Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed legislation that would have established financial transparency requirements tied to an alleged pay-to-play scandal involving her administration.
Hobbs called the legislation, SB 1186, a “political stunt” against her in a veto letter. The governor issued her veto last Friday as part of her office’s regular legislative action updates.
The governor also claimed that her proposed amendment to the financial disclosure reform bill — carried by Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan (D-LD18) — was superior to what was vetoed by her.
“As I have made clear, this proposal is a political stunt that applies only to one elected official, when what we really need is real transparency and accountability for all elected officials, campaigns, and affiliated political committees,” said Hobbs. “Transparency and accountability are priorities I have acted on from day one.”
The Hobbs-Sundareshan amendment would have restricted lawmakers from receiving donations from state contract bidders.
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16), the bill sponsor, explained to Capitol Media Services that the governor’s office, not the legislature, handles procurement, and that the amendment would have weakened the legislation.
SB 1186 would have required companies holding or seeking state contracts and certain grants to disclose anything of value provided in the preceding five years to the governor or the governor’s campaign-related entities, inaugural funds, joint fundraising committees, and organizations supporting the governor or opposing the governor’s political opponents.
The bill also would have prohibited state agencies and employees from destroying contract proposal evaluation notes. Contracts tied to improperly destroyed records would be subject to resolicitation.
Multiple entities are investigating Hobbs for the alleged pay-to-play scheme, which involved $400,000 in campaign donations from group home operator Sunshine Residential Homes and a unique, multibillion-dollar rate increase contract nearly 40 percent above the average for other peer contractors, as awarded by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS).
Hobbs was also the only Arizona candidate to receive contributions from Sunshine Residential Homes CEO Simon Kottoor and his wife, Elizabeth Kottoor, during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.
Several investigations into this alleged scheme are occurring simultaneously: one by Attorney General Kris Mayes, one by Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell and Auditor General Lindsey Perry, and one by an advisory team within the Arizona House.
The agency told Capitol Media Services that the contract occurred because Sunshine Residential Homes threatened to increase intake of migrant children at the expense of the state’s foster children if it didn’t receive additional funding.
The Arizona Senate GOP stated in a press release that Hobbs had rejected essential safeguards to prevent government officials from rewarding financial supporters with taxpayer-funded contracts.
Shope accused Hobbs of denying Arizona taxpayers the right to transparency from their elected leaders.
“Arizona families work hard for every dollar they send to the government. They have every right to know whether companies seeking millions or even billions of taxpayer dollars have financial or political ties to the Governor’s inner circle before contracts are awarded, not after another scandal makes headlines,” said Shope. “If state contracting decisions are truly being made fairly and on merit alone, transparency should not be controversial.”
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Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed 88 bills in a single day last week, rejecting Republican-backed legislation dealing with gender-transition procedures for minors, immigration enforcement, election administration, medical mandates, civics instruction, religious instruction, photo radar penalties, parents’ rights, and local business regulations.
The Governor’s Office listed 72 bills signed and 88 bills vetoed in a June 19 legislative action update.
The vetoes were wide-ranging, from mundane measures to controversial ones: from refusing to lower Arizona’s learner’s permit age to 15 to refusing to prohibit the application of Sharia law in Arizona courts to prohibiting illegal immigrants from accessing banking services.
Among the highest-profile vetoes were the three measures dealing with gender-transition procedures. Hobbs vetoed SB 1015, dealing with provider liability for gender-transition procedures; SB 1094, dealing with civil liability for gender-reassignment surgery; and SB 1095, dealing with gender-transition procedures for minors.
In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote, “It is already unlawful to perform gender transition surgery on minors in Arizona; therefore, this legislation is unnecessary.”
Potentially one of the most politically significant vetoes was SB 1186, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16), which would have required companies holding or seeking state contracts and certain state grants to disclose anything of value provided during the previous five years to the Governor, campaign-related entities, inaugural funds, joint fundraising committees, and organizations supporting the Governor or opposing the Governor’s political opponents.
Senate Republicans said the veto came as Hobbs remains under investigation over allegations involving donations connected to Sunshine Residential Homes and a subsequent rate increase approved by the Department of Child Safety. Hobbs dismissed the legislation as a “political stunt.”
