by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 25, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
One Arizona lawmaker is making a push for greater state sovereignty.
Last week, State Representative Lisa Fink, a Republican, wrote an op-ed, entitled, “Make Arizona Sovereign Again.” In this piece, the first-term legislator makes the case for three of her bills that “push back against federal overreach and empower our citizens to take back control of their lives by restoring transparency in our elections, unleashing economic prosperity with our natural resources, and safeguarding the health and safety of Arizonans, putting the people and economy of our state first.”
The first bill Fink highlights is HB 2059, which would “ensure Arizona and employees of its state agencies are no longer forced to uphold various federal regulations on critical natural resource industries, like mining, coal, oil, and gas, that violate the clear boundaries of the U.S. Constitution. Representative Fink states that Arizona “must have the freedom to prioritize its own economic prosperity and environmental stewardship without being bound by harmful federal mandates.”
The second bill the state lawmaker presents is HB 2060, which would “strictly adher[e] to established laws on voter registration, citizenship, residency, and proof of identification. Fink opined that “securing our polls, free from outside interference, is of the utmost importance to preserving trust in our processes.”
The final bill that Representative Fink addressed was HB 2056, which would “take a proactive stance against federal efforts to alter the environment, protecting our state’s autonomy.” The Republican legislator states that she introduced this legislation because of the “growing issue of environmental manipulation, specifically addressing concerns over weather modification techniques like geoengineering and solar radiation management perpetrated by the federal government and multinational organizations. Fink added that “Arizona’s environment and natural resources belong to the people of this state – not federal agencies and certainly not the global elite.”
As she ended her piece, Representative Fink wrote, “The message is clear: Arizona will not tolerate unconstitutional federal overreach. From energy independence and mineral dominance to election integrity to defending our environment, this series of bills reasserts Arizona’s Tenth Amendment rights over the federal government and puts Arizona first. This is about reclaiming the freedom that is rightfully ours.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 24, 2025 | Economy, News
By Staff Reporter |
The Phoenix-based Nikola Corporation filed for bankruptcy this week — Arizona gave millions in incentives and tax credits to the company over the past five years.
Nikola develops electric- and hydrogen-powered vehicles. The company’s bankruptcy comes after years of federal investigations for fraud concerning the company’s innovation and development claims.
In 2019, Nikola received $1.3 million in pre-approved incentives based on projections. That year, projected new jobs were estimated at 400 and the average wage of projected new jobs was estimated at $80,500. The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) earned Project of the Year by the Area Development Magazine for bringing on the company.
In 2020, ACA awarded Nikola the highest single pre-approved A-1 incentives grant out of seven awardees for the Arizona Competes Fund Program: $3.5 million. That year, ACA projected Nikola capital investment to be at around $1 billion. Projected new jobs were estimated at over 2,000, with the average wage of projected new jobs at $65,000.
That was the year Nikola had an estimated value of $30 billion.
ACA also gave Nikola a pre-approval for a $7.1 million tax credit. In 2021, ACA then post-approved Nikola for a $6 million tax credit as part of the Qualified Facility Incentive Program. Nikola was one of 19 businesses to receive the award that year.
The company paid $125 million in a settlement to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that year, though Nikola didn’t claim wrongdoing.
In 2023, ACA pre-approved Nikola for a $3.74 million tax credit as part of the Qualified Facility Incentive Program. Nikola was one of 24 businesses to receive the award that year.
That year, Nikola founder Trevor Milton was convicted of fraud and sentenced to four years in prison for making false and misleading claims to encourage investor demand. Despite resigning from the company in 2020 and the federal investigations into Milton, ACA continued to give millions in financial incentives to Nikola.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) in its announcement of Milton’s sentencing described Nikola’s promise as a mirage:
“Milton made false claims regarding nearly all aspects of Nikola’s business, including: (i) false and misleading statements that the company had early success in creating a ‘fully functioning’ semi-truck prototype known as the ‘Nikola One,’ when MILTON knew the prototype was inoperable; (ii) false and misleading statements that Nikola had engineered and built an electric- and hydrogen-powered pickup truck known as ‘the Badger’ from the ‘ground up’ using Nikola’s parts and technology, when MILTON knew that was not true; (iii) false and misleading statements that Nikola was producing hydrogen and was doing so at a reduced cost, when MILTON knew that in fact no hydrogen was being produced at all by Nikola, at any cost; and (iv) false and misleading claims that reservations made for the future delivery of Nikola’s semi-trucks were binding orders representing billions in revenue, when the vast majority of those orders could be cancelled at any time.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 24, 2025 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
The Arizona Legislature is taking a stand against antisemitism.
Last, the Arizona House Education Committee approved HB 2867, the Antisemitism in Education Act, which would “prohibit Arizona’s public schools and state agencies from promoting antisemitic conduct or rhetoric and establish strict penalties for violations.” HB 2867 was sponsored by State Representative Michael Way.
The legislation was approved with a bipartisan vote of 8-4. One Democrat joined seven Republicans to support the bill.
According to information shared by the Arizona House Republicans, the proposal would “enforce clear prohibitions on using taxpayer dollars to fund antisemitic curricula or activities, ensure accountability for individuals and institutions that violate these protections, and empower students, parents, and educators to report violations.” The bill additionally “aligns with the internationally recognized IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, which the U.S. State Department has adopted as the standard for identifying and addressing antisemitic conduct.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the bill’s progress, Representative Way said, “Our schools should be places of learning, not breeding grounds for hatred and discrimination. Arizona has zero tolerance for antisemitism, and this bill ensures that our classrooms are free from the toxic ideology that fuels division and hostility. No teacher, administrator, or student should be forced to endorse or participate in any form of antisemitic conduct. This legislation sends a clear message – there will be consequences for those who violate these fundamental principles.”
