A bill to prevent human-initiated roadblocks in Arizona was vetoed by the state’s Democrat governor.
Last week, Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed SB 1073, which would have “expand[ed] the criminal classification of obstructing a highway or other public thoroughfare to make it unlawful for a person, having no legal privilege to do so and after receiving a verbal warning to desist, to intentionally interfere with passage on: 1) any roadway in or leading to an airport; or 2) a highway, bridge or tunnel currently holding 25 or more vehicles or people” – according to the purpose statement from the Arizona Senate.
In her veto letter to Senate President Warren Petersen, Hobbs wrote, “Recognizing the sanctity of constitutionally protected rights, it is critical that we approach these matters with precision to avoid infringing on Arizonans’ freedoms.”
Before the governor’s action, Senator John Kavanagh, the sponsor of the bill, had issued a statement after the Arizona Legislature gave his proposal a bipartisan stamp of approval. He said, “The current political climate, locally and around the world, has provoked a rise in unruly protests, and it’s important to put safeguards in place to prevent these protests from causing harm to our citizens. A few months ago, a group of protestors blocked the westbound lanes of the Bay Bridge heading into San Francisco for four hours. Trapping drivers in their vehicles for this long can have potentially deadly consequences. There were multiple vehicles carrying organs that were supposed to be going to a place for a transplant. Somebody could have encountered a medical emergency during that time with no way of getting to a hospital. And although not a life and death situation, there were no restrooms for hundreds of drivers and passengers.”
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona Police Association endorsed the legislation; while representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, Arizona National Organization for Women, State Conference NAACP, and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona indicated their opposition to the bill.
SB 1073 passed the State Senate with a 16-13 vote (with one member not voting). The bill received a 36-19 bipartisan result in the State House (with four members not voting and one seat vacant).
When the bill was being considered in the Arizona House Judiciary Committee, Democrat State Representative Analise Ortiz said, “Passing bills like this will give prosecutors more power to come after people because of their political speech. This is terrifying.”
“Passing bills like this will give prosecutors more power to come after people because of their political speech. This is terrifying.” — Rep. @RepAnaliseOrtiz votes no on SB1073 that further criminalizes political protesting on roadways. pic.twitter.com/Hua0bSoQWq
A joint Arizona legislative committee hearing made some discoveries about the state governor’s water policies in juxtaposition with the reality of housing affordability and supply.
Last week, both the House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee (NREW) and the House Commerce Committee held a joint hearing “to hear testimony from experts on the current state of water policy and its impact on housing supply and affordability in Arizona.”
🚨FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE🚨 Joint House Hearing Finds Governor’s Water Policy Directly Conflicts with Housing Affordability and Supply
“Good news! Updated groundwater modeling conducted in 2024 shows Arizona has water.” -NREW Chairwoman Gail Griffin
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) April 3, 2024
State Representative Gail Griffin, the Chairwoman of the House NREW Committee issued a statement following the hearing, saying, “Good news! Updated groundwater modeling conducted in 2024 shows Arizona has water. According to independent hydrologists at Matrix New World, the comprehensive groundwater model that was released in June 2023 does not actually describe the amount of groundwater that is available in the basin. The Arizona Department of Water Resources decided unilaterally to model certain wells under the assumption that they would be placed on the side of a mountain rather than in the heart of the aquifer. In addition, the June 2023 model substantially over-estimated groundwater demand while substantially under-estimating future supply to reflect current best practices in water management or the fact that it is currently illegal to build residential subdivisions in the Phoenix metropolitan area without replenishing groundwater.”
“Clearly, this administration is targeting single-family homes and the American way of life,” said NREW Vice Chairman Austin Smith. “Some members of the Governor’s Water Policy Council have an issue with single-family homes and want to see future suburban development come to an end across the state. Governor Hobbs’s water policy and moratorium on new housing development has effectively put urban growth boundaries around the largest cities in our state. These policies didn’t work in states like Oregon and Washington and have only made housing affordability worse. What we’re seeing is a rogue administration that is attempting to use the power of the executive branch to circumvent the legislature and implement illegal housing and population control in Arizona.”
“Arizona is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and relies on new home construction to maintain an affordable housing supply and low-cost standard of living for millions of people,” added Commerce Committee Chairman Justin Wilmeth. “Home ownership is also one of the most effective ways to build generational wealth and lift future generations out of poverty. Bad water policies that prevent the development of new homes directly conflicts with our ability to ensure that first-time homebuyers can purchase at a price that they can afford. If the Department doesn’t change course, millions of people will be excluded from the opportunity to experience home ownership and be forced to pay rent forever.”