🚨FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Hobbs Blocks Transparency Reform for State Contracts Worth Billions While Facing Ongoing Investigation into Alleged Pay-to-Play Scheme
Hobbs also vetoed SB 1055, sponsored by Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-LD7), which would have required U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection to be immediately notified when an unlawfully present alien is arrested by a state or local law enforcement agency for a violation of state or local law.
In her veto letter, Hobbs said existing law already allows law enforcement officers to contact immigration enforcement when they have reasonable suspicion regarding a person’s immigration status. She said the bill could strain resources, increase workload, and divert law enforcement attention from public safety duties.
Another immigration-related measure, SB 1520, would have dealt with immigration data sharing by state agencies. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill was “unconstitutional” and risked violating federal and state privacy laws.
Rogers responded in a statement from the Arizona Senate GOP Caucus, saying:
“Governor Hobbs continues to show just how disconnected she is from the reality many Arizona families face every day. These bills were not extreme. They were practical steps to help enforce existing laws, improve cooperation with federal authorities, ensure taxpayer-funded benefits go to those legally entitled to receive them, and prevent Arizona from becoming a magnet for illegal immigration. Arizonans have already spoken.”
The veto list also included several election-related measures. Hobbs vetoed SB 1057, which dealt with fraud countermeasures for paper ballots. In her veto letter, Hobbs said she remained confident in Arizona election officials’ ability to administer free and fair elections “without added expense and complexity.”
Hobbs also rejected SB 1429, sponsored by Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R-LD13), which would have required ballot measure petition circulators to disclose whether they were paid circulators, volunteers, or out-of-state residents. In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote that the bill “would further narrow the pathway for citizens’ initiatives and referenda at the local level.”
Additional election-related vetoes listed by the Governor’s Office included SB 1037, dealing with voting equipment, internet access, and custody; SB 1038, dealing with cast vote records as public records; SB 1040, dealing with voter registration rolls and internet access; and SB 1060, dealing with voter registration and temporary absence.
Hobbs vetoed two measures dealing with vaccines, masks, and medical interventions. HB 2086 dealt with vaccination mandates and masks, while HB 2248, titled the “Arizona Medical Freedom Act,” would have barred businesses, schools, and state or local government entities from requiring certain medical interventions as a condition of services, entry, employment, government benefits, or transportation, with exceptions.
In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote, “Vaccines save lives,” and said Arizona law already provides robust exemptions to immunization requirements. She added that diseases once eliminated are “making a comeback in Arizona’s playgrounds and classrooms because of dangerous misinformation.”
Education-related vetoes included SB 1572, sponsored by Sen. Mark Finchem (R-LD1), which dealt with public school civics instruction requirements. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that she was confident the curriculum outlined in the bill was already adequately covered during the school year, including through the Sandra Day O’Connor Civics Celebration Day and the Arizona Civics Test. “Changes to civics education should go through experts, not the legislature,” Hobbs wrote.
Hobbs also vetoed SB 1741, which dealt with released-time courses for public school students. The measure would have expanded access to off-campus religious instruction during the school day if a student’s parent provided written consent and the course provider met statutory requirements. In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote that Arizona has “a robust school choice system,” and said public school instructional time should be used for standards-aligned instruction.
Hobbs vetoed SB 1624, sponsored by Sen. David Gowan (R-LD19), which would have capped civil penalties for photo radar speeding violations at $75. The measure also would have barred the Motor Vehicle Division from reporting certain speed-camera violations to insurers and prevented those citations from being used as points for license suspension. Hobbs wrote in her veto letter that the bill undermined cities’ ability to make their own decisions about law enforcement policies.
Another vetoed bill, HB 2460, sponsored by Rep. Nick Kupper (R-LD25), would have barred municipalities and counties from imposing penalties on businesses for stolen or abandoned movable property, including shopping carts and hand-held baskets. In her veto letter, Hobbs wrote that the bill “delves into a truly local issue that is best resolved between businesses and their local elected leaders.”
The Governor’s Office also listed vetoes of HB 2249, a parents’ bill of rights remedy, and HB 2830, a bill on fetal and prenatal development instruction. Hobbs said in her HB 2249 veto letter that parents already have the right to direct their children’s education and upbringing, and that the bill would threaten schools and educators with “exorbitant financial penalties.” In her HB 2830 veto letter, Hobbs wrote that instructional requirements should be left to experts rather than “politicians trying to force mandates on our teachers.”
