by Matthew Holloway | Feb 22, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Senate Majority Whip Frank Carroll (R-LD28) advanced legislation Monday aimed at tightening restrictions on foreign adversaries’ ability to acquire or access land and critical infrastructure in the state.
Senate Bill 1683 would lower the statutory “substantial interest” ownership threshold from 30% to 5% and expand prohibitions to prevent the use of shell companies, convertible debt arrangements, options, and other financial structures to obtain property interests in Arizona, according to a press release from Senate leadership.
The measure also restricts access not only to ownership interests, but to leases, development rights, and the installation or operation of certain equipment on Arizona property. The bill applies to equipment, including antennas, communication systems, autonomous technology, surveillance devices, and high-sensitivity sensors.
Under SB 1683, public utilities and operators of critical infrastructure would be required to report suspicious agreements involving covered entities. Violations involving the use of prohibited equipment would be classified as felonies.
“This is about protecting Arizona, plain and simple,” Carroll said in a statement. “We’ve already taken steps to prevent hostile foreign governments from purchasing our land, but we’ve seen how quickly bad actors adapt. If they can’t buy property, they will try to lease it. If they can’t put their names on a deed, they’ll hide behind shell companies or secretly install surveillance equipment. This bill closes those loopholes.”
He added, “Arizona farmland, military-adjacent property, airports, utilities, and critical infrastructure should never become tools for foreign espionage or leverage for hostile regimes. We must not allow adversarial nations or terrorist-linked actors to gain control, either directly or indirectly, over Arizona soil. This legislation draws a clear line: our land, infrastructure, and security are not for sale, lease, or negotiation.”
SB 1683 passed the Senate Federalism Committee on a 5-2 vote, with only Republican support, and now advances to the full Senate for consideration.
Arizona lawmakers enacted a 2025 measure, Senate Bill 1082, adding A.R.S. § 33-443 to state statutes, which restricts land purchases by entities connected to designated foreign adversaries. SB 1683 would amend and expand those existing provisions.
If approved by the Legislature and signed into law, the bill would take immediate effect as an emergency measure with a two-thirds vote of both legislative houses.
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 Staff Reporter | Feb 20, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Republican-led Arizona Senate is advancing legislation aimed at increasing oversight of Gov. Katie Hobbs’ handling of contracts.
On Wednesday, the Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency Committee passed Senate Bill 1186 (SB1186) along party lines: Republicans in support, Democrats against.
State Sen. Mitzi Epstein (D-LD12) said she opposed the bill because it wasn’t “ready for primetime.” Epstein raised a concern that private companies could be impacted under the current way the bill is written. Epstein was the only one to explain her vote.
“Influence peddling is a bad thing, and we want to make sure in all aspects of government, including in this body, that people cannot pay for play,” said Epstein.
The bill would require companies currently holding or vying for state contracts or grants to disclose anything of value provided within the preceding five years to the governor, including anything beneficial provided to campaign or inauguration-related activities or outside organizations supporting or opposing the governor politically.
It would also prohibit state agencies and state employees from destroying any notes taken during evaluation of a company responding to a request for proposal on a state contract or grant. Should any state agency or state employee destroy their notes, any agreed-upon contracts could be solicited again.
Gov. Hobbs remains under legislative investigation over allegations of a “pay-to-play” relationship with Sunshine Residential Homes. That company received a unique rate increase following their donations to Hobbs. This legislation was inspired by that ongoing controversy.
Senate leadership to include President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16), Majority Whip Frank Carroll (R-LD28), and Majority Leader John Kavanagh (R-LD3) all issued statements endorsing the legislation preceding the committee vote.
“State government has a responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are awarded through a fair and competitive process people can trust,” said Petersen. “When billions in public funds are at stake, the rules must be clear, consistent, and focused on delivering the best value for Arizona families.”
“After vetoing our bill last year, the Governor came back this session with her own proposal, but it still leaves the biggest gap untouched,” said Shope. “Her plan focuses on releasing information after contracts are awarded. Our bill requires transparency before decisions are made, when it actually matters.”
“The scandals we’ve seen show what happens when government oversight fails,” said Carroll. “When billions of taxpayer dollars are being spent, mistakes or favoritism don’t just stay inside government, they affect services families rely on and erode public confidence.”
“Arizona’s contracting laws were written for a different era and leave gaps that agencies can’t effectively police today,” said Kavanagh. “SB 1186 modernizes the rules by setting clear disclosure standards and establishing enforceable safeguards that strengthen the contracting process itself.”
