairmanship, Sergio Arellano, an Army combat veteran and Republican activist, won the runoff against former First Vice Chair Pam Kirby. Arellano succeeds Gina Swoboda, the outgoing chair, who is pursuing a Congressional Campaign in Arizona’s District 1.
Before voting commenced, delegates debated whether to seat 16 “fractional” state committeemen whose party positions had been challenged under interpretive readings of the bylaws. The floor ultimately voted to seat those members, allowing the leadership election to proceed without a formal challenge.
The prolonged process included a full hand count of ballots for multiple leadership roles, as well as reportedly 20 proposed bylaw changes, which contributed to the extended meeting timeline. As reported by the Epoch Times Arizona, debate on the bylaw changes was prohibited, allowing “no member discussion, no back-and-forth, no amendments from the floor.”
The outlet noted, “People in the room are visibly upset and uncomfortable about the decision to move forward with zero debate on such a large set of changes.”
Over forty minutes after the meeting’s conclusion at 8 p.m., Garret Archer, Data and Political Analyst for ABC15, wrote, “Only a few state committee members are left waiting for the results of the runoff chair vote.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 28, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
State Rep. John Gillette (R-LD30) recently posted a series of messages alleging that some Arizona Democratic lawmakers accepted endorsements from the Communist Party and have not renounced them. His comments came as protests over federal immigration enforcement continued in Phoenix and across the state.
Gillette cited photos in the Arizona Republic, which depicted demonstrators carrying red banners emblazoned with the hammer and sickle, an internationally recognized symbol of communism, during an anti-immigration enforcement protest outside the State Capitol in Phoenix on January 23.
In his social media posts, Gillette asserted that several Democratic members of the Arizona Legislature had received endorsements from the Communist Party and noted that “none of the elected Dems renounced the Communist endorsement,” though his posts did not specify which lawmakers he referenced.
As previously reported by AZ Free News, Arizona Reps. Mariana Sandoval (D-LD23) and Lorena Austin (D-LD9) were both endorsed by the Arizona Working Families Party (WFP), which, according to its website, describes itself as “building our own party on top of the two-party system in the United States,” and “organiz[ing] outside the two parties.”
In July 2025, AZ Free News reported that the WFP also endorsed Democrat Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva during her candidacy in the special election as well as socialist New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani.
Responding to a commenter who shared imagery of Communist Party founder Vladimir Lenin gleaned from a Working Families Party post, Gillette noted: “They took that down after the original posting. I can work with a Kennedy dem… sure they like big govt, taxes, welfare state, but they can be reasonable and dont [sic] hate America like these woke progressive Communists.”
Gillette’s remarks drew attention against a backdrop of Arizona’s ongoing political debates over immigration, federal enforcement, and state-federal relations. Responses from Arizona legislative Democrats to Gillette’s endorsement claims were not contained in his posts, and follow-up statements from affected lawmakers were not immediately available.
In recent weeks, multiple gatherings have taken place in Phoenix opposing ICE activity and federal immigration enforcement. Dozens of protesters gathered outside an ICE field office near 7th Avenue and Montecito calling for the agency to stay out of Arizona after federal immigration enforcement actions sparked nationwide pushback. Demonstrators marched toward downtown Phoenix as part of the event.
Earlier in January, activists in Phoenix held demonstrations outside an ICE office following the fatal shooting of Renée Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, joining similar demonstrations in other cities in Arizona.
On January 20th, roughly 200 protesters participated in a nationwide “Free America Walkout” demonstration at the Arizona State Capitol, marked by chants, poetry, and marches around the Capitol grounds. Organizers framed the protest as part of broader national actions coinciding with the anniversary of Trump’s second inauguration.
In the Phoenix area and at nearby university campuses, youth and students also participated in walkouts and demonstrations calling for limits on federal immigration enforcement and criticizing ICE, including protests featuring chants against the agency and President Trump.
The rallies in Phoenix reflect a broader pattern of protests and demonstrations nationwide this month, including protests involving activist groups identifying as socialist or communist, in response to federal immigration enforcement actions and fatal shootings involving ICE agents. National coverage from Fox News noted coordinated events in multiple U.S. cities, with activist groups staging protests in opposition to ICE operations and Trump administration policies.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 27, 2026 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona State Representative Chris Lopez (R-LD16) is leading legislation to establish a Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C-PACE) program in Arizona, aiming to expand private investment, modernize infrastructure, and support economic growth in Pinal County and across the state.