The 88-bill veto sweep drew criticism from Republicans, including gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs. In a post to X, Biggs wrote, “The Katie Hobbs record: 541 vetoes, 45th in Affordability, 0 victories for Arizonans. We cannot afford four more years of the Veto Queen!”
The Biggs War Room account wrote, “Katie Hobbs just vetoed 88 bills in one day, bringing her near 150 vetoes this session.”
🚨THE HOBBS FILES JUST DROPPED🚨
Katie Hobbs just vetoed 88 bills in one day, bringing her near 150 vetoes this session.
But what exactly did she veto? Here are the highlights:
-She vetoed a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors. -She vetoed a bill to cap photo radar…
“This is not leadership,” the War Room added. “This is the Hobbs agenda in black and white. Arizona does not need another four years of common-sense reform dying under a veto pen. It needs a Governor’s Office that will sign real reform, protect families, defend taxpayers, and put Arizona voters first.”
The Governor’s Office also announced 72 signed bills on June 19, including measures dealing with candidate financial disclosures, worker death benefits, law enforcement reinstatement costs, health care licensing, missing and kidnapped children reporting requirements, assisted living facilities, and Department of Child Safety procedures.
Arizona Consumers will soon see clearer labeling on food products made from cultivated animal cells following the enactment of House Bill 2762, known as the “Andy Groseta Act.”
The legislation, sponsored by State Representative Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), was signed into law by Governor Katie Hobbs after receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in the Arizona Legislature, passing the House of Representatives by a vote of 52-3 and the Senate by a vote of 24-5.
The new law requires manufacturers, packagers, and retailers of food products derived from cultivated animal cells to clearly label those products as either “Cell-Cultivated” or “Cell-Cultured” on their packaging before they are sold to Arizona consumers.
The measure is named in honor of the late Andy Groseta, a prominent Arizona cattleman and agricultural leader who served as president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Arizona Cattle Growers’ Association, and the Yavapai Cattle Growers’ Association.
Under the law, food products produced from cultivated animal cells may continue to be sold in Arizona, but consumers must be informed about how those products were made.
✅New Arizona Law Requires Clear Labels on Cell-Cultured Food Products Rep. Quang Nguyen’s “Andy Groseta Act” protects consumers and supports Arizona agriculture
“Arizona consumers deserve honesty at the grocery store, and Arizona ranchers deserve a fair market. This law does… pic.twitter.com/Nv0QuJOhKt
— Arizona House Republicans (@AZHouseGOP) June 22, 2026
“Arizona consumers deserve honesty at the grocery store, and Arizona ranchers deserve a fair market,” stated Rep. Nguyen. “This law does not ban anything. It simply says that if a product is grown from cells in a lab, the package has to say so. Families should not have to sort through marketing claims to know whether they are buying food raised by farmers and ranchers or a product made another way. Clear labels protect consumers, respect Arizona agriculture, and make sure the package tells the truth.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), animal cell culture technology produces meat and poultry products without slaughter by growing livestock or poultry cells in a controlled environment, such as a bioreactor, before harvesting those cells for human consumption.
Federal regulators classify these products as meat and poultry food products and subject them to the same inspection and oversight requirements as conventionally produced meat and poultry.
“Andy Groseta spent his life standing up for cattlemen, rural Arizona, and honest agriculture,” added Nguyen. “This law honors that legacy by keeping the marketplace honest. If companies want to sell cell-cultured products, they can. But they should not be able to market their products as something they are not.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
The Arizona Supreme Court partially overrode a lower court ruling that would have suspended a mandate for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to restore election authority to the Maricopa County Recorder.
The court ruling directed the supervisors and recorder to engage in settlement discussions and proceedings as part of a ruling issued on Tuesday. The two parties were scheduled to have a settlement conference on Monday in the Maricopa County Superior Court.
The superior court had ordered the supervisors to restore election authority and certain resources back to the recorder’s office. However, an appeals court issued a temporary stay on that order last Thursday. The latter court found that shifting duties and resources this late in the election season would likely disrupt the primary and general elections.
Recorder Justin Heap appealed on Monday, and the Arizona Supreme Court quickly took up the case.
Heap’s counsel through America First Legal (AFL) argued that the appeals court’s justification for its temporary stay was misapplied: a legal doctrine known as the “Purcell principle” that arose from a Supreme Court case involving Helen Purcell, former Maricopa County recorder.
