by Jonathan Eberle | May 23, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed legislation that would have allowed residents in voter-established Active Management Areas (AMAs), including the newly created Douglas AMA, to revisit their groundwater management designation after ten years.
The bill, HB 2089, was sponsored by Representative Gail Griffin (R–LD19), who argued that the measure was about preserving local control and ensuring that rural communities retain a voice in long-term water policy decisions.
“This bill simply would have allowed voters to revisit a decision they made ten years earlier. It respected the voice of the people — not silenced it,” Griffin said in a statement responding to the veto. “The Governor’s action undermines the ability of rural communities to self-govern and respond to future conditions.”
Under current Arizona law, AMAs are designated areas where groundwater is heavily regulated in an effort to manage overdraft and promote sustainable use. The Douglas AMA was approved by voters in 2022 in response to growing concerns over aquifer depletion in southeastern Arizona. The law established that AMA did not include an option for voters to re-evaluate the decision in the future — a gap HB 2089 sought to address.
Rep. Griffin and other rural lawmakers have expressed concern over what they describe as heavy-handed regulation from Phoenix that may not reflect the economic realities of agricultural communities. In a press release, the Arizona House Republican Caucus also criticized the Governor’s broader approach to groundwater management, particularly in the Willcox Basin, where the administration is reportedly pursuing a 50% reduction in groundwater overdraft by 2075.
The veto is the latest flashpoint in an ongoing debate between state leadership and rural lawmakers over how best to balance groundwater conservation with agricultural and economic needs. It remains unclear whether supporters of the measure will seek to reintroduce similar legislation in future sessions.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | May 23, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
State Representative Quang Nguyen, Chairman of the Arizona House Judiciary Committee, is intensifying his inquiry into the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR) in the wake of a series of violent inmate deaths, including a high-profile triple homicide earlier this spring.
In a letter sent Monday to ADCRR Director Ryan Thornell, Nguyen called for a broad range of records, citing what he described as a “disturbing pattern of violence, security failures, and possible ideological interference” within the state’s prison system.
The move marks a significant escalation in the chairman’s ongoing investigation, which began after an inmate serving 16 life sentences for multiple murders was able to kill three fellow prisoners on April 4 at the Tucson prison complex.
“The situation at ADCRR appears to be far worse than previously understood,” Nguyen said in a statement. “We’re no longer looking at a single failure. We are looking at a system in decline, marked by ineffective leadership, poor oversight, and questionable outside influence.”
The request from Chairman Nguyen includes records on all inmate homicides since January 2024; internal investigation reports on those incidents; department policies and data on contraband weapons and cell phones; all prior versions of inmate classification and movement policies, including those governing maximum custody; and internal communications between ADCRR officials and outside advocacy groups, including the ACLU and Creosote Partners.
Nguyen also raised concerns about whether external advocacy organizations have exerted undue influence on internal corrections policies in ways that may compromise security or conflict with Arizona law. The ADCRR has until June 2 to respond to the records request.
The Arizona Republic recently published video footage allegedly showing inmates using improvised weapons in violent assaults, further fueling public scrutiny of prison conditions and management practices. It remains unclear whether the requested documents will be released in full or whether the agency will challenge any aspect of the request.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | May 22, 2025 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Editor’s Note: A Higley Unified School District spokesperson has denied that the Quran was taught to Pre-K students. The spokesperson has claimed that that social media post (see below) was due to an autocorrect error that changed Qatar to Quran. AZ Free News attempted to recreate the autocorrect error with no success. A search of Google AI indicates that “Qatar” is not likely to autocorrect to “Quran.”
An East Valley school is coming under fire from parents for teaching the Quran to pre-kindergarten students.
Children involved in the PreK THINK! Highly Gifted Academy at the Sossaman Early Childhood Development Center within the Higley Unified School District (HUSD) got an impromptu lesson on the Islamic religion this week.
A teacher for gifted students, Janet Williams, allowed the father of one student to teach the class about the Quran. In a picture posted by Williams to a forum frequented by parents, a father wearing Islamic garb offers the children to inspect his clothing.
“We celebrated [a student’s] birthday and his dad told us all about Quran,” said Williams.
Peggy McClain, who runs the Not in Our Schools website, questioned the legality and fairness of the school allowing a lesson on the Islamic religion.
“Where is the separation of church and state we are always lectured about?” asked McClain. “Look what happened in a Pre-K in a Higley District school, they discussed the Quran.”
A parent asked whether HUSD would allow their daughter to teach the Mormon religion to students next.
“Since you’re allowing members of the community to come in and share their religion, my daughter is a missionary for the LDS church and would love to stop by with treats and a quick message about Jesus Christ,” said the parent. “My Catholic and Jewish friends want their turn, too.”
Schools may not compel religious action, such as prayer. Coercion violates the separation of church and state, according to the advocacy group Secular Arizona. Schools may also not distribute religious materials, or present religious content as true or false, or present religious doctrines or beliefs as factual.
“It is easy for a teacher to give students the impression that submitting to an unwanted religious exercise is required, expected, or preferred, even if you don’t mean to do that,” stated Secular Arizona. “Students have an absolute right to be free from that pressure.”
Arizona’s chief executive and legal officer are vocally opposed to religious influence in public education. Both women have consistently maintained that religion in the classroom violates the “separation of church and state” — not an exact phrase enumerated in the U.S. Constitution but a concept derived from the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise clauses.
The Establishment Clause prohibits Congress from making laws establishing religion, while the Free Exercise Clause stops Congress from making laws prohibiting the free exercise of religion.
Last year, Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill approved by the legislature to allow schools to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms.
Hobbs asserted in her veto letter that the display of the Christian religious text was not only not essential for education but likely unconstitutional.