Earlier this month the bipartisan advisory team put together by the Republican-led Arizona House brought on outside counsel from out of state for an independent investigation of the connection between Hobbs and Sunshine Residential Homes. The counsel, Justin Smith, is representing President Donald Trump in his defamation lawsuit against E. Jean Carroll; Smith’s law group was founded by Trump’s solicitor general, D. John Sauer.
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by Matthew Holloway | Feb 17, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Senate Majority Whip Sen. Frank Carroll (R-LD28) is advancing legislation to restrict unauthorized individuals from operating commercial vehicles in the state, giving law enforcement officials the authority to demand proof of lawful presence and to impound trucks when drivers cannot demonstrate legal status. The move responds to high-profile, deadly crashes involving commercial drivers who were illegally in the U.S.
The bill received a “Do Pass” recommendation from the Military Affairs & Border Security (MABS) Committee on February 9 by a 4–3 vote, with only Republican support, moving the proposal forward in the legislative process.
Senate Bill 1511, sponsored by Carroll, would require anyone operating a commercial vehicle in Arizona to provide evidence of lawful presence in the United States. Under the proposal, licenses issued by other states or foreign countries would not qualify as proof of lawful presence for commercial operation in Arizona.
SB 1511 would empower law enforcement officers to impound commercial vehicles when a driver cannot provide the required proof of authorization to be in the country. Vehicle owners, not the state, would be responsible for all costs associated with impoundment under the bill’s provisions.
According to Carroll, the legislation is intended to mitigate the risk of deadly crashes involving drivers who are not legally present in the U.S. The Senate press release cited recent incidents, including a February crash in Indiana involving a driver who was an unauthorized immigrant and holder of a commercial driver’s license issued in Pennsylvania that resulted in the deaths of four people, as well as a case involving Rajinder Kumar, who was issued a CDL in California and later killed two newlyweds returning from their honeymoon.
In a statement issued last week, Carroll said: “Arizona cannot afford to wait for another preventable tragedy. This bill is about saving lives and holding everyone on our roads accountable. Americans are dying because illegal drivers are being licensed to operate massive commercial trucks. Rajinder Kumar, an Indian national who illegally entered the US from Mexico, was issued a CDL license in California and later killed two newlyweds returning from their honeymoon. This could happen here if we don’t act. With this bill, Arizona will not allow unqualified or illegal drivers on the road. Law enforcement will have the tools to act immediately, families will be safer, and our roads will be protected. This legislation turns tragedy into action. Arizona is drawing a line: the safety of our citizens comes first, and we will not wait for another senseless death to take action.”
Carroll’s press release stated the goal is to “prevent tragedies before they happen and to protect Arizonans on our roads.”
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 | Feb 16, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Senate is advancing two measures to strengthen protections for property owners and close gaps in the state’s deed recording process. Senate Bill 1479 advanced through the Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency Committee with a 5-2 “Do Pass” recommendation on Wednesday. Senate Bill 1254 advanced from the Senate Finance Committee in late January.
Senate Bill 1479, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Sen. Frank Carroll (R-LD28), would establish new identification and documentation requirements intended to deter fraudulent property transfers. According to the official bill text, the legislation would require individuals who submit deeds in person to present valid government-issued photo identification to the county recorder, though the recorder would be prohibited from retaining or copying that identification.
The bill would also require county assessors to establish a voluntary notification system alerting property owners to changes in ownership or mailing address associated with their parcel. Additional provisions strengthen affidavit requirements for certain real estate filings and mandate that notaries obtain thumbprints in their journals for specified real property documents.
“Property ownership is the cornerstone of financial security for families, seniors, and small businesses in Arizona,” Sen. Carroll said in a statement. “When criminals are able to forge documents, record false claims, or quietly transfer property without the rightful owner’s knowledge, it erodes trust in our entire system. These bills deliver a strong message: Arizona will not tolerate deed fraud. We are enhancing identity verification, increasing penalties for offenders, improving notification systems, and ensuring that no property changes hands without proper approval. This initiative aims to protect homeowners, restore confidence in our public records, and ensure that the law firmly supports legitimate property owners.”
SB 1479 would increase the criminal penalty for knowingly recording a forged instrument affecting real property, reclassifying the offense as a Class 4 felony.