“[T]he stay effectively prevents the recorder from exercising authority that state law assigns to his office,” stated AFL.
The Arizona Supreme Court also ruled that any agreement reached during settlement would need to be communicated to it.
The supervisors and recorder were also required to file simultaneous pleadings by Thursday addressing operational deadlines for the 2026 primary election; statutory functions that neither dispute; a potential interim relief alternative to the superior court and appeals court rulings; and operational effect of authorizing ballot drop-box locations per the 2025 Elections Procedures Manual, ballot replacement site operations supervision, chain of custody of provisional ballots, on-site tabulation logistics, and any other concrete operational risk supported by the superior court’s findings.
The recorder’s office issued a press release expressing confidence that their team could provide a persuasive operational framework proving the recorder’s office capable of taking on the election duties and resources which the supervisors were ordered to relinquish.
Heap said their office was encouraged by the Arizona Supreme Court ruling on the ongoing election dispute.
“Our office has consistently pursued practical solutions that protect voters and follow the law,” said Heap. “We welcomed mediation, we developed a detailed transition plan, and we remain prepared to implement a lawful division of responsibilities without disrupting the upcoming election. We are encouraged that the Supreme Court is carefully considering those options.”
The supervisors and the recorder have blamed one another for the litigation, which has lasted over a year and cost the board over $750,000. Heap noted that his representation — James Rogers, AFL senior counsel and LD10 candidate for the state legislature — has come at no cost to his office.
Rogers said in a statement that the board’s actions in court were attempts to run out the clock in the hopes that enforcing the superior court order would no longer be feasible. He warned that granting the board the stay would give a “green light” to Arizona’s government officials to avoid court orders through intentional delays.
“The Board of Supervisors lost in court. The court ordered it to comply. The Board refused — openly, repeatedly, and deliberately — for two months, while the election drew closer with every passing day. Now, after deliberately running out the clock, the Board claims the election is too imminent to obey the court’s order,” said Rogers. “That is not a valid legal argument. It is a confession that the Board’s strategy all along was to manufacture its own emergency.”
The Board has wasted $750,000 of the taxpayer's money, so far, on a legal battle no one voted for. All that time @JamesRogersAZ has represented my office Pro Bono, at no cost to the citizens of Maricopa. He's a true champion for election integrity and the rule of law. https://t.co/5eXp42aZLC
— Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap (@azjustinheap) June 20, 2026
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
The Pinal County Attorney’s Office has closed its review of allegations involving former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb after determining that the evidence reviewed did not establish a violation of Arizona criminal law.
Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller announced Monday that his office completed its review of allegations and materials submitted regarding Lamb and concluded that “no abuse of power or other crime occurred.” The matter is now closed.
The review followed allegations involving Lamb that were submitted to the Pinal County Board of Supervisors in 2020. According to the preliminary inquiry released by Miller’s office, Tim Gustafson delivered a packet of information to the Board of Supervisors on Jan. 29, 2020, regarding allegations against Lamb, who was then serving as Pinal County sheriff.
🚨NEWS RELEASE: Pinal County Attorney Closes Mark Lamb Matter; Preliminary Inquiry Finds No Abuse of Power or Criminal Violation pic.twitter.com/Se7O8ALnuB
— Pinal County Attorney's Office (@PCAOAZ) June 23, 2026
“Public officials are entitled to the same due process and the same scrutiny as every other citizen. Not more. Not less,” Miller said. “When allegations are presented to this office, our responsibility is to determine whether a crime occurred, not whether a narrative is politically convenient. This office does not prosecute rumors, politics, social media campaigns, or headlines. We prosecute crimes. We follow the facts, we follow the law, and we follow the evidence. In this case, the evidence does not establish that any law was broken.”
The inquiry states that in May 2026, former Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer told the media that he had conducted a cursory investigation into the Lamb matter from 2020. Miller said he directed staff to locate the investigation so he could review it, but no investigation was found.
“No investigation was found, and not a single investigator at the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, including the former Chief of Investigations, could recall that such an investigation had ever been conducted,” the preliminary inquiry states.
Chief Hank Mueller then requested the materials provided by Gustafson, or any other individual, to the Pinal County Board of Supervisors. Those materials were provided on May 29, according to the inquiry.
