A bill to strengthen the prohibition on using public resources to influence an election is winding through the Arizona legislature.
Sponsored by Sen. John Kavanagh (R-LD3), SB 1036 was passed by the Arizona State Senate last month. The bill clarifies penalties for violations and grants residents the ability to file lawsuits against government entities accused of misusing taxpayer funds for political purposes.
SB 1036 expands Arizona’s existing laws prohibiting public entities—including cities, towns, counties, and school districts—from using government resources to sway election outcomes. Under the bill, a resident of a jurisdiction where a violation occurs can file a lawsuit in superior court. If the court rules in favor of the resident, any civil penalties collected would be paid directly to the resident. The definition of “influencing an election” is broadened to include any presentation of information that is not neutral or impartial, and courts may impose fines of up to $5,000 per violation, plus additional penalties equal to the value of misused public resources.
Arizona law has long prohibited public entities from using government resources—such as taxpayer funds, public facilities, and government personnel—to support or oppose candidates or ballot measures. However, concerns over enforcement and legal loopholes have led lawmakers to introduce additional measures like SB 1036.
Supporters argue that the bill strengthens accountability by giving residents the power to challenge government misuse in court. They believe it will deter public officials from using taxpayer money for political purposes.
SB 1036 passed through the Senate’s Government Committee with a 4-3 vote. The bill now sits in the House for further debate.
Senator Kavanagh has emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of taxpayer-funded resources, stating, “This bill ensures that public funds are not used to tip the scales in elections. Voters should have confidence that their tax dollars are not being used for political agendas.”
As the legislation progresses, Arizona lawmakers and voters will continue to debate the balance between election transparency and government communications.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
A bill requring schools to use students’ real names and biological pronouns is making its way through the Arizona legislature.
SB 1002, sponsored by Arizona Senator John Kavanagh (LD-3), would prohibit school districts, charter schools employees, or independent contractors from referring to any student by a pronoun differing from their biological sex or a name other than their legal name without parental consent. It also prevents a school district or charter school from requiring an employee or independent contractor to use a pronoun that differs from a person’s biological sex, if doing so is contrary to their convictions.
The bill has moved to the Arizona House of Representatives where it awaits approval by the caucuses and a final vote.
Explaining the bill in a video, Sen. Kavanagh said that his bill “has to do with school staff and teachers using a pronoun or a nickname for a student that is not aligned with that student’s biological sex. The bill says that no school personnel can call a student by such an inappropriate pronoun or nickname unless the parents consent. And in addition when the parents do consent, no school employee can be forced to call the person by the pronoun that does not align with their biological sex if it violates the employee’s religious or moral beliefs.”
He continued, “This is important because students that want to be called by a different name or pronoun than their biological sex, or so-called transgendered students, many of them have a condition called gender dysphoria, which causes a lot of anxiety, sometimes even suicidal thoughts. So, the parents may know about this and may have the child under psychiatric care and the child’s doctor may have told the parents do not entertain a different pronoun or name that’s different from the from the child’s real sex because it could harm the child. So, we certainly don’t want school personnel harming children and threatening their psychological well-being or driving them to suicide. So, we’re going to require parental permission because also it’s a matter of parents’ rights. Parents determine what’s good for their children, not a school staff member or a school teacher, however well-meaning they may be.”
As noted in the text of the bill, Arizona’s Parental Bill of Rights “reserves parental rights to a parent of a minor child without interference from the state, a political subdivision or other governmental entity or any other institution.” Among the rights enshrined in the laws A.R.S. §§ 1-601 and 1-602 are parental rights to direct their children’s “education, upbringing and moral or religious training,” and making healthcare decisions on their behalf.
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.
Arizona lawmakers are facing mounting backlash over a proposed pay raise bill that would increase the salaries of state legislators by a significant margin. Senate Concurrent Resolution 1003, introduced in the Arizona State Senate, seeks to boost the base pay for Arizona legislators, raising concerns about the timing of the proposal and the growing burden on taxpayers in an already financially strained state.
The bill, which passed initial stages in the legislature, aims to increase the base salary of lawmakers from $24,000 to $48,000, a 100% increase. Additionally, it proposes an increase in per diem payments and other benefits. The bill’s sponsors argue that this pay increase is necessary to attract qualified candidates to public office as well as keeping up with inflation.
