by Jonathan Eberle | Jun 19, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate Republicans introduced a new state budget proposal Monday that aims to deliver a balanced fiscal plan while investing in public safety, education, infrastructure, water, and public health — all without raising taxes.
Senate leaders emphasized that their budget reflects bipartisan priorities and presents a path forward to avoid a looming government shutdown.
“This is a bipartisan budget the Republican majority can fully support and the governor will sign,” said Senate President Warren Petersen. “We are protecting the interests of Arizona by boosting pay for public safety personnel and increasing public safety resources to support safer communities.”
Petersen added that the proposal includes key investments in transportation and infrastructure, with a focus on road projects that support economic growth. The budget also addresses water security and enhancements to Arizona’s public health system.
“The governor has been adamant she will veto the House budget,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman John Kavanagh. “With the possibility of a government shutdown in a matter of days, we must move forward with our conservative spending plan, and we’re calling on our colleagues in both chambers to support it.”
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope offered a blunt assessment of the House proposal, describing it as a “fantasyland budget.”
“Elections have consequences,” Shope said. “We are in an era of divided government, and we must proceed as such. Republicans can’t get everything they want, and neither can Democrats. We did very well with protecting and funding our Republican priorities.”
Lawmakers face a deadline to approve a spending plan before a potential government shutdown later this week.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Mar 8, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
The Arizona State Senate recently passed a bipartisan bill that seeks to address the state’s ongoing physician shortage and expand health care access for residents. Senate Bill 1214, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope, allows pharmacists in Arizona to independently administer tests and treatments for certain medical conditions, offering a potential solution to the growing demand for healthcare services.
The legislation, which passed the Senate overwhelmingly, now moves to the Arizona House of Representatives for further consideration. If approved, the bill will empower pharmacists to provide more comprehensive care, including diagnosing and treating common illnesses such as flu, COVID-19, and Strep Throat, as well as offering other preventative treatments.
Arizona has been facing a shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly physicians. This shortage has left communities with limited access to medical care. SB 1214 aims to increase access to basic health services by allowing pharmacists to independently test for and treat certain conditions.
Under the new legislation, pharmacists would be authorized to order, perform, and interpret tests that are FDA-approved and waived under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) of 1988. They would also be able to initiate treatment for conditions such as influenza and other illnesses identified by the Department of Health Services (DHS) through a statewide standing order, rule, or executive order.
The bill would also allow pharmacists to work with patients’ primary care providers to ensure continuity of care. This collaborative approach aims to alleviate the burden on physicians while ensuring patients receive timely care, especially in the face of an overburdened healthcare system.
Senator Shope emphasized that the legislation is designed to expand health care options for Arizonans. “This bill is an important step to help ensure Arizonans can receive routine health care services when they need them,” said Shope. “I’ve spoken with many people who desire to go to their local pharmacies for diagnoses and treatments of various illnesses. With this proposal, we give our citizens the choice to expand their health care options.”
Shope also highlighted the qualifications of pharmacists, many of whom are fully trained to perform tests and administer treatments. “It’s a win-win for Arizonans and Arizona pharmacies – many of which have qualified men and women who are fully capable of handling these tests and treatments, especially amid a physician shortage,” Shope explained.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Feb 14, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A group with ties to the terrorist organization Hamas, CAIR-AZ, was invited as honored guests of the Arizona Senate on Tuesday.
CAIR-AZ attended Senate proceedings for a proclamation honoring the deaths in Palestine, Sudan, Congo, and Lebanon.
“This is a historic step for the Muslim community and CAIR-AZ, as we have worked tirelessly to get this proclamation passed,” stated the organization in an Instagram post.
The proclamation, SR1001, declared Arizona’s recognition and mourning of the loss of lives in Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, and Congo due to the ongoing humanitarian crises. The proclamation declared February to be “a month of remembrance and solidarity” for those countries.
Preceding the proclamation was a prayer from Omar Al-Tawil, an imam at the Islamic Community Center of Tempe and a chaplain for Muslim students at Arizona State University.
SR1001 was introduced by Senator Analise Ortiz and co-sponsored by Sens. Bravo, Diaz, Miranda, and Sundareshan. Ortiz later appeared in photos with the CAIR-AZ activists celebrating the proclamation’s passage.
Those present included Khaled Beydoun, a pro-Hamas activist and Arizona State University associate law professor; Azza Abuseif, executive director of CAIR-AZ, lead organizer of Women’s March Phoenix, and Arizona State Director of NextGen America; Tarteel Alimam, executive administrator at CAIR-AZ; Zakir Siddiqi, co-chair of the Arizona Green Party and co-owner of the WhereUBean Coffee; and former lawmaker Martín Quezada, now the lawyer for CAIR-AZ.
