by Matthew Holloway | Jan 17, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona State Sen. Kevin Payne (R-LD27) has introduced legislation he claims will ensure law enforcement’s use of modern crime-fighting technology doesn’t slide into unchecked government surveillance. But critics say otherwise.
The bill, SB 1111, would create statewide standards governing how automated license plate readers, popularly known as Flock cameras, are used by police and other agencies across Arizona. The measure comes as concerns grow among residents and local leaders about the privacy implications of expanding surveillance tech in everyday life.
Under the proposal, data collected by these systems could only be used for legitimate law enforcement purposes, such as solving serious crimes or locating missing and endangered persons. The bill would explicitly ban the use of license plate data for general surveillance, political purposes, or non-law-enforcement activities. In an effort to ensure accountability, it also requires strict access controls, mandatory user training, detailed audit logs, and regular compliance reviews.
“This bill draws a clear line. We’re protecting innocent Arizonans from government overreach while making sure our law enforcement officers have the modern tools they need to keep our communities safe,” Payne said in a statement.
“Arizonans shouldn’t have to choose between their privacy and their security. This bill proves we can do both—defend individual freedom and back the men and women who put their lives on the line every day.”
Critics of the bill believe it is vaguely worded and would open the door to broad government surveillance with few safeguards.
“This is among one of the weakest bills I’ve seen when it comes to regulating license plate readers,” Dave Maass, director of investigations at Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), told the Arizona Mirror. “This bill is not going to do what the author says it is going to do.”
Flock cameras have been under heavy critcism from groups like the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, who wrote in an op-ed in November that “Arizona is home to some of the most Flock-saturated cities in the country.” The group warned that “Flock monitors your movement constantly, often without your knowledge, and always without your consent. You can turn off your phone. You can’t turn off a camera mounted on a pole. Every car you drive and every route you take is automatically logged, creating a permanent record you never agreed to.”
Flock Safety, the company behind the mass surveillance cameras used throughout Arizona, was compromised in December.
Supporters of the legislation argue that the absence of clear statewide guidelines has left residents uncertain about how and when sensitive data is collected, shared, and stored. Some cities and counties have already wrestled with local policies as questions about oversight and civil-liberty protections have surfaced.
Law-enforcement advocates say the technology has helped solve serious crimes and locate missing persons, while acknowledging that clear guardrails are necessary to maintain public trust.
Joe Clure, Executive Director of the Arizona Police Association, stated, “SB 1111 provides the tools law enforcement needs to keep our communities safe while putting firm protections in place against government overreach and privacy assurance to that same community. Cameras used to detect and apprehend suspects are invaluable in maintaining public safety and preventing criminal and terrorist activity. They also aid in the investigation and solving of crimes long after they were committed.”
SB 1111 will now proceed through the legislative process, where it is expected to draw fierce debate over how to strike a balance between crime-fighting effectiveness and individual privacy rights.
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 16, 2026 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
An Arizona State University faculty member, who also serves as an associate director, was captured on video acknowledging that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programming continues at ASU despite Executive Orders and U.S. Department of Education (DOE) policies directing the elimination of the programs.
In footage from Accuracy in Media (AIM) circulating online, an ASU official identified as Rebecca Loftus, Associate Teaching Professor and Associate Director of the School of Criminology & Criminal Justice, is shown discussing how DEI efforts persist at the university, saying the programming is now “just not as broadcast as it was before,” according to posts and videos shared on social media platforms.
In January 2025, the DOE announced it was dismantling DEI-related offices, removing DEI references from public-facing materials, and directing staff to eliminate related programs as part of a department-wide policy shift under the Trump administration. The department said the move was intended to end what it described as discriminatory or non-merit-based practices tied to DEI frameworks. It warned that institutions continuing such efforts could face scrutiny over federal funding.
The video, originally posted to YouTube, was later shared on X by Corey A. DeAngelis and circulated more broadly as Instagram Reels and X posts. In the footage, Loftus can be heard making statements that ASU’s diversity initiatives are still in effect, albeit with less public emphasis than in earlier years.
According to AIM, Loftus, speaking with an undercover investigator, was recorded stating that, “Most of our faculty do tend to be a little more on the liberal side. You have to be careful with the language that you use. We’re doing pretty much what we were doing before.”