A separate measure, SB 1254, sponsored by Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R-LD13), addresses deed acceptance requirements. Under current Arizona law, a deed must be signed by the grantor, acknowledged before a notary, and recorded to transfer real property. The bill would amend A.R.S. § 33-401 to require documented acceptance by the grantee before a deed may be recorded.
SB 1254 would allow acceptance to be demonstrated either through the grantee’s signature on the deed or by attaching a certificate or resolution of acceptance. The measure advanced from the Senate Finance Committee with bipartisan support.
The legislation comes amid ongoing concerns about deed and title fraud in Arizona. In 2022, then-Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich warned Arizonans of an increase in deed fraud reports, noting that his office had received 65 homeowner complaints from Jan. 2021 to August 2022. In December 2025, the Phoenix Business Journal reported that vacant land parcels were the primary targets in 2024 real estate fraud schemes that cost Arizonans nearly $50 million.
Sindy Ready of the Arizona Realtor Association told AZ Family in December, “In Arizona, many times. it’s out-of-state owners that have these properties that think it’s down the road they’re going to build a second home on the property.” Speaking to the outlet, Jeff Cayton, a Valley realtor with a decade in Arizona property sales, said, “The fraud is running rampant right now. The land fraud is very big, and I’ve experienced this multiple times, as well as my team members and people in my company.”
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 | Feb 1, 2026 | Economy, News
By Matthew Holloway |
Arizona Senate Majority Whip Frank Carroll (R-LD28) introduced a measure on Tuesday, urging the U.S. Congress to clearly define and limit the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulatory authority. Carroll and his cosponsors argue that ambiguous federal power threatens jobs and economic growth in Arizona. The proposal, SCM 1004, was advanced by the Arizona Senate Republican Caucus earlier this week.
Carroll’s measure calls on Congress to affirm its role in setting national environmental policy and to draw explicit boundaries around the EPA’s authority under federal law. The memorial highlights that, under the Clean Air Act, the EPA is charged with setting and reviewing National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) every five years to protect public health and welfare, but argues that compliance requirements have grown burdensome for businesses and workers.
“Americans deserve clean air, land, and water, but they also deserve an economy that can grow without unnecessary federal interference,” Carroll said in a statement distributed by the Arizona Senate Republican Caucus. He added that the measure urges Congress to ensure EPA regulations are “grounded in law and sound science” and do not impose undue economic restrictions.
In additional remarks included in the memorial, Carroll said he is seeking to define the limits of EPA authority to prevent what he described as regulatory overreach.
“I am working to clearly define the EPA’s powers to prevent regulatory overreach that negatively impacts Arizona’s economy,” Carroll said. “While the Clean Air Act allows for specific emissions regulations, the EPA must not exceed its authority or violate fundamental principles of separation of powers. By preventing bureaucratic overreach, we can protect both the environment and the economic opportunities Arizona families and businesses rely on.”
SCM 1004 directs the Arizona Secretary of State to transmit copies of the memorial to leadership in both chambers of Congress and all members of Arizona’s federal delegation. The measure notes that while the EPA’s mission is to enforce environmental laws as intended by Congress, concerns over overreach have prompted states to call for clearer statutory limits on the agency’s powers.
Carroll’s push reflects broader national debates over the scope of federal environmental regulation. Critics of recent EPA proposals have warned that aggressive regulatory action could affect industries including agriculture, energy production, and water resources. Such debates have included congressional hearings examining the consequences of EPA actions on sectors like American agriculture and rural economies.
The memorial challenges key assumptions underlying EPA policies formulated under Democratic administrations and proponents of policy such as the ‘Green New Deal’, stating:
- “Greenhouse gases like CO2 and methane are not acutely toxic like other hazardous pollutants and have no direct impact on human health;”
- “There is no consensus as to whether global warming is a problem or a benefit or how current temperatures fit into the broader climate context;”
- “Global temperatures, droughts, floods and hurricanes have not increased with increasing global CO2 emissions;”
The memorial further refutes the EPA’s authority regarding greenhouse gas emissions, stating directly: “The EPA has no explicit statutory authority to regulate greenhouse gases.”
The memorial comes amid ongoing statewide discussions about the balance between environmental protection and economic growth, with Arizona lawmakers questioning the appropriate reach of federal agencies in areas ranging from air and water quality to land use and energy development.
SCM 1004 was co-sponsored by a group of Republican Arizona Senators, including Hildy Angius (R-LD30), David Gowan (R-LD19), Kevin Payne (R-LD27), Janae Shamp (R-LD29), and Thomas “T.J.” Shope (R-LD16).
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.