“Not only do I have serious concerns about the constitutionality of this legislation, it is also unnecessary,” said Hobbs.
Last month, Attorney General Kris Mayes joined 17 attorneys general in a legal fight before the U.S. Supreme Court against the creation of the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school.
“Charter schools are not private schools – they are public schools,” said Attorney General Mayes. “Allowing religious charter schools would force states to choose between violating the Constitution or dismantling their public charter systems.”
In 2023, HUSD again irked parents when it relaxed its dress code policy to allow for clothing which expose the chest, abdomen, and midriff.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | May 22, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The office of Arizona Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ02) issued a call on Tuesday for Veterans, Gold Star Families, and Active-Duty Spouses to apply for the exclusive Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program to bring one of them into Crane’s Prescott office in a two-year paid position.
The applicant chosen will take on the responsibility of managing veteran-related casework and serve as a liaison between Rep. Crane’s constituents and federal, state, and local agencies.
According to Crane’s office, “The G&G CAP was established to create employment opportunities for veterans, Gold Star families, and active-duty spouses within the U.S. House of Representatives. Selected candidates will work directly for a Member of Congress as part of their office staff.”
The duties of the role may also include, serving as a liaison to local veterans organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion, as well as, attending local events and meetings. The role boasts a salary starting at $54,000 annually.
In his announcement, Congressman Crane said, “As a veteran myself, I know firsthand the challenges and bureaucratic hurdles within our system. Our nation’s heroes deserve nothing less than the highest quality of service, and it is our duty to ensure they receive the care and support they need.”
He added, “I’m proud to partner with the Green & Gold Congressional Aide Program to provide veterans and military personnel with first-class assistance. I encourage dedicated patriots to apply for this essential role in my office.” Potential applicants may apply online.
To be eligible, veterans must be: “Honorably discharged; released from active duty within the last six years; and pay grades at or below E-5/O-3/W-2.” However, “Veterans who are in receipt of a 20-year or Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERA) retirement are not eligible for the program.”
For Gold-Star families: the surviving spouses, children and step-children, parents and step-parents, siblings and step-siblings of a veteran who died in the line of duty while serving in the Armed Forces or from a service-connected disability are eligible to apply.
Spouses of active duty servicemembers must be wed to an active duty service member working for the military full-time and “and are subject to permanent change of station or permanent change of assignment orders upon completion of each tour of duty.” Spouses of servicemembers subject to Title X mobilization are not eligible.
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 | May 22, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A bill designed to shield Arizona’s children from inappropriate and mature advertisements on digital applications was signed into law on Tuesday.
Under the new law, “A child-directed application shall take appropriate measures to prevent the display of inappropriate and mature advertisements on the child-directed application.” It describes “inappropriate and mature advertisements,” as “an advertisement that sells or promotes any of the following: (a) violence, (b) explicit language, (c) sexual content, (d) alcohol or drug use.”
Rep. Julie Willoughby, who sponsored the law, explained, “As a mom and a legislator, I know how easily harmful content slips into apps that claim to be kid-friendly. Parents should be able to trust that their children won’t be bombarded with adult-themed ads. This law compels Big Tech to clean it up or face serious penalties.”
If the application owners targeting children 11 and younger fail to take meaningful measures to prevent the display of “inappropriate and mature advertisements,” they could face civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation effective January 1, 2026. With the proliferation of child-facing applications and their wide adoption base, the potential civil liability for application-makers could be catastrophic.
The bill enjoyed rare bipartisan cooperation in the Arizona legislature, passing the House 48-11 with one member not voting, passing the Senate 16-9 with five Senators not voting, and finally getting signed into law by Arizona’s veto-prone Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs.
The new law is an advance along the trajectory laid out by the House Republican Majority Plan, designed to promote the safety of the youngest Arizonans while protecting parental rights by bringing “greater transparency and accountability to the digital platforms children use every day.”
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 | May 21, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Decorated combat veteran Army Captain Sam Brown (ret.), a 41-year-old, West Point graduate nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the National Cemetery Administration as Veteran Affairs Undersecretary of Memorial Affairs, was reportedly blocked in confirmation by Democrat Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).
According to a post to X by VA Secretary Doug Collins, Brown is being blocked by Blumenthal and Gallego “to score cheap political points.” He commented, “Awful behavior, senators.”
Rather than offering an explanation for his blocking Brown, Gallego lobbed an ad hominem attack at Collins writing, “VA Collins only cares about disabled Veterans that are his political appointees. He is going to arbitrarily fire thousands of Veterans from the VA. Awful behavior Secretary.”
Similarly, Sen. Blumenthal accused Collins of attempting to distract the American people in his own post to X. He wrote, “Stop seeking to distract. Republicans can bring these nominees to the floor for a full debate & vote whenever they choose. Americans & veterans deserve transparency & accountability around your political nominees & your concealed plans to cut 83,000 VA employees.”
Blumenthal and Gallego appear to be referring to an alleged leaked memo released by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) which refers to VA staffing reductions driven by Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Workforce Optimization Initiative. While the VA has shared data with NPR showing that 11,273 agency employees nationwide have applied for deferred resignation, the department stated that staff cuts will not affect veterans’ health care with Collins accusing Democrats of fearmongering during a senate hearing on May 6th.
“I will not let you sit here and scare my veterans and scare my employees, because no one has discussed firing doctors or firing nurses,” Collins told Blumenthal. “We’ve always said that we’re going to keep frontline health care.”
Answering questions from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), he said, “We have been emphatic that we will not be cutting benefits and health care, only improving them.”
Reacting to the news, Brown released a statement via social media thanking VA Secretary Collins saying, “I’ve served our nation once with honor. I’ve been nominated by President Trump to do it again. Unfortunately there are Democrat Senators who want to block my service to the great USA, our beloved veterans, and their families.”
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.