“Arizona’s regulatory environment is premised on the foundation that a person who submits an application for a regulatory approval under one set of rules will be entitled to have their application reviewed under that same set of rules,” said Commerce Committee Vice Chairman Michael Carbone. “Arizona water policy under the current administration, however, is the only place where the government has said that the rules can change at any time without notice, even if a developer has already submitted an application under the old set of rules. This is simply irresponsible – no matter how laudable the cause – and has impacted several major housing developers in Arizona who had invested hundreds of millions of dollars in capital improvements to bring thousands of new single-family homes online. These developers played by the rules and did everything they were supposed to do, yet they were denied due process of law in the handling of their applications. The Department must update the June 2023 groundwater model with the latest science and well placement data and lift the moratorium on new housing development without further delay.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., honored Vietnam War Veterans last week.
Crane partnered with the America Vietnam War Veterans Commemoration to hold an inaugural pinning ceremony for local Vietnam War veterans at VFW Post 9907 in Show Low, Arizona.
The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration program is a national 50th anniversary commemoration authorized by Congress. Thousands of organizations have joined the program.
Crane himself is a veteran. After 9/11, he enlisted in the Navy, eventually becoming a member of SEAL Team 3. The representative went on five wartime deployments, three of which were to Iraq. He served for a total of 13 years.
“As a veteran myself, it’s heartbreaking to know that many of these heroes who sacrificed so much for this country never received the appreciation and recognition they courageously earned,” Crane said in a news release. “This is a long overdue honor, and I’m humbled to have held the first in a series of Vietnam Veterans pinning ceremonies in Arizona’s Second Congressional District.”
Around 184,000 Vietnam War veterans live in the Grand Canyon state, and many have never been honored for their sacrifice. Crane said he hopes the commemoration changes that.
In his opening remarks at the commemoration, Crane said it was one of the best events he had been part of.
“This is one of the coolest events I have gotten to do since I became a congressman,” he said, “and it is a pleasure to be in the presence of so many of my brothers and sisters, even though I came from a different generation.”
Crane thanked the veterans for their efforts in changing the tone of the nation for returning veterans.
“I got treated better when I came home from Afghanistan than you did returning from Vietnam,” he said. “It is a shame that you got treated that way, and it is a stain upon our country.”
The men and women pinned included Douglas Anglemeyer, U.S. Navy; James Barden, U.S. Army; Joseph Castaldo, U.S. Marine Corps; Lee Crocker, U.S. Army: Jon Dahl, U.S. Navy; Kenneth Dominguez, U.S. Army; Loel Garrison, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps; Douglas Hixson, U.S. Army; Gary Josey, U.S. Marine Corps; Frederick Krieser, U.S. Army; John Lindsey, Jr., U.S. Air Force; Curtis Reed, U.S. Air Force; Richard Robinson, U.S. Army; Robert Schenfeld, U.S. Navy; Richard Thompson, U.S. Navy; Charles Tomlinson, U.S. Navy/Army; David Wright, U.S. Air Force; David Jones with his service dog, Charlie Brown, U.S. Marine Corps; Timothy Smith, U.S. Army; Mary Freeman, Army Reserve/National Guard; Richard Spies, U.S. Marine Corps Mark Reynolds, U.S. Air Force and on Crane’s Veterans Advisory Committee; Charles Baldwin, U.S. Army; Philip Cox, U.S. Army; Debra Anglemeyer, Civil Service; Jeff Denny, U.S. Army; Bruce Walton, U.S. Marine Corps; and John Jenkins, U.S. Army posthumously.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
Arizona State University plans to use taxpayer dollars to host a talk by former Democratic congresswoman Nancy Pelosi on Monday.
Pelosi will have a conversation with Obama administration strategist David Axelrod as part of the ASU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ “Democracy at Work” series. The event is only open to ASU faculty, staff, and students.
Pelosi served as speaker of the house from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023.
The talk comes as Pelosi has been actively campaigning for President Joe Biden’s reelection. In March, Biden, former President Barack Obama, and Pelosi held a virtual rally to celebrate the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They touted the ACA for lowering the cost of healthcare, and warned against former President Donald Trump’s efforts to repeal the ACA.
Pelosi has a history of championing left-wing causes. Despite claiming to be Catholic, Pelosi has said it is a “sin” to restrict access to abortion. As a congresswoman, she supported abortion on demand up to the moment of birth.
Other speakers in the “Democracy at Work” series include former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, journalist Karl Rove, Obama adviser David Plouff, former Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, ASU President Michael Crow, and Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.
