by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 3, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Governor Katie Hobbs has withdrawn her nominee to the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council (GRRC) after the appointee, Jenny Domingo, was revealed to be unavailable to fulfill her duties for several months. The decision came just hours before a scheduled Senate confirmation hearing, prompting criticism from Republican lawmakers.
According to Senate Government Committee Chairman Jake Hoffman, Domingo left the country in April and is not expected to return until September. During that time, GRRC is scheduled to hold 12 meetings to review regulatory actions proposed by various state agencies. Hoffman expressed strong concerns about the nominee’s extended absence and questioned the administration’s vetting process.
“I am completely dumbfounded why the highest elected official in the State of Arizona would nominate an individual who would rather prioritize her vacation schedule… than her important role of service to the citizens of Arizona,” Hoffman said in a press release Wednesday. “Katie Hobbs should find someone dedicated to the post – or at least willing to show up.”
Appointed in October 2024, Domingo was slated to serve on the GRRC, a body tasked with ensuring that new and existing regulations are necessary, legally sound, and do not impose undue burdens on the public. The council is a final checkpoint for many agency rules and plays a key role in shaping the state’s regulatory environment.
While Governor Hobbs’ office has not issued a public statement regarding the withdrawal, the move has sparked renewed partisan tensions over appointments and administrative oversight. Republicans argue that the situation reflects broader issues with Hobbs’ approach to governance.
As of now, it remains unclear who Hobbs will nominate to replace Domingo on the council. GRRC’s upcoming agenda includes regulatory reviews that could affect multiple sectors, from occupational licensing to construction and consumer goods.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Jun 3, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
For the third year in a row, the Arizona governor made a bold statement for Pride Month.
Governor Katie Hobbs again raised the Pride flag stories above the American flags on the Executive Tower on Monday in recognition of Pride Month. Hobbs pledged her loyalty to advancing and protecting LGBTQ+ ideologies.
“I’m proud to fly the Pride banner from the Executive Tower in celebration of Pride Month,” said Hobbs. “I will always stand for the freedom of Arizonans to be who they are, love who they love, and live with dignity and without fear.”
These flags are technically an expansion of the original rainbow-based Pride flag because they include the colors light pink, light blue, and white to represent transgenderism as well as black and brown to represent people with brown or black skin tones.
Pride Month was first officially recognized by the federal government in 1999 under President Bill Clinton, initially called “Gay and Lesbian Pride Month.” Then, in 2011, President Barack Obama expanded Pride Month recognition into what it consists of today.
During his first term in 2017, President Donald Trump didn’t offer federal recognition of Pride Month.
However, the first Pride Parade in Arizona took place in Phoenix in 1981 — about a decade after the first pride marches occurred in response to the 1970 Stonewall Riots in New York. The riots erupted following a police raid on a gay bar in Manhattan and lasted nearly a week.
Hobbs has continued her commitment to Pride Month despite the growing reluctance of other major cultural players to continue doing so. A frequent supporter of LGBTQ+ ideologies, Google, announced earlier this year it would no longer highlight Pride Month by default on Google Calendar. The corporation said the continued recognition of Pride Month wasn’t “scalable or sustainable,” citing the burden of recognizing the ever-increasing number of “cultural moments” globally.
Hobbs has flown the Pride flags above the American flags every summer since taking office.
During last summer’s Pride Month, Hobbs vetoed legislation guaranteeing equality of care for gender transition reversals, dubbed the “Detransitioner Bill of Rights.” This year, Hobbs vetoed bills limiting school locker room usage by gender, barring gender changes on birth certificates, preventing any funding to higher education institutes teaching students about gender identity, and precluding legal recognition of gender transitions.
During her first Pride Month as governor, Hobbs used an Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) drone to film the Pride flags. Reporting on the matter was delayed until the following year because it took the governor’s office nine months to respond to public records requests.
As reported initially, ADOT drone usage is intended for inspections and surveys of work concerning state infrastructure.
Hobbs also used state time to hold several ceremonies to watch the unfurling of the flags from the balcony and then admire the flags from the ground below, followed by an hour-long “Pride Roundtable” with those same guests.
Hobbs’ first executive order expanded discrimination protections to include prohibitions against “gender identity” discrimination in state employment and contracts.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 2, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Health insurers in Arizona will soon be required to involve a licensed physician before denying medically necessary care, under a new law aimed at increasing oversight and accountability in coverage decisions. House Bill 2175, introduced by Republican House Majority Whip Julie Willoughby (R-LD13), was signed into law after receiving strong bipartisan support in the state legislature.