Also present were representatives for the activist organizations AZ AANHPI for Equity, Our Instituto, AZ PACC, Progress Arizona, One Arizona, Comunidad Maya Pixan Ixim, and CHISPA Arizona.
In a press release, CAIR-AZ took credit for SR1001’s passage.
“At a time when the world bears witness to immense suffering and injustice, it is crucial to recognize and remember those who have perished due to violence, conflict, and humanitarian crises,” said Abuseif.
The inclusion of the group resulted in ire from Arizonans witnessing the display.
“Who’s bright idea was it to let terrorist-simps spread their propaganda on the AZ Senate floor?” asked one Arizonan.
In addition to advocating for Hamas, CAIR-AZ has taken to protesting against immigration enforcement efforts. The group participated in a protest against SB1164, or the “Arizona ICE Act.” This legislation allows the U.S. Attorney General to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws. This would enable Arizona law enforcement to investigate, apprehend, and detain illegal aliens.
CAIR-AZ also advocated against Proposition 314, the “Secure the Border Act” approved by voters last November. The proposition requires state and local agencies to verify immigration status prior to giving out government benefits, makes it a crime for illegal aliens to apply for government benefits with false information, and enhances punishments for selling fentanyl produced outside the U.S. A portion of the proposition directing law enforcement to arrest illegal aliens remains unenforceable due to court orders in other states.
The national affiliate for CAIR-AZ, CAIR, is an entity of the Muslim brotherhood linked to Hamas activities.
CAIR leaders celebrated the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Feb 5, 2025 | Economy, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A bill to keep unwelcome tax increases away from unsuspecting Arizona taxpayers cleared its first body of the state legislature.
On Monday, the Arizona Senate passed SB 1013 with a 17-12 vote. One Democrat member of the chamber, Senator Burch, did not vote. All Senate Republicans voted to approve the legislation, while all Democrats in attendance voted in opposition.
If passed by the Arizona Legislature and signed into law, the bill would “prohibit the common council of a municipality or the board of supervisors of a county from increasing an assessment, tax or fee without a two-thirds vote of the governing body.”
In a statement accompanying the news of the Senate vote, President Warren Petersen, the sponsor of the bill, said, “I’ve received a number of concerns and complaints from Arizonans who are frustrated with recent hikes on taxes and fees, especially in this era of inflation. We want government to be more efficient with taxpayer dollars, and this is a step in the right direction. This commonsense taxpayer protection requires the same threshold from local governments as the Legislature when raising or imposing fees. We want to make sure government fully funds its obligations, but we also want to protect our citizens from unnecessary taxation.”
Last month, the proposal cleared the Senate Government Committee with a 4-3 vote. All Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while all Democrats registered votes in opposition in committee.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Republican Liberty Caucus of Arizona, Barry Goldwater Institute for Public Policy Research, Arizona Free Enterprise Club, Arizona Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, Republican Liberty Caucus of Arizona, and Home Builders Association of Central Arizona, signed in to support the bill. Representatives from the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, City of Casa Grande, Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter, City of Bisbee, Coconino County, the Arizona Center for Economic Progress, League of Arizona Cities and Towns, City of Tucson, signed in to oppose the legislation.
SB 1013 now makes its way to the Arizona House of Representatives for consideration. If passed by the state House, it would then make its way to the Governor’s Office for its fate. Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, would likely veto the bill.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by AZ Free Enterprise Club | Nov 27, 2024 | Opinion
By the Arizona Free Enterprise Club |
Since the results of the 2024 election came in, much of the focus has been on President-elect Donald Trump’s historic win—and rightfully so. Trump won every single swing state in a massive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, and he beat her in the popular vote too.
But Kamala Harris wasn’t the only significant loser to come out of November’s election.
Here in Arizona, teachers’ unions and other anti-school choice groups, like Save Our Schools Arizona (SOSAZ), made the 2024 election a referendum on school choice. And they lost big!
Much of their work began earlier this year, when Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs came into legislative session (just like she did in 2023) with her top priority being to regulate the wildly popular Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program out of existence. But it didn’t work. Despite the noise from Hobbs, legislative Democrats, the legacy media, the teachers’ unions, and other anti-school choice groups, only minor changes were made to the ESA program through the budget, with most of it remaining untouched.
This failure fell on the heels of other similar failures…
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