Axelrod is professor of practice at Arizona State University and senior political commentator for CNN. He is the host of the “Axe Files” and is the founding director of the University of Chicago’s non-partisan Institute of Politics.
Patrick Kenney, the Dean of ASU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, did not immediately respond to AZ Free News’ request for comment.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) says “Bidenomics” is to blame for the surging gas prices in his district, the fifth congressional district.
According to Biggs, “Bidenomics” includes a “war on domestic energy,” meaning the oil and gas industry.
The average gas price in Arizona, per AAA, sits at about $4 per gallon, a steady rise from prices over the last month but a slight decline from the average last year, when prices hit about $4.30 a gallon.
Arizona’s averages have consistently sat higher than the national averages over the past year.
“Biden’s war on domestic energy hits Americans in the pocketbook. Gas is over $4.00/gallon in my district!” said Biggs. “Arizonans are suffering thanks to Bidenomics.”
Biden's war on domestic energy hits Americans in the pocketbook.
The highest-ever recorded average for gas prices in Arizona was nearly $5.40 in the summer of 2022.
AAA has attributed the recent steady rise in gas prices to the increase in oil prices. Crude oil hit over $10 per barrel earlier this year, attributed to Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil infrastructure and increased conflicts in the Middle East.
The Biden administration has reportedly urged Ukraine to cease its attacks on Russian oil refineries, out of concern for rising gas prices. However, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed those requests from U.S. officials, telling The Washington Post that the U.S. lacks authority to dictate his military strategy.
“We used our drones. Nobody can say to us you can’t,” said Zelensky.
Mapping of gas prices nationwide reflects a trend for prices to be highest around the West Coast, lowest around the midsection of the country, and slightly higher again around the East Coast.
Another factor for the upward surge in gas prices relates to the Biden administration’s increased pressures on oil and gas production — such as the plan announced last fall to scale back leasing for offshore oil and gas drilling — in an attempt to increase American reliance and support for “clean energy” alternatives.
Biden campaigned on the promise to abolish the oil industry, and “end fossil fuel.” His first executive order laid some of the framework to fulfill that promise, such as imposing a moratorium on certain oil and natural gas leasing activities, and directing agencies to revise fuel and emissions standards for vehicles.
On Thursday, the Biden administration announced $20 billion in grants to private companies for clean energy initiatives.
On Wednesday, the Department of Energy canceled two purchases to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Agency officials indicated a desire to avoid buying back oil above its target price of $79 per barrel, since the cost per barrel is around $87.
The Biden administration has depleted the SPR by about 45 percent.
Last month, the Biden administration announced stricter emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles such as freight trucks and buses. Available technologies to meet their new emissions standards include the advanced internal combustion engine vehicles, hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
In January, the White House paused permitting on liquified natural gas (LNG) exports.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
The Arizona House of Representatives has a new member.
On Wednesday, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors selected Deborah Nardozzi for the vacancy in the State House for Legislative District 8. Nardozzi was the second appointment in the district this year from the Board after two resignations.
Today, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Deborah Nardozzi to fill the Arizona House of Representatives vacancy in Legislative District 8. Read more about Representative Nardozzi and the appointment process here: https://t.co/XR87fHIzqipic.twitter.com/nghdmN6Xen
“Arizona law requires us to appoint a person from the same political party as the person who previously vacated the office. We did so today,” said Vice Chairman Thomas Galvin. “I wish Deborah Nardozzi well in her endeavor to represent Legislative District 8 at the State Capitol.”
In a statement following her appointment from the Board, Nardozzi said, “It is an honor to be chosen as the next Representative for Arizona Legislative District 8, and I am committed to serving our community with integrity and an unwavering dedication to advocating for the needs of our constituents.”
Previously, Nardozzi served as the Democrats’ Chair for Legislative District 24, and she has been a small business owner for 15 years.
— Arizona House Democrats (@AZHouseDems) April 3, 2024
State Representative Lupe Contreras, the House Democratic Leader, added, “Deborah Nardozzi has been committed to the success of other Democratic candidates and issues for several years, in addition to her impressive small business career. Now we are thrilled to have her deep well of experience as part of our team for the remainder of the year, and for a very important part of our session. Our caucus is 29 strong as we head into budget negotiations that will impact the lives of everyone in our state.”
Representative Nardozzi was sworn into the Arizona House of Representatives on Thursday.
Welcome to the House Representative Deborah Nardozzi! Sworn in and hitting the ground running! pic.twitter.com/CCXSGGY5Cd
— Arizona House Democrats (@AZHouseDems) April 4, 2024
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
