by Matthew Holloway | Apr 13, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Corporation Commission approved a temporary bill credit for UNS Electric customers, expected to reduce monthly costs during peak summer usage.
According to a Wednesday press release, the Commission approved an $18.50 monthly credit for customers with average usage of 884 kilowatt-hours. The credit will be in effect from May 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. The measure was approved in a 5–0 vote during the Commission’s open meeting on April 8.
The adjustment is tied to the Purchased Power and Fuel Adjustment Clause (PPFAC), a mechanism which utilities use to recover fuel and purchased power costs. The Commission stated that utilities do not earn a profit on expenses recovered through the PPFAC.
Commissioner Kevin Thompson said in the release that the credit follows the Commission’s earlier action to address a significant under-collection in the PPFAC balance.
In May 2023, the Commission approved a temporary surcharge to reduce the balance, which was accruing interest costs that were being passed on to ratepayers.
“The Commission had to make a tough vote in 2023 to pay down significant fuel cost debt that had been allowed to build as a result of circumstances outside the utilities’ control,” Thompson said. “As a result of the temporary surcharge, UNS was able to rapidly pay down the debt and save ratepayers money in the long run. Asking ratepayers to pay more in their monthly bills to pay down costs is never an easy task, but this solution removes the massive debt hanging over the heads of the ratepayers and provides additional bill relief when customers need it most.”
The surcharge was eliminated in December 2025 after the balance was paid down. The Commission said that the change reduced the average residential customer’s bill by approximately $20 per month.
Following the removal of the surcharge, the utility reported a positive PPFAC balance of $5.6 million in mid-February 2026, which has continued to grow.
According to the release, UNS Electric began experiencing under-collection in October 2021, which grew to approximately $48 million. The deficit was attributed to increased natural gas prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather events including Winter Storm Uri, and global energy market impacts related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“As we are approaching the summer heat, I am glad the Commission was able to provide some rate relief for customers in Kingman, Lake Havasu, Nogales, and other smaller communities in Mohave and Santa Cruz counties,” Chairman Nick Myers said in a statement.
With the new temporary credit in place, the Commission said a typical residential customer is expected to see an average monthly reduction of approximately $38 this summer compared to the same period last year.
“As regulators we often have to make difficult decisions as we balance the various interests involved in ratemaking,” Myers said. “In this case, I am pleased that our difficult decision to address the PPFAC in 2023 has resolved the problem and resulted in a meaningful reduction in rates for UNSE customers through the end of the year.”
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 | Apr 11, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona House Republicans are raising concerns about Governor Katie Hobbs’ recently released state energy plan, arguing it prioritizes solar development and government programs over housing availability and energy affordability.
In a press release, the Arizona House Republican Caucus said the plan advances policies that emphasize utility-scale solar projects, expanded renewable energy deployment, and the use of state-owned land for energy infrastructure.
The criticism follows the rollout of the governor’s broader energy strategy, which includes 31 recommendations developed by the Arizona Energy Promise Task Force to address rising energy demand, data center growth, and utility costs across the state.
According to House Republicans, the plan promotes solar development on state land, including areas near existing communities, rooftop solar installations on government buildings, and participation in virtual power plant programs.
Republican lawmakers cautioned that these proposals could affect the availability of land for residential development. Citing data from the Common Sense Institute, they noted that the Hobbs administration has “identified land closest to existing residential areas as ‘best’ for solar development,” adding that approximately 276,000 acres of state land within 10 miles of incorporated cities and towns could support up to 200,000 housing units.
House Majority Leader Michael Carbone (R-LD25) said the administration’s plan emphasizes renewable energy projects and related investments while raising concerns about impacts on housing supply and costs to taxpayers.
He explained in a statement, “Hobbs is calling this an all-of-the-above energy plan. It’s not. It’s a solar-heavy political plan that puts green industry insiders ahead of taxpayers, pushes utility-scale solar onto state land that could support badly needed housing, and says nothing about lowering gas prices for Arizona families. When Hobbs says ‘all of the above,’ what she means is more wind and solar.”
The governor’s office has described the energy plan as part of a broader effort to address affordability and reliability while bringing together stakeholders from utilities, industry, and government.
In separate announcements, the Hobbs administration has highlighted programs focused on lowering energy costs, including efficiency upgrades and rebate initiatives designed to reduce utility bills for Arizona households.
Carbone criticized Hobbs’ energy plan, stating, “You cannot claim to have an energy plan for Arizona while ignoring gasoline prices, fuel supply, and the infrastructure needed to keep this state moving. This report does not confront boutique fuel problems, does not address refinery or pipeline capacity, and does not even include the industry that supplies the fuel Arizona families and businesses rely on every day. That is not all of the above. That is selective politics dressed up as policy.”
He added, “Her report is long on politics and short on answers. It does not lower costs. It does not increase housing supply. It does not put taxpayers first. House Republicans are focused on affordability, reliability, and policies that serve Arizona families, not a narrow political agenda.”
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 | Apr 10, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona has enacted new legislation tightening oversight of registered sex offenders who seek to change their legal names.
House Bill 2223, sponsored by Rep. Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), adds new disclosure and notification requirements for registered offenders filing a petition for a legal name change.
