by Ethan Faverino | Jul 7, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
A record number of Arizona high school students have earned the prestigious Seal of Arts Proficiency for the 2024-25 school year. 2,366 students have received this honor, some earning more than one, indicating proficiency in more than one arts discipline.
There was a total of 2,400 awards, marking the highest number of recipients since the program launched in 2019. These students were recognized across multiple disciplines of Visual Arts, Theatre, Music, Media Arts, and Dance.
“I am a passionate supporter of the arts. Not only do disciplines such as music, theatre, art, and dance have intrinsic value, but studies have proven that students who pursue the arts often do better academically,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne. “There is tremendous value in arts education, and I am extremely pleased to see the highest number of students in the history of this program receiving the Seal of Arts Proficiency. I also offer my congratulations to the Dysart district and its leadership for having the most students receiving this recognition.”
Out of the 2,400 seals and 2,366 participating students, the Dysart Unified School District was awarded 261 seals with 249 participating students.
The program was launched in the 2019-20 school year with hopes of recognizing students who demonstrate exceptional skills in the arts disciplines. Within the past 5 years, it has quickly grown from 585 participating students to 2,366. The total awards have also increased from 591 to 2,400, showing the state’s proficiency in high school arts. School involvement and support have also grown, with 58 schools participating in 2019 compared to 146 schools this year.
The Arizona Seal of Arts Proficiency honors students who demonstrate exceptional achievement in the arts, while also equipping them with essential life skills and preparing them for college. With nearly 80,000 jobs in Arizona’s arts and culture sector, the seal offers students a meaningful pathway into creative industries, allowing them to succeed both personally and professionally.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jul 6, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Governor Katie Hobbs is under fire from Republican lawmakers after vetoing a bill that aimed to block companies with ties to the People’s Republic of China from securing contracts with the State of Arizona.
The legislation, House Bill 2542, sponsored by Rep. Lupe Diaz (R-LD19), would have required companies bidding on state contracts to certify that they are not owned or controlled by the Chinese government. The bill included penalties of up to $100,000 and a five-year ban for false certifications.
Diaz, who chairs the House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee, expressed sharp disappointment with the veto, calling it “staggering hypocrisy.”
“The bill was simple,” Diaz said in a statement. “If a company wants a contract with the State of Arizona, it must certify that it is not owned or controlled by the People’s Republic of China. Lie about it, and you face consequences.”
He added that the legislation was crafted in response to ongoing concerns about Chinese government-linked companies undermining American industries and infiltrating U.S. supply chains through surveillance-capable technology, including drones, routers, and 5G equipment.
Diaz argued that the veto contradicts recent rhetoric from the Democratic governor, who had previously criticized the legislature for not doing enough to confront foreign threats. “You can’t issue press statements about ‘getting tough on China’ while vetoing a bill that actually would,” he said.
Supporters of the bill pointed to findings from the U.S. House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, which has warned about China’s economic and technological influence in the U.S. marketplace.
Diaz pledged to reintroduce the bill in the next legislative session and urged Hobbs to reconsider her position. “Vetoing this bill sends a message that Arizona is still open for business with hostile regimes,” he said. “I will not let that slide.”
HB 2542 is one of several state-level attempts across the country to restrict economic ties with China amid broader geopolitical tensions and growing scrutiny of foreign influence in public procurement and infrastructure.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jul 6, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona State Representative and U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major (ret.) John Gillette (R-LD30) offered a public rebuke of Attorney General Kris Mayes in a July 2nd post to X. Gillette offered a stern correction to Mayes after the Democrat AG announced a lawsuit against the federal government and accused the Trump administration of “violating privacy protections with its decision to share Medicaid data with DHS, which houses ICE.” Mayes claimed the administrative data sharing is an “illegal transfer of Arizonans’ private, personally identifiable health data.”
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, Mayes’ office wrote, “Arizonans accessing Medicaid services do so with the assurance that their data would be confidential. While administering AHCCCS and other healthcare programs, Arizona has relied on the federal government’s assurances that it will follow the law and protect confidentiality. It appears the federal government has broken their promise.”
In his post to X Gillette wrote, “Administrative data sharing with DHS, DOJ, HHS is lawful. The state agreed to the terms when they took the matching funds. 42 CFR 431 privacy act, every service member knows this is only protected from non govt use.” According to 42 CFR §431.300 the law “requires agencies to exchange information to verify the income and eligibility of applicants and beneficiaries.” It further defines under § 431.302 that “Purposes directly related to plan administration include—
(a) Establishing eligibility;
(b) Determining the amount of medical assistance;
(c) Providing services for beneficiaries; and
(d) Conducting or assisting an investigation, prosecution, or civil or criminal proceeding related to the administration of the plan.”
Under these terms, the sharing of information between the State of Arizona and the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Health and Human Services aren’t merely lawful, but are mandatory. Any extrajudicial attempts to disrupt this information sharing by Arizona would likely be grounds for the Federal government to similarly take legal action against Arizona at the taxpayers’ expense.
Strict limitations are also placed on the federal agencies requiring that they safeguard the information shared regarding program participants, provide “conditions for release and use of information about applicants and beneficiaries,” and restrict access to the information “to persons or agency representatives who are subject to standards of confidentiality that are comparable to those of the agency.”