The outlet reported that she went on to describe a body known as “the idea office,” an internal group responsible for “designing” criminology classes for a “majority-minority student body,” with AIM characterizing such groups as “how DEI-related instruction is being concealed through new internal structures.”
Loftus is later seen telling the investigator: “You’re not going to find very many programs that are going to broadcast it as before because the federal funding for universities, especially state-run universities like ASU… If you have federal funds that are withheld, it really makes a big impact.” She reportedly added that entire classes are still being devoted to race, ethnicity, and gender, and said that ASU has been bringing in outside figures to present these classes.
In a later clip, when confronted about the undercover video, she can be seen telling Adam Guillette, President of Accuracy in Media, that she has “no idea” what he’s talking about and urged him to “talk to our Director” before requesting he leave her office.
ASU’s use of diversity training and DEI programming has been the subject of a legal challenge in recent years.
In March 2024, the Goldwater Institute filed a lawsuit on behalf of an ASU faculty member challenging ASU’s “Inclusive Communities” training requirement as violating Arizona law prohibiting certain diversity trainings funded with public money. That lawsuit, Anderson v. Arizona Board of Regents, remains active in the state court system.
The Goldwater Institute’s online materials describe the training as covering systemic bias, privilege, and related concepts.
At the time of this report, ASU administrators had not issued a public response to the video clips widely circulated on social media, nor had the university clarified whether the recording was conducted with consent or in a sanctioned setting.
The footage has been reposted and commented on by multiple users, including calls for questions about the university’s DEI direction. One user suggested contacting the ASU Board of Trustees regarding the issue; however, no official response from the board has been posted publicly as of this report.
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 15, 2026 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Republican legislators have sent a $1.1 billion tax relief package to Gov. Katie Hobbs, escalating a high-stakes policy dispute over tax conformity as the state enters filing season.
According to a statement released by House and Senate Republicans, lawmakers rapidly passed House Bill 2153 and Senate Bill 1106, legislation designed to align Arizona’s tax code with federal tax reforms enacted in 2025. Supporters estimate the measures will deliver approximately $1.1 billion in tax relief over the next three years.
The bills now await the governor’s signature.
In a statement posted to X, House Republicans wrote, “With costs still high and tax season underway, Arizona families shouldn’t be left waiting. The Legislature has done its job, now it’s time for the Governor to sign this relief into law.”
Republican leaders said the legislation is intended to provide clarity and certainty for families, small businesses, and tax preparers, particularly as tax season is underway. The package fully conforms Arizona law to recent federal tax changes and codifies provisions such as preventing the taxation of tips and overtime pay.
House and Senate Republicans said the plan is focused on helping working families retain more of their earnings, supporting small businesses and job creators, and ensuring taxpayers receive clear and lawful tax guidance during the filing process.
The legislation’s passage follows criticism from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) over Gov. Hobbs’ separate tax conformity proposal. In a press release earlier this week, NFIB Arizona State Director Chad Heinrich urged lawmakers to reject the governor’s approach and instead advance HB 2153 and SB 1106.
Heinrich argued that Hobbs’ proposal would delay tax certainty by requiring taxpayers to wait until budget negotiations conclude before knowing how Arizona will align with federal tax changes passed in 2025 — potentially leaving taxpayers without clarity until June 2026.
“It’s unclear if the left hand knows what the right hand is doing in the Hobbs administration,” Heinrich said. He criticized the proposal for abandoning 2025 tax forms already posted by the Arizona Department of Revenue and instructing taxpayers to wait until budget negotiations are finalized. “This should be a non-starter,” Heinrich said.
NFIB highlighted HB 2153 and SB 1106 as preferred alternatives, noting that the bills would fully adopt federal tax reforms enacted in 2025, including provisions tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which the organization said small business owners welcomed for the certainty it provided.
“Small business owners breathed a sigh of relief when the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed and collectively looked forward to the certainty that it provided,” Heinrich said. “Now, the Governor wants to upend all of that to score partisan political points, breaking precedent with how Arizona has always addressed federal tax changes.”
As previously reported by AZ Free News, legislative supporters say the GOP-backed bills offer broader tax relief than the governor’s more narrowly targeted proposal by fully conforming state law to a wide range of federal tax code changes, including those affecting businesses and itemized deductions.