The legislation mandates that an Arizona-licensed medical director must personally review any denial based on medical necessity, whether it involves a prior authorization or a claim. Crucially, the reviewing physician must exercise independent medical judgment and cannot rely solely on automated tools or artificial intelligence systems.
“This law ensures that a doctor, not a computer, is making medical decisions,” said Willoughby in a statement. “If care is denied, it should be by someone with the training and ethical duty to put patients first.”
The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, allowing insurers more than a year to adapt their internal procedures. The delayed implementation aims to give companies time to bring their policies into compliance, including staffing licensed physicians for the review process.
The measure comes amid growing national scrutiny over how insurers use algorithms and automated decision-making tools in the claims process. Critics argue that such systems can lead to denials of care without adequate clinical oversight, potentially putting patient health at risk.
Supporters of HB 2175 say the law provides a necessary check on those systems and re-centers medical decision-making around qualified professionals who are accountable to both patients and state standards.
“Arizona families deserve real oversight when it comes to life-changing medical decisions,” Willoughby said. “This law puts patients ahead of profits and restores a layer of accountability that’s long overdue.”
The new policy aligns with the House Republican Majority Plan, which emphasizes individual rights and system transparency. While the law’s primary sponsors are Republican, it passed with bipartisan support, reflecting broad legislative agreement on the need for more oversight in insurance determinations.
The implementation of HB 2175 will be closely watched by healthcare advocates, insurers, and policy analysts as Arizona becomes one of the latest states to regulate the use of AI in healthcare decision-making.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 2, 2025 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The State of Arizona led the United States in monthly job growth for the month of April according to a report released by the Common Sense Institute of Arizona (CSIAZ) following a three-month period of negative annual growth.
As reported by the CSIAZ, Arizona saw an increase of 14,200 non-farm jobs in the month of April for an increase of 0.44% or a year-over-year increase of 0.76%, ranking the state first in the nation for monthly job growth. Overall, the total job-growth in the U.S. was 0.11%, with eleven states losing jobs. However, despite the job growth, the CSIAZ reported that inflation-adjusted wages have decreased by 4.2% since 2020, and total employment remains over 212,000 jobs under the pre-pandemic trend.
In a posting to X, CSIAZ noted that in the last 12 months, the state gained 24,600 jobs for a 0.76% increase.
According to the report, the job gains haven’t been consistent across various industries, with clear winners and losers:
“The state’s fastest growing sector over the past twelve months was Education and Health Services, adding 22,600 jobs (+4.2%). Its slowest growing sector was Professional and Business Services, which lost -4,400 jobs (0.9%). The Education and Health Services sector has steadily grown since 2020 (losing only 48,000 jobs during the pandemic) and is now at its all-time highest level of employment. Professional and Business Services on the other hand peaked in January 2024 but has been declining since.”
Drilling into discrepancies in wages and time worked, Arizona workers experienced a decrease in non-seasonally adjusted wages of -$0.13 during the month of April, placing Arizona far behind the rest of the country’s steady, though anemic, wage growth rate of +$0.06 over the same month. But year-over-year Arizona is continuing to outperform the U.S. average with wage growth of $1.49, up 4.5% annually.
This wage growth, however, has failed to keep up with CPI Inflation as noted earlier, making Arizonans feel a pinch at the register, and as CSIAZ explained, real wages were only up “4.2% year-over-year and after CPI inflation, compared to the April nominal increase of 4.4%.”
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 | Jun 2, 2025 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Phillips 66 Los Angeles Oil Refinery, in operation for 102 years, is set to shut down in October and will leave California with a dwindling network of just eight refineries remaining. The closure places the already fragile supply lines of gasoline and diesel fuel for California, Arizona, and Nevada in question.
All three states utilize California’s Low Carbon Fuel standard for fuel known as California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG), which is 90% petroleum-based gasoline and 10% ethanol, ostensibly designed to reduce air pollution and decrease emissions of smog-forming toxins. The closure is expected to have a wide impact across the region on prices for gasoline, diesel, and even aviation fuels.
The Phillips 66 refinery accounts for approximately 8.57% of California’s overall refinery capacity. The closure, announced last year, drew bipartisan pleas from Arizona and Nevada’s governors to California’s Governor Gavin Newsom who asked him not to authorize new legislation that allows California to demand more fuel be held in-state for California’s needs, regardless of outside demand.