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 Jonathan Eberle | Jul 6, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Governor Katie Hobbs signed legislation Wednesday creating a new Independent Correctional Oversight Office for Arizona’s prison system—but critics say the move rings hollow, as the Governor declined to provide any funding to make the office functional.
Senate Bill 1507, introduced by Senator Shawnna Bolick, was designed to increase accountability and transparency within the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR). The bill comes amid heightened scrutiny of the state’s prison system following recent inmate deaths and reports of systemic failures.
But while the bill was signed into law, supporters say its impact has been effectively neutralized by the Governor’s refusal to allocate funding to the new office. “I’m glad to see Senator Bolick’s SB 1507 signed into law. This is a long-overdue step toward accountability in our corrections system,” said Rep. Walt Blackman. “But a law without funding is just a press release.”
Senator Bolick, who chairs the Senate Regulatory Affairs & Government Efficiency Committee, expressed frustration with the Governor’s decision, accusing her of prioritizing appearances over action.
“Signing a bill and refusing to fund it is like buying a car and not putting anyone in the driver’s seat,” Bolick said. “The Governor is selling the illusion of progress while withholding the tools the office needs to function.”
The oversight office was envisioned as a neutral body to monitor Arizona’s prison system, investigate abuse, and ensure transparency—functions advocates say are urgently needed.
Supporters of the bill argue that the Governor’s rejection of all related budget requests undermines the very accountability the legislation was meant to establish. Without staff, resources, or operational funding, the office exists only on paper.
Bolick is now urging the Governor to take immediate steps to rectify the situation, suggesting Hobbs find funds either within her own office or by reallocating money from another agency.
“If she believes in this office,” Bolick said, “she needs to fund it.” For now, the Independent Correctional Oversight Office remains a concept without a functioning framework—leaving reform advocates wondering when, or if, oversight will become reality in Arizona’s prison system.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Jul 5, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizonans will have the final say on whether drug cartels should be classified as terrorist organizations under state law, following the passage of House Concurrent Resolution 2055 by the Arizona Legislature. The measure, championed by House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29), will appear on the November 2026 general election ballot.
The resolution calls for the state of Arizona to formally recognize transnational cartels as terrorist organizations and directs the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to use every available tool to combat their operations. If approved by voters, the designation would not carry federal legal weight but would signal Arizona’s position on the issue and potentially influence state-level enforcement priorities.
“These cartels run brutal, organized operations that traffic women and children, flood our streets with fentanyl, and kill without consequence,” said Speaker Montenegro. “Arizona is on the frontlines of a war…By sending it to the ballot, we’re putting the decision where it belongs—with the people.”
Supporters of the measure say it reflects a growing public concern about border-related crime, fentanyl overdoses, and human trafficking. According to statistics cited by the resolution’s backers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection encountered 282 individuals on the terrorist watchlist at the southern border from 2021 to 2023—a sharp increase compared to previous years. Meanwhile, fentanyl seizures and related overdose deaths continue to climb.
The proposed ballot measure is part of the House Republican Majority Plan, which emphasizes border security and law enforcement. GOP lawmakers argue that Arizona must act independently to address what they see as federal inaction on border issues.
“House Republicans are taking action to protect Arizona,” Montenegro said. “We trust voters to make their voices heard and stand with us in this fight.”
Proponents insist that the measure would send a strong message and help marshal additional state resources to combat cross-border crime. Voters will weigh in on the measure during the 2026 election. If passed, Arizona would become one of the first states in the nation to define international cartels as terrorist groups under state law.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Jul 5, 2025 | Education, News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Department of Education sent information to the State Treasurer’s Office earlier this week regarding supplemental dollars to be sent to Arizona public schools following a shortfall this year. The information confirms funding will be sent to schools immediately, following the newly signed state budget.
As soon as the new state budget was signed into law, the Department of Finance personnel began working on this process, ensuring that schools would not face funding shortfalls.
This move by the Department of Education makes sure that schools will receive full payments for June and beyond, avoiding the crisis that emerged at the end of the 2025 fiscal year.
At the close of FY2025, Arizona’s education system faced a shortfall of just under $200 million, which was due to several factors.
The biggest factors in this shortfall were caused by recalculation of Statewide Average Daily Membership, the Qasimyar tax lawsuit, the Empowerment Scholarship Account, and the Qualifying Tax Rate Levy.
The recalculation of the state’s Average Daily Membership (ADM) caused a $45 million adjustment. This is the state’s method for counting enrolled students, which determines how much funding public schools receive per student. The state had overestimated student enrollment, likely due to increased withdrawals as families opted for other methods of schooling, some paid for by the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA).
In an unexpected blow to the state’s finances, Arizona settled Qasimyar v. Arizona. This was a tax lawsuit over disputed property assessments, resulting in a large payment of $69 million from the state’s general fund. This same fund also supports public education, causing a significant amount to be taken away from public schools across the state.
Arizona’s ESA program exceeded its projected cost by $52 million in FY2025. With more families taking advantage of the program than people anticipated, the general fund was strained even more, reducing resources for public schools.
The last big blow to public school funding was the Qualifying Tax Rate Levy, which is a property tax that contributes directly to school funding. This brought in $17 million less than what was projected.
Despite all the financial pressures, the Arizona Department of Education took early action. Before the new budget’s approval, ADE had already distributed roughly 63% of June’s payment.
With the new budget in place, the remaining balance will be paid immediately, restoring full funding levels for schools.
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.