NFIB noted that Arizona’s small businesses employ approximately 1.2 million people statewide and account for seven out of every ten new jobs created. The organization warned that uncertainty over tax conformity could delay business expansion and hiring.
With the legislation now on the governor’s desk, Republican lawmakers said Arizona families and businesses are waiting to see whether Hobbs will sign the tax relief package or veto another key Republican reform.
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 15, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ-02) introduced legislation Jan. 7 to award citizen journalist Nick Shirley the Congressional Gold Medal for his reporting on fraud and misuse of public funds in Minnesota.
Crane’s office said the bill would recognize Shirley’s work documenting alleged waste, fraud, and abuse involving more than $110 million in federal and state funds in Minnesota’s Somali community, in a statement released Wednesday.
In a December 26 video cited by Crane’s announcement, Shirley detailed his investigation into social services programs in Minnesota. Following the release of the report, the Trump administration halted federal funding to businesses accused of fraud, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) ended his reelection campaign.
In a statement accompanying the bill’s introduction, Crane wrote that Shirley’s reporting “shed light on this historic scandal” and “resulted in seismic shifts to our political landscape virtually overnight.” Crane added that Shirley “stood up to a corrupt system and exposed waste, fraud, and abuse being perpetrated against the American people.”
He described Shirley as “a fearless citizen journalist,” and called his work “a testament to the power of the average American over the legacy media, and a vindication of the mission that DOGE has sought to implement.”
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress. Recipients have historically included figures recognized for distinguished achievements and contributions to the United States.
Shirley, who is widely known as a YouTuber and content creator, responded to Crane’s announcement on X, writing that the potential award “would be cool, thank you!”
Congress has honored journalists in many ways over the last century through resolutions, Congressional Record tributes, and naming/designation actions. However, there is no official, comprehensive count of journalists honored because congressional recognition isn’t cataloged by profession, unlike the Presidential Medal of Freedom. If so honored, Shirley would join the ranks of the late Bryan Johnson, sports journalist Grant Wahl, and renowned broadcaster Edward R. Murrow.
Crane’s bill is now pending in the House. No additional legislative action, committee referral, or cosponsor information was included in the office summary.
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 15, 2026 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona State Representative Chris Lopez (R-LD16) introduced legislation aimed at reducing costs for ranchers and, ultimately, consumers at the grocery store.
House Bill 2152, dubbed the “No Tax on Troughs” bill, would eliminate Arizona’s transaction privilege tax on water systems and infrastructure improvements on both public and private grazing lands.
The measure targets essential ranching expenses, including fence lines, fence posts, drinking troughs, water lines, and storage tanks, by exempting them from a tax that Lopez says unnecessarily raises operational costs for livestock producers.
“Families are paying more for beef every time they check out at the grocery store,” Representative Lopez said in a press release announcing the bill’s introduction. “Ranchers are facing higher costs just to keep cattle fenced and hydrated, and Arizona is taxing those costs. That cost gets passed straight to consumers.”
Under current law, improvements to grazing infrastructure on federal grazing land, which become federal property once installed, remain subject to Arizona’s sales tax, with no reimbursement to ranchers after ownership transfers. Lopez’s proposal would end that tax treatment.
“At a time when federal land policies already make ranching harder, Arizona should not be adding another layer of cost,” he added.
The Arizona Farm Bureau has publicly argued that farms and ranches face substantial tax pressures, anticipating a potential $5,125 per year increase if federal agriculture tax provisions lapse. The Bureau added that these strains affect decisions on capital expenses like water systems and fencing.
The proposal comes as ranchers across Arizona continue to face rising operational pressures tied to drought conditions, water access, regulatory requirements, and higher input costs. Agricultural groups have warned that these factors have tightened margins for livestock producers and contributed to higher beef prices nationwide.
Arizona’s transaction privilege tax, which functions as a tax on the privilege of doing business rather than a traditional sales tax, has been the subject of multiple reform efforts in recent years as lawmakers debate exemptions and carve-outs for various industries.
Supporters of HB 2152 argue that reducing tax burdens on ranching infrastructure would help lower costs for producers, support wildlife habitat stewardship on public lands, and provide downstream relief for Arizona families at the grocery store.
Lopez represents Legislative District 16, which includes portions of Pinal and Pima Counties.
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.