Arizona’s Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs and Nevada’ Republican Governor Joe Lombardo said in a joint statement, “It is evident that increased regulatory burdens on refiners and forced supply shortages will result in higher costs for consumers in all of our states. With both of our states reliant on California pipelines for significant amounts of our fuel, these looming cost increases and supply shortages are of tremendous concern to Arizona and Nevada.”
According to OANN, a spokesman for Newsom told the outlet that the California law will “prevent price spikes that cost Californians upwards of $2 billion last year, giving the state more tools to require that petroleum refiners backfill supplies and plan ahead of maintenance.” Although he reassured Californians at the time that “the state has the tools to make sure they backfill supplies and plan ahead for maintenance,” he made no such reassurance to Arizona or Nevada.
California Republican Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez warned in a post to X, “Expect CA gas prices to skyrocket and more refineries to shut down as Sacramento Democrats double down on their agenda to exterminate affordability and make a middle-class life impossible to achieve for millions.”
Newsom accused Hobbs and Lombardo of repeating Big Oil talking points, saying their concerns reflected “the oil industry’s talking points rather than the facts.” He claimed that the California Energy Commission will be able to dampen price spikes and supply shortages with a spokesman calling their letter a “stunt” to appease “Big Oil Donors.”
Newsom signed the bill over the objections of both neighboring governors.
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 Staff Reporter | Jun 1, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Maricopa County’s homeless population has increased since last year.
The county’s recent Point in Time (PIT) homelessness count reflected a three percent increase in the homeless population since the 2024 count. The number of homeless recorded in Maricopa County during the PIT this year amounted to over 9,700; that number was about 9,400 last year.
Over 80 percent of those within the PIT count were adults over the age of 25. 64 percent of the homeless population were male, 35 percent of the homeless population were female, and one percent of the homeless population self-identified as transgender, non-binary, questioning, culturally specific identity, different identity, or more than one gender. This PIT count marked a departure from the past estimates, in which 50 percent of homeless on average were male.
37 percent of the homeless were white; 27 percent were Black, African American, or African; 24 percent were Hispanic; six percent were multi-racial; four percent were American Indian, Alaska Native, or indigenous; one percent were Asian; less than one percent were Middle Eastern or North African; and less than one percent were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander.
The county described the increase as being “on par with recent years.”
This year’s PIT count was one percent higher than the total for 2023.
The unsheltered count increased by 28 percent, and the number of those marked as sheltered decreased by 16 percent. 47 percent of those sheltered were in emergency shelter, transitional housing, or Safe Haven programs.
The county counts those living within the Safe Outdoor Space (SOS) as unsheltered. SOS is a structured camping ground set aside for homeless individuals. SOS provides restrooms, showers, meal service, property storage, and 24/7 security. The city spent over $13 million from Arizona Department of Housing funds to establish the homeless campground.
53 percent of those marked as unsheltered were recorded as living on the streets “or other place not meant for human habitation.”
In a press release on this latest PIT count, Maricopa County blamed the homelessness increase on the reduction in federal funding and the increased cost of living.
“Between 2024 and 2025, federal funding expired for more than 1,000 shelter beds across the region,” stated the county. “The conditions leading to homelessness locally have not improved since last year. These include high rental costs and limited access to supportive services such as long-term care for older adults and mental health services. The landscape for funding remains challenging in light of proposed federal cuts to rental assistance and social service programs.”
The co-chair of the Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care (CoC), Rachel Milne, said more funding would decrease homelessness.
“Communities across our region, including the City of Phoenix, have been working hard to fill the gaps left by the expiration of temporary federal funds this past year,” said Milne. “Those funds did a lot for our community: they helped us design new ways to house and serve our unsheltered neighbors; they provided supportive services for seniors, families, and individuals to help end their homelessness; and they allowed us to increase the number of shelter beds available to provide a safe, indoor space for thousands of people in need. We will continue to seek local, state, and federal funding to ensure that we can help prevent and end homelessness in our community.”
An investigative report released last year revealed the city of Phoenix spent at least $250 million on homelessness since 2021.
Since 1999, CoC has received over $550 million in funding. The county also supports around 32 homeless assistance programs with 11 agencies.
The county conducts PIT homelessness counts on one day every year using volunteers, staff, and outreach workers who carry out interview and observation survey responses.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
