by Matthew Holloway | Mar 3, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona House of Representatives passed House Concurrent Memorial 2007, a measure that would designate sections of State Route 69 as a memorial highway honoring U.S. veterans from major conflicts over the past century.
The measure, sponsored by State Representative Quang Nguyen (R-LD1) and passed with bipartisan support, urges the Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names to divide State Route 69 into six equal segments. Each section would be designated to honor veterans of a specific conflict: World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, and the “Iraq and Afghanistan War,” as described in the resolution.
Under HCM 2007, the memorial also calls on the Secretary of State to transmit a copy to the chairperson of the state geographic board for implementation.
“State Route 69 is a major corridor in our state. When Arizonans drive it, I want them to see names that mean something,” Nguyen said in a statement. “World War I. World War II. Korea. Vietnam. Desert Storm. Iraq and Afghanistan. Those names stand for sacrifice, courage, and victory.”
Nguyen also said the measure recognizes the service and sacrifices of Arizona veterans across generations, and that the memorial would keep the contributions of those service members visible to motorists throughout the state.
“Arizona owes a debt that can never be fully repaid to the men and women who fought for this country,” Nguyen said. “They answered the call in the world’s darkest hours, on frozen hillsides, in jungles, across deserts, and in the streets and mountains where terrorists tried to make war on Americans. They did not hesitate. They put their lives on the line so the United States would stay free, our families could live in peace, and our flag would never be lowered to an enemy.”
State Route 69 is a significant regional corridor in northern Arizona that runs from Yavapai County’s seat, Prescott, and its suburbs, like Prescott Valley and Dewey-Humboldt, and connects a series of rural communities before meeting I-17 at Cordes Junction.
The House Concurrent Resolution notes in historical context that State Route 69, currently named “Black Canyon Highway,” was declared the first public road in the new Arizona territory in 1864 and utilized by the United States Army as part of its route from the then-critical military installations of Fort Whipple to Fort McDowell.
HCM 2007 now advances as a formal request to the Arizona State Board on Geographic and Historic Names for consideration of the designations.
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 28, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona House passed a bill, HB 2762, requiring food labels to disclose cultivated cell use with near-unanimous consent.
Cultivated cells are animal-derived stem cells grown within a lab into a meat alternative substance, or “lab-grown meat.” Unlike real meat, lab-grown meat doesn’t contain components like blood vessels, connective tissue, fat, or muscle fibers and therefore lacks naturally occurring essential nutrients that exist in real meat like iron, collagen, and taurine.
HB 2762, or the Andy Groseta Act, would require lab-grown meat to have the phrases “cell-cultivated” or “cell-cultured” on their packaging. Groseta was the former president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Arizona Cattle Growers’ Association, and the Yavapai Cattle Growers Association.
State Rep. Quang Nguyen (R-LD1) declared in a press release that Arizona families have a right to transparency when it comes to their food.
“Arizona families should not have to decode fine print or marketing claims to know what they are buying,” said Nguyen. “If a food product is derived from cultivated cells, the label should say so plainly and directly. HB 2762 protects consumers from confusion at the grocery store and supports our ranchers and farmers who raise and grow real food under clear standards.”
Three Democratic lawmakers voted against the bill: Minority Whip Quanta Crews (D-LD26) and Reps. Brian Garcia (D-LD8) and Consuelo Hernandez (D-LD21). None explained their vote.
Five consumer products containing cultivated cells have completed premarket consultations with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the first of which was completed in November 2022. Premarket consultations evaluate food safety prior to their release on the market. Three of these products within that stage of premarket consultations are made with chicken cells, one from pork fat cells, and one from salmon cells.
The FDA and Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) established a formal agreement on their regulatory approach to lab-grown meat in 2019. The FDA oversees the collection, banking, and growth and differentiation stages of cells used to create lab-grown meat. FSIS oversees the cell harvesting, production, and labeling stages.
A similar bill that passed the House last year was held in the Senate.
Chairman Lupe Diaz (R-LD19) advised in the bill’s committee hearing last month that Republican leadership is also looking at banning cultivated cell products.
Democrats who voted against the bill in committee ended up voting for the bill on the House floor: Reps. Mae Peshlakai (D-LD6), Mariana Sandoval (D-LD23), and Stephanie Stahl Hamilton (D-LD21).
Sandoval said the bill was “a solution looking for a problem.” Sandoval said Arizona should leave food labeling decisions up to the federal government.
“State-specific mandates risk confusion, federal preemption, and unnecessary barriers to innovation,” said Sandoval.
Not only did Sandoval end up voting for the bill, she introduced the adopted amendment to clarify its language. Originally the bill would have required lab-grown meat to have the following disclosure on labels: “This food product is derived from cultivated cells.” Sandoval’s amendment provided two alternative shortened disclosures: “cell-cultivated” or “cell-cultured.”
Stakeholders against the bill include Sprouts, the Arizona Food Marketing Alliance, Arizona Retailers Association, and Good Food Institute. Those for the bill included the Arizona Cattle Growers’ Association and Arizona Farm and Ranch Group.
Good Food Institute’s lobbyist Sam Richard said during the committee hearing that they support transparency and labeling for consumers, but argued the current bill limits companies’ access to the Arizona market since the legislation is Arizona-specific and not a national requirement.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 12, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona House of Representatives passed a bill unanimously on Monday to intensify prison sentences for fentanyl traffickers. Supporters say it will strengthen law enforcement’s tools against the opioid crisis.
House Bill 2132, sponsored by Rep. Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), lowers the amount of fentanyl that triggers enhanced prison terms in state law. Under current law, mandatory enhanced sentences apply at the 200-gram threshold; the measure approved by the House would apply those penalties at 100 grams.
The bill passed the chamber with unanimous support and now advances to the Arizona Senate for further consideration.
“Fentanyl is killing Arizonans, destroying families, and driving crime across our state,” Nguyen said in a statement following the Monday vote. “HB 2132 targets the dealers who profit from death and puts serious prison time on the table. This bill backs law enforcement, protects our communities, and makes clear that Arizona will not tolerate fentanyl trafficking.”
According to the Arizona House GOP leadership, enhanced sentence ranges under existing law carry mandatory terms of five to 15 years, with longer terms for repeat offenders. Nguyen’s office says applying those penalties at a lower fentanyl threshold better reflects how the drug is moved and sold in real-world trafficking cases.
Critics of stricter sentencing, such as Rep. Alma Hernandez (D-LD20), have argued that enhanced penalties alone may not significantly deter addiction or drug distribution. She told the Judicial Committee in January, “I am just concerned that we continue to move the goal posts,” as reported by the AZ Mirror.
Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeff Newnum described fentanyl as “a drug of mass destruction,” speaking to the committee. He explained that 100 grams amounts to approximately 1,000 pills, adding that an average sale in his county involves about 30 grams.
“I would love an amendment that lowers it to 30 grams, but I’ll take 100 grams today,” Newnum said per the Mirror. “These are not people, in my opinion, that need to be placed on probation. They need to be put in prison.”
“Public safety is non-negotiable,” Nguyