The Peoria Unified School Board (PUSD) has adopted new Student Privacy and Anti-Discrimination policies to provide “clarity on critical issues that have remained ambiguous in practice for years.”
Under the student privacy policy, the district aims to reaffirm “long-standing sex-based privacy standards,” and ensure that all multi-person restrooms, showers, and locker rooms in the district will be limited to use determined by biological sex while “allowing safe and reasonable accommodations for students who request additional privacy.” Under the expanded Anti-Discrimination policy, the district will include protections for pregnancy and parenting status, veteran status, genetic information, and define sex as biological sex in addition to maintaining its protections for individuals based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, and disability.
A press release from PUSD explains that the new policies are “Rooted in the original intent of Title IX, which was enacted over 50 years ago to prohibit sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.” It added that the policies uphold “the principles of equal opportunity while recognizing inherent biological differences, particularly in athletics and privacy accommodations.”
“By adopting these standards, the Board ensures that students have access to a learning environment that respects their rights and privacy, while also shifting accommodation responsibilities back onto the district rather than placing the burden on other students.”
Board President Heather Rooks said in a statement, “As a member of the Peoria Unified School Board, I am committed to Leading with Excellence by ensuring the safety and privacy of every student. A strong Student Privacy Policy is not just a district priority—it is a community expectation. Parents and stakeholders trust us to create secure learning environments where students can thrive. This policy reflects the values of our district and the broader public. National surveys, including Rasmussen, consistently show that a majority of Americans support maintaining sex-based privacy standards in restrooms and locker rooms. Protecting student privacy is essential for their well-being and security.”
The PUSD policies have been a topic of contention on the school board since 2023 when the Governing Board voted to reject a motion to even draft such a policy as reported by AZ Free News. However, under the newly elected administration led by Rooks, the policies have been adopted in short order.
Rooks, fresh off of a U.S. District Court ruling against her lawsuit on biblical quotation during board meetings, has also said via her legal team that she intends to resume quoting Bible passages. Judge Michael Liburdi determined that emailed opinions of the school district’s attorney constitutes “legal advice to board members,” and not an action to prevent her from doing so.
First Liberty Institute, the legal organization representing Rooks told the outlet in a statement, “Heather plans to resume saying the Bible verses at the next board meeting, and appeal the district court’s ruling to ensure her speech remains protected.”
The Arizona State Senate is reviewing Senate Bill (SB) 1091, which would require school district election ballots to include clear information on potential property tax reductions if voters reject budget overrides or bond measures.
The bill, which was sponosored by Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-LD15), aims to provide greater transparency for voters when deciding on school funding measures that involve secondary property taxes.
Arizona school districts can request budget overrides or bond authorizations when additional funding is needed beyond state-imposed limits. These measures are often funded by secondary property tax levies and must be approved by voters in district-wide elections.
Currently, school district ballots already include estimated tax rates for proposed overrides or bonds. However, SB 1091 would require ballots to explicitly state the estimated property tax reduction that would occur if voters reject the proposal, allowing taxpayers to see the potential financial impact.
If passed, the legislation would mandate that ballots for school district funding elections include an estimated average reduction in secondary property taxes if the budget override or bond measure is not approved and the exact date when the tax reduction would take effect.
This requirement would apply to budget override continuation elections, where districts seek to maintain higher spending limits through secondary property taxes as well as bond authorization continuation elections, which determine whether a district can continue issuing and selling bonds at the same tax rate in future years.
The bill also includes technical and conforming changes to existing statutes but does not impose any anticipated fiscal impact on the state’s general fund.
Supporters argue that SB 1091 enhances voter transparency, ensuring residents fully understand the tax implications of school district funding decisions. Critics, however, worry that emphasizing potential tax reductions on ballots could sway voters against approving necessary education funding.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ1) delivered his weekly speech before the U.S. House of Representatives last Tuesday and stated that the looming fiscal crisis of the United States is not an ideological matter but is instead a matter of inevitability.
Schweikert, widely known as a budget hawk conservative on the federal deficit and the trajectory of the national debt, warned that the political culture on both sides of the aisle “remains entrapped in a cycle of partisan folklore.”
In a press release, he stated that “the nation’s debt trajectory—already consuming 40 percent of global sovereign borrowing—is poised to spiral out of control, with interest payments alone eclipsing essential expenditures.”
Schweikert suggested in his remarks that with the Social Security trust fund projected to collapse by 2033, “the nation is blindly entering into an era where senior poverty will double overnight.” But he provided a blueprint for a potential solution that leverages data science and AI-driven efficiencies to close this gap, noting that Congress’ failure to do so has further exacerbated the oncoming fiscal collapse.
He told the House, “If I came to you today and said, ‘Let’s strip any partisanship; we need to find waste, fraud, abuse, modeling issues where we’re doing things the wrong way, where we have models that are decades out of date…’ would you hire an army of auditors? An army of lawyers? Or would you hire data scientists?”
He answered, “Turns out, several years ago, Congress started requiring agencies that send out payments that cover health care costs and that send out checks to start sending error reports. In 2023, the reports came back at $236 billion of improper payments. That’s a stunning amount of money, but that doesn’t mean that there’s $236 billion of improper payments that have been stolen. There’s a bunch that has been, but it’s more complex. An army of auditors would take years to grind through this. That’s why there’s the miracle of technology right now—hire some data scientists.“
Schweikert also suggested a policy of aggressive transparency and candor with the American people saying ,“In 2033, the Social Security trust fund is empty. Our brothers and sisters on Social Security will take a 17 percent to 20 percent cut; we DOUBLE senior poverty in America. And when someone says, ‘Just raise the cap,’ our model shows that in 2034, raising the cap only covers about 38 percent of the shortfall. You’ve wiped out the cash needed to save Medicare, which actually runs out like three years later.”
He continued, citing the COVID shutdown and stimulus as being a serious contributor to the problem, “One of the reasons for this chart is [it’s] trying to demonstrate something very simple, that back before TCJA– the 2017 tax reform– the actual projection of what tax receipts would be– so, before the tax changes– we’re right on track. You see the weird blip there? That was a remarkable amount of spending that happened during the pandemic. We actually just went back to nominal. So, what happens here? What happens when there’s this intense, intense hunger to play this weird blame game instead of being willing to tell our voters the truth?“
In a new report from Common Sense Institute (CSI) Arizona, inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the Phoenix metro area, remained under the 2% target for the sixth consecutive month. In February, CSI Arizona recorded a year-over-year inflation rate of 1.8% for the metropolitan area. The national rate is currently +2.8% year-over-year, although it is down since President Donald Trump took office.
According to CSI Arizona, the largest driver of inflation has long been the cost of shelter, which was up +0.7% in February with annual shelter costs rising 1.2% year over year. In a post to X, CSI summarized the report stating, “Phoenix is outperforming most of the country when it comes to rising prices.”
Phoenix’s inflation rate has stayed below 2% for six straight months—offering relief for local households. Meanwhile, national inflation remains at 2.8%—showing that Phoenix is outperforming most of the country when it comes to rising prices.
— Common Sense Institute Arizona (@CSInstituteAZ) March 12, 2025
The report noted, “Among the 23 metro areas measured in the CPI each month, Phoenix ranks 22 in year-over-year inflation (2nd lowest). This is a dramatic change from 2022-2023, when the region consistently ranked among the highest.”
CSI Arizona goes on to observe in the report that the rate of national inflation has historically followed trends in the federal deficit with an approximate lag of 12-24 months and local or state levels are subject to regional dynamics as well, but tend to correspond with the national rate. In December, Fox 10 reported that homelessness in Arizona saw a 3.5% increase since 2023, with over 14,000 people experiencing homelessness.
Nathan Smith, CEO of Central Arizona Shelter Services told the outlet, “The cost of living continues to outstrip what people are making, and we’re seeing that we’re at a bit of an inflection point here in Arizona as we are facing the highest eviction rate that we’ve ever had.”
Arizona’s ongoing housing crisis is taking center stage as state lawmakers, led by House Majority Leader Michael Carbone, voice strong opposition to Governor Katie Hobbs’ water policies, accusing them of exacerbating the state’s housing shortage. In a statement released last week, Carbone applauded House Speaker Steve Montenegro for authorizing a lawsuit against the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) over its adoption of a controversial 33.3% groundwater tax. Carbone claims that this policy is driving up the cost of housing and ultimately harming Arizonans who are already grappling with soaring housing prices.