The bill’s sponsor, Senator John Kavanaugh, says that he’s not worried about potential pushback from Arizona voters. “I do not think those voters wanted their $24,000 raise diluted by inflation to about $11,000,” Kavanaugh said. He said this calculation was based on the buying power that figure had in 1998—the last time Arizona lawmakers received a pay raise.
However, critics of the bill argue that such a significant pay raise for lawmakers comes at a time when many Arizonans are struggling to make ends meet due to rising costs of living and a housing crisis that has left many families in financial hardship. The proposal has raised questions about whether elected officials are out of touch with the economic realities faced by their constituents.
The timing of the bill has led some to question the motivation behind it. Critics argue that lawmakers, many of whom already have full-time jobs outside of their legislative duties, should not be seeking a pay raise while so many Arizonans are still struggling financially. Others believe the pay raise is necessary to ensure current lawmakers can make ends meet.
Democrat Senator Eva Burch recently announced her resignation from the legislature, citing that she’s struggling to make ends meet and to find balance with her legislative work and her job as a healthcare provider. “I know that I am not the first, nor will be the last, good person to find themselves a casualty of legislative pay,” said Burch.
As SCR 1003 makes its way through the Arizona Legislature, the controversy surrounding the proposed pay raise for state lawmakers is unlikely to subside anytime soon. With many Arizonans still feeling the financial pressure from rising living costs, the bill has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over government priorities and fiscal responsibility.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizona lawmakers are advancing a series of bills aimed at increasing transparency, accountability, and taxpayer protection. These measures tackle issues ranging from government spending on elections to school board meetings and travel, with a focus on ensuring that public funds are used responsibly and efficiently. With strong support from various groups, these bills reflect ongoing concerns about how taxpayer money is spent and how local government actions are conducted.
One of the most significant pieces of proposed legislation, HB2722, is backed by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and sponored by Rep. Neal Carter (R-LD15). The bill seeks to prevent taxpayers from indirectly subsidizing private businesses through government gifts. Specifically, it targets “gift clauses” in state and local government contracts, which some argue allow for inappropriate use of taxpayer funds to benefit private entities.
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club has been vocal about the need for stronger protections against such expenditures. The organization has stated that this bill is necessary to curb the growing trend of government spending on private corporations without clear public benefit.
“Taxpayers should not be used as a backdoor financing mechanism for private companies,” said Arizona Free Enterprise Club officials. “This bill is about ensuring that public dollars are spent in a way that directly benefits the public, not private interests.” If passed, this bill would create stricter guidelines on how public funds can be spent and would allow taxpayers to hold officials accountable when misused funds are discovered.
Another bill making its way through the Arizona legislature is SB1036, supported by the Goldwater Institute and sponosred by Sen. John Kavanagh (R-LD3). This bill targets government spending on influencing elections, a topic that has sparked considerable debate in recent years. SB1036 would create a private right of action for taxpayers, allowing individuals to sue if they believe government funds are being spent on efforts that influence an election. This would make it easier for citizens to challenge the use of taxpayer money in elections, particularly when the spending appears to be partisan or otherwise improper.
The Goldwater Institute has argued that taxpayers have a right to ensure their money isn’t used to sway political outcomes. According to a recent report by the organization, there have been multiple instances of local governments spending taxpayer funds to advocate for policies that align with political interests, which has raised concerns about government overreach.
“Governments should not be using taxpayer money to influence the political process,” said Goldwater Institute officials. “This bill provides taxpayers with the ability to stand up for their rights and ensure public resources are not misused.”
Another bill, HB2169, which was introduced by Representative Matthew Gress (R-LD4), seeks to address transparency within Arizona’s public school districts. The bill would require school board meetings to be held in public facilities within the district, ensuring that they are easily accessible to the communities they serve. Additionally, the bill mandates that school boards must receive public approval before engaging in out-of-state travel, making it more difficult for administrators to make costly decisions without community oversight.
This legislation gained near-unanimous support, with proponents arguing that it ensures greater accountability for how public schools operate and how funds are spent. Critics of the current system have pointed to examples of school board members using taxpayer money for luxury travel without clear, public approval or benefit. A notable incident involved a local school district that faced backlash after spending taxpayer funds on extravagant trips while simultaneously requesting additional funding from voters for educational needs.
“Public education is about serving the community,” said Representative Gress in a statement. “We need to make sure that the actions of school boards are always in the public interest. This bill strengthens public trust in our school systems.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