“Sex offenders should not be able to change their name and slip through cracks that put Arizona families at risk,” Nguyen said. “This bill closes a loophole and locks in accountability. Victims deserve to know when the person who harmed them is trying to change identities through the courts. If you are required to register, you will not use a name change to hide your past, dodge scrutiny, or erase your trail.”
Under the new law, individuals on Arizona’s sex offender registry who apply for a name change must disclose their registration status as part of the application.
The legislation also requires applicants whose convictions occurred in Arizona to provide a copy of the name-change petition to the prosecuting agency involved in their case. This provision is intended to ensure that prosecutors, and, where applicable, victims who have requested post-conviction notification, are informed of the request.
If a court approves a name change, the law directs judges to order that the individual continue registering under both the new legal name and the prior name. The order must be transmitted to the county sheriff, ensuring that both identities are maintained within law enforcement records.
Existing Arizona law under A.R.S. § 13-3822 already requires registered sex offenders to notify law enforcement of changes in residence and legal name. However, prior statutes did not require courts to formally link name-change orders to registry records or mandate notification to prosecutors during the petition process.
HB 2223 adds those procedural steps without changing who is required to register as a sex offender or the duration of registration requirements under Arizona law.
The bill passed the Arizona House in February 2026 and advanced through the Senate unanimously on April 2 before being signed into law.
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 | Apr 9, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
State Rep. Gail Griffin (R-LD19) was recognized for achieving the longest active streak of “Above Expectations” performance among members of the Arizona House of Representatives, according to a new report from the Center for Effective Lawmaking.
The recognition was announced in a press release from Arizona House Republicans, which cited the Center’s State Legislative Effectiveness Scores for the 56th Arizona Legislature. The report found that Griffin maintained a three-session streak of “Above Expectations” ratings, the longest currently recorded in the Arizona House.
The Center for Effective Lawmaking is a nonpartisan research initiative operated jointly by Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia.
According to the report, Griffin received an effectiveness score of 5.50 for the 2023–2024 legislative session. That score ranked second-highest in the Arizona House and exceeded the scores of all members of the Arizona Senate during the same period. Griffin’s score was exceeded only by Rep. David Livingston (R-LD28), with 7.23.
The effectiveness scores evaluate lawmakers based on factors including bill sponsorship, legislative progress, and the ability to advance policy through the legislative process.
Griffin has focused her legislative work on areas including water policy, land use, natural resources, energy, job creation, and economic development.
In a statement, Griffin said, “I’m honored to be recognized for a record that reflects years of hard work on behalf of the people I represent. Southern Arizona expects results, not excuses. I come to the Capitol to protect our water, defend private property rights, support agriculture and mining, stand up for rural communities, and fight for the constitutional freedoms that matter to Arizona families. Good policy only matters if you can move it, pass it, and put it into law.”
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 | Apr 8, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) is renewing his call for a federal ban on ranked-choice voting (RCV) following a Maine court ruling that limited the system’s use in certain elections, citing concerns about election integrity and consistency in federal contests.
Debate over ranked-choice voting in Maine has included legal challenges to its application. In its ruling, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court found that ranked-choice voting could not be used in certain general elections for state offices where the state constitution requires winners to be determined by plurality.
Responding to developments surrounding ranked-choice voting, Hamadeh renewed his call for federal action. His office reiterated that position in a recent post on X, calling for a nationwide ban on ranked-choice voting in federal races.
Hamadeh’s team wrote, “The Maine Supreme Judicial Court just ruled that Democrats’ latest attempt to force Ranked-Choice Voting on governor and state legislative races is unconstitutional. Ranked-choice voting creates chaos, disenfranchises voters, and destroys trust in our elections. That’s why it fails everywhere it’s tried, and exactly why Congressman Hamadeh introduced the Preventing Ranked Choice Corruption Act to ban this corrupt system once and for all in all federal elections.”
The Arizona congressman previously introduced H.R. 3040, the “Preventing Ranked Choice Corruption Act,” in April 2025. The legislation would amend the Help America Vote Act to ban the use of ranked-choice voting in elections for Congress and the presidency.
Hamadeh said the bill would prohibit what he described as a “confusing and disenfranchising voting scheme,” and raised concerns that ranked-choice voting can alter outcomes through multiple rounds of vote redistribution.
Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting a single candidate. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and those ballots are redistributed based on voters’ next selections. The process continues in rounds until a candidate secures a majority.
The system is currently used in a limited number of states for federal elections. Maine employs ranked-choice voting in congressional and presidential races, making it the first state to adopt the system at that level.
Alaska also uses ranked-choice voting for federal elections following voter-approved reforms. A repeal effort narrowly failed by 664 votes in 2024.
Opposition to ranked-choice voting has expanded across multiple states. Hamadeh’s renewed push reflects a broader Republican effort to prohibit the system, with several states enacting bans or considering legislation to prevent its use.
Hamadeh’s proposal would apply only to federal elections and require congressional approval before taking effect. If enacted, states would retain authority over their own election systems for state and local races.
The legislation has remained in committee since its introduction and has not advanced.
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.