At the center of the dispute is a policy known as the housing moratorium, which has been criticized for preventing the development of large swathes of land that could otherwise be used to build affordable homes. According to Carbone and other critics, the moratorium was adopted illegally, and it has led to a situation where hundreds of thousands of acres of land remain undeveloped. This, in turn, limits the amount of available space for new homes, driving demand to already crowded urban areas and increasing housing costs.
Carbone explained that “water policy is land use policy, and land use policy is housing policy,” suggesting that the restrictions on land development, while related to water conservation, are having broader economic consequences.
As a result of the moratorium, many Arizonans are facing higher costs when it comes to purchasing new homes. The housing moratorium is expected to increase home prices by $19,600 to $23,700 per house. Additionally, the proposed 33.3% groundwater tax has been predicted to add an extra $5,100 to $7,900 to the cost of new homes. These measures have raised concerns about the affordability of housing, especially in a state already struggling with rapid population growth and a housing shortage.
The Arizona House of Representatives, alongside the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona (HBACA) and members of the Arizona Senate, have joined forces in a legal battle against the ADWR’s actions. The lawsuit seeks to halt the 33.3% groundwater tax, which lawmakers argue is not only illegal but also harmful to Arizona’s housing market. Carbone criticized the governor’s policies, stating that they are not about ensuring water security but rather a means of “government control.”
“The Governor wants to dictate where and how Arizona families live, limiting all future growth to cities and driving up home prices,” Carbone said. “Affordable housing is central to the American Dream, and we are committed to fighting these illegal policies that will only make the housing crisis worse.”
The legal battle focuses on the ADWR’s authority to implement such a tax and whether it complies with state law. Proponents of the lawsuit argue that homebuilders have long demonstrated a commitment to responsible water management, having replenished 100% of the groundwater they use annually since 1995. Therefore, they contend, penalizing the homebuilding industry with additional taxes is unfair and counterproductive.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
On Monday, Arizona Senate Republicans made significant progress toward enhancing the state’s role in federal immigration efforts by passing three bills aimed at improving border security and protecting Arizona communities. The bills, all sponsored by Senator John Kavanagh (R-LD3), are designed to address the increasing strain on local detention facilities, provide critical support for law enforcement, and assist federal agencies in deporting criminal illegal aliens.
All three bills have passed the Arizona Senate and are now being sent to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
The first bill, SB 1294, Leasing Marana Prison to the U.S. Government, is designed to address overcrowding in detention centers and create more space for the federal government to house criminal illegal aliens. The bill mandates that the Arizona Department of Administration lease the Marana Prison—currently vacant—to the U.S. government for just $1 per year. The prison, located near the U.S.-Mexico border and several airports, would be an ideal location to detain criminal illegal aliens, according to Senator Kavanagh.
“This measure is a no-brainer. The federal government should have access to the empty Marana Prison to house these dangerous criminal illegal aliens so that Arizonans are protected from further threats,” Kavanagh said. “Detention centers are running at max capacity, and as a result, illegal aliens are being released back into communities.”
The bill also includes a provision that allows Arizona to terminate the lease if the state requires the prison for its own incarcerated individuals, ensuring flexibility in future use.
The second bill, SB 1299, Law Enforcement Personnel Grant Program, establishes a Law Enforcement Personnel Grant Program, which would provide $2 million from the state’s general fund to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS). The program would reimburse local law enforcement agencies for the costs associated with immigration-related training. This measure aims to equip officers with the tools and knowledge necessary to handle immigration enforcement, improving public safety for Arizona residents.
“It’s our duty as lawmakers to support our law enforcement with resources to protect our citizens, and this bill does just that,” Kavanagh stated. “With additional training, we can ensure that our front-line officers are equipped for the job, protecting both themselves, and the people of this great state.”
The third bill, SB 1610, Requiring Detention Facilities to Share Inmate Information with ICE, mandates that county detention facilities provide personal identifying information and access to detainees upon request by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This bill is designed to support federal deportation efforts by facilitating communication between local detention centers and ICE, enabling the federal agency to efficiently carry out removals of individuals with criminal records or immigration violations.
“Voters made it very clear in the last election – they are FED UP with the massive tsunami of people who have been entering this country illegally,” Kavanagh said. “With this bill, we are supporting the federal government’s deportation efforts by requiring detention facilities to supply inmate information to ICE.”
Senator Kavanagh emphasized the importance of standing in solidarity with the Trump administration’s efforts to curb illegal immigration and protect U.S. communities from individuals who have committed crimes.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