The legislation, House Bill 2824, would authorize local governments to offer C-PACE financing for commercial and industrial properties. The market-driven tool allows property owners to access low-cost, long-term private capital for projects that improve energy efficiency, conserve water, enhance resiliency, and fund infrastructure upgrades.
According to HB 2824, the “C-PACE Program” in Arizona would be defined as “a special assessment program that provides commercial property assessed capital expenditure financing for eligible improvements” that local governments may establish through voluntary special assessment agreements with property owners.
Eligible projects under the proposed program include investments in energy systems, water and wastewater infrastructure, building retrofits, manufacturing facilities, agricultural processing, and logistics development, all sectors central to rapid economic growth.
“Pinal County is one of the fastest-growing regions in Arizona, and we need smart, market-driven tools to help our communities keep pace,” Lopez said. “C-PACE unlocks private capital for major commercial and industrial projects without raising taxes or creating new government debt.”
Unlike traditional public financing, which leans heavily on incurring public debt, C-PACE financing relies entirely on private investment. Participation in the program would allow property owners to repay the financing through a special assessment tied to the property, a structure which advocates say provides long-term certainty for lenders and developers while shielding taxpayers.
Similar Commercial Property Assessed Capital Expenditure (C-PACE) frameworks have already been authorized in other states, including North Carolina, Idaho, and Arkansas. Arizona would join over 40 states that have authorized C-PACE, according to the release from Lopez, “helping unlock billions of dollars in private investment nationwide.”
“As Pinal County continues to attract major employers and advanced manufacturing facilities, we must ensure our communities have the infrastructure to support that growth,” Rep. Lopez added. “This legislation gives cities and counties another tool to compete, attract investment, and build for the future.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 25, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Goldwater Institute is asking a federal judge to allow Maricopa County taxpayers to see how public funds have been spent during more than a decade of federal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO).
In a friend-of-the-court brief filed on Tuesday, Goldwater urged the U.S. District Court to reconsider a 2014 order that keeps the federal monitor’s invoices confidential. Under that order, the court-appointed monitor, Warshaw & Associates, submits billing records exclusively to the judge, placing them outside public view.
Scrutiny of the court-appointed monitor has been growing in recent weeks. Over $300 million has been spent on oversight in the past 14 years, with approximately 10% going to the court monitor, Robert Warshaw, according to Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas Galvin. The Board submitted a court filing in December asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona to end federal oversight of MCSO. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell agreed in a post to X, writing, “There is no defense for this ‘federal monitor.”
Vice President for Legal Affairs at the Goldwater Institute, Timothy Sandefur, explained, “That means Maricopa County taxpayers have no way of knowing how their tax dollars are being spent on one of the most important services the county provides.”
“Although the Goldwater Institute has repeatedly requested copies of these invoices, the county does not have itemized statements, and the federal monitor refused to produce them,” he added. “But as we point out in the brief we filed on Tuesday, the government should not be allowed to keep such information secret unless there’s good reason, and even then, they’re required to specify what those reasons are. The court in this case has never done so—and even if it had, circumstances have changed in the decade since the lawsuit began.”
The filing comes as Maricopa County separately argues that continued federal oversight of MCSO under the Melendres v. Arpaio ruling is no longer justified. In a pending motion, the county contends that the sheriff’s office has implemented substantial reforms and that the monitorship should be terminated.
In its brief, Goldwater argues that the continued sealing of the monitor’s invoices prevents taxpayers from knowing how their money is being spent and undermines transparency principles embedded in Arizona and federal law.
“History did not end in 2014, and continued federal oversight of MCSO cannot be based on decade-old facts,” the brief states. “It’s crucial that Maricopa County taxpayers be permitted to know where their tax dollars are going — and that’s hindered by the existing orders and continued federal oversight without a full public accounting.”
The court has not yet ruled on either Maricopa County’s motion to end federal oversight or Goldwater’s request for public access to the monitor’s billing records.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