On June 3, an alleged victim came forward and provided more than 3 gigabytes of additional materials for review, including audio, video, documents, and social media materials. Miller said he reviewed all of the materials in preparation for the preliminary inquiry.
The Pinal County Attorney’s Office said it reviewed records, witness statements, text messages, social media posts, recorded calls, and other communications before concluding that the evidence did not establish criminal conduct.
The inquiry listed three conclusions: that there was no evidence Lamb acted in a criminal manner; that there was no evidence Volkmer performed any investigation into the matter despite what he told the Arizona Republic in May; and that there was no evidence Lamb was a victim of a crime or asked Volkmer to investigate a crime on his behalf.
“Based upon all the materials provided I find that Mark Lamb committed no acts that would be considered criminal under Arizona law,” Miller wrote. “This matter is concluded.”
Lamb served as Pinal County sheriff from 2017 through 2024 and is now running for Congress in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District.
A recent graduate of Glendale Prep has earned one of the nation’s most prestigious military appointments, securing admission to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
David Vosekalns, a member of Glendale Prep’s Class of 2026, will officially join the Naval Academy’s class of 2030 when he is inducted on June 25, 2026.
His appointment comes after a highly competitive selection process that saw approximately 16,000 applicants nationwide compete for roughly 1,200 available spots.
🇺🇸WATCH🇺🇸
Recently, our office welcomed David & his family. We celebrated his outstanding achievement, & he sat down for an interview with Great Hearts to discuss the opportunity
The official appointment was presented by Blue & Gold Officer Sue Wester (Arizona Area… pic.twitter.com/59jUDTJuty
— Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) June 22, 2026
“David was one of about 16,000 students from throughout the nation who applied for one of the approximately 1,200 appointments to the Naval Academy’s Class of 2030,” explained Blue and Gold Officer and volunteer field representative for the Naval Academy Admissions Office, Sue Wester. “In receiving his appointment, David was recognized for his citizenship, athleticism, scholarship, and moral character as being worthy to join the Brigade of Midshipmen and become a U.S. military officer.”
Vosekalns received a digital offer of appointment on May 20, 2026 but his official certificate of appointment was formally presented by Wester during a ceremony held at the office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh in Surprise, Arizona.
Congressman Hamadeh, who nominated Vosekalns for admission to the Naval Academy, played an important role in his journey to Annapolis. Earlier this year, Vosekalns had the opportunity to meet Hamadeh during a senior trip to Washington, D.C., with his classmates from Glendale Prep.
“Today, we’re in Congressman Abraham Hamadeh’s office, said Vosekalns at his appointment ceremony. “He gave me my nomination to the Naval Academy. On the senior trip to Washington, D.C., I was fortunate enough to work with Congressman Hamadeh’s office to meet him with some of my other friends in his Washington office.”
Reflecting on his acceptance, Vosekalns expressed both gratitude and humility.
“I received the digital offer of appointment on May 20th, and I’m just dumbstruck, still processing it,” he said. “I just know that this is where the Lord’s led me, and I’m still processing it.”
As part of the Naval Academy’s freshman class, known as “plebes”, Vosekalns will participate in Plebe Summer, an intensive six-week military training program designed to prepare incoming midshipmen for academy life.
During the training, plebes have no access to television, movies, music, or the internet and are only allowed two phone calls during the six weeks.
Vosekalns plans to study engineering while attending the academy and credits Glendale Prep with helping him for the opportunity.
“Without Glendale Prep, I would not be here in a lot of ways,” he said. “All my letters of recommendation were written by the teachers at Glendale Prep, and the college counselor, Mrs. Sarbacker, was extremely helpful in the process.”
The appointment has also drawn praise from Congressman Hamadeh’s office.
We are incredibly proud of David Vosekalns, a recent Glendale Prep graduate who has been accepted to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
David’s exceptional character, scholarship, and leadership so impressed Congressman Hamadeh that this appointment was an…
— Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) June 22, 2026
In a statement posted on X, the office said:
“We are incredibly proud of David Vosekalns, a recent Glendale Prep graduate who has been accepted to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. David’s exceptional character, scholarship, and leadership so impressed Congressman Hamadeh that this appointment was an easy decision. Congratulations, David! We know you are destined for great things.”
As Vosekalns prepares to report for Plebe Summer and begin his journey toward becoming a naval officer, he joins a select group of future military leaders entrusted with serving the nation.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