Way added, “House Republicans are leading with action, not lip service. We’re committed to protecting students and teachers from the kind of coercion and discrimination that have no place in Arizona’s classrooms. We will uphold American values – freedom, fairness, and safety. I’m proud to see this bill advance and look forward to its passage in the full House.”
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Education Association, American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, Save Our Schools Arizona, Arizona National Organization for Women (NOW), and CHISPA ARIZONA – A Program of League of Conservation Voters, signed in to oppose the bill.
HB 2867 will now be considered by the full Arizona House of Representatives in the near future.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 24, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
From a vocal young Generation Z activist supporting the candidacies of Kari Lake and Abe Hamadeh to driving election engagement in his own high school and becoming the youngest founder of a political action committee, Nico Delgado became an influential voice in conservative politics in Arizona, before he was even old enough to vote.
The prominence of Delgado and his ‘NicoPAC’ has extended to even commissioning one of the first polls in the 2026 Arizona gubernatorial race which, as reported by AZ Free News, favored Congressman Andy Biggs.
AZ Free News conducted a short interview with Delgado to discuss his career so far, along with his motivations and aspirations.
What was your motivation for becoming involved with conservative politics?
My motivation was to save the state I love. I was born and raised in Arizona, and I watched as homelessness, drugs, and crime increased, and I had enough of it. I knew I was young, but I still wanted to contribute in any way I could to help the right people represent our state.
What or whom would you describe as the single greatest influence on your political philosophy?
Losing my mother at 22 while I was only 15 years old had a huge impact on my philosophy. She passed away after an overdose just before the 2022 midterms. I gained a whole new perspective on the drug, mental health, and the national security problems our nation suffers from.
What shortcomings, if any, do you see in the present Republican power structure? How do you feel they can or should be corrected?
The Republican Party had many shortcomings before 2024. The party was too scared to speak out against what was really happening because they feared it would cause them to lose. Thankfully President Trump and MAGA showed that when you speak out against corruption, you win.
Delgado announced this month that not only is he busy with studies and running his political action committee, but he is now working for Congressman Abe Hamadeh as a Congressional Intern.
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 | Feb 23, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
In a letter issued to all schools and school board members in Maricopa County, Maricopa County School Superintendent Shelli Boggs gave notice that they are legally obligated to conform to an Executive Order from President Donald Trump ending illegal Diversity Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
Within the letter, Boggs detailed a series of specific steps that all schools must now take to erase the illegal DEI-based hiring, training, and curricular practices that stand in violation of federal law. According to a press release from Maricopa County Schools, Boggs emphasized that while the Superintendent lacks jurisdiction to directly enforce compliance upon the schools, it strongly encourages that they do so in order to “restore education to its core mission.”
“DEI programs have been used as a tool to divide students, teachers, and parents rather than foster true unity and equal opportunity,” Superintendent Boggs said. “Schools should be places of learning, not ideological indoctrination. Education must return to its fundamental purpose—teaching students the skills they need to succeed—not promoting political agendas that undermine academic excellence.”
The release continued, “One of the most critical responsibilities of this office is the appointment of school board members, who share the authority to set policies within school districts. Under Boggs’ administration, appointees must be committed to meritocracy and academic excellence over politics. Schools should reward hard work and achievement, not lower standards in the name of equity. Education should empower students with knowledge, critical thinking, and opportunity—not divide them by race, gender, or political ideology.”
The Superintendent’s letter also informed school administrators that the county will be monitoring their compliance and has offered resources to assist with the transition away from DEI policies. Superintendent Boggs restated a “commitment to ensuring that all students receive a high-quality, merit-based education free from politically driven programs that promote division.”
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 Daniel Stefanski | Feb 23, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona legislators continue to be proactive in passing legislation that would protect children around the state.
Last week, the Arizona House Commerce Committee approved HB 2195, which would “prevent children from being exposed to inappropriate and mature advertisements on apps marketed for kids [by] hold[ing] digital platforms accountable by requiring monitoring systems to block harmful content and enforce[ing] penalties for violations.”
In a statement that accompanied the announcement of the bills’ progress, House Majority Whip Julie Willoughby, the sponsor of the legislation, said, “As a mother, I’ve seen firsthand how apps labeled as ‘child-friendly’ can still display advertisements that are entirely inappropriate for kids. In fact, some of these ads can be disturbing and should have no place in a child’s digital experience. This bill ensures that children can safely use digital spaces without being targeted with content that doesn’t belong in their world. I’m proud to sponsor legislation that will keep kids safe online and ensure that digital platforms uphold appropriate standards. HB 2195 protects kids, supports parents, and makes sure Arizona families come first.”
Representative Willoughby added, “Parents shouldn’t have to constantly shield their children from harmful content on apps designed for kids. Arizona is stepping up where tech giants have failed, and we’re making sure these companies face real consequences when they violate that trust.”
According to the press release shared by the Arizona House Republicans, key provisions of the legislative proposal include the following:
- “Upholds rights of Arizona parents to protect their children.
- “Prohibits inappropriate and mature advertisements on child-directed apps.
- “Requires platforms to implement monitoring systems.
- “Imposes penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.”
The bill passed out of the House Commerce Committee with a party-line 6-3 vote. All six Republicans voted in favor of the legislation, while all three Democrats were opposed.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, a representative from the American Academy of Pediatrics – Arizona Chapter signed in to support the bill. A representative from the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona signed in to oppose the proposal.
HB 2195 will now face an up-or-down vote from the full Arizona House of Representatives in the near future.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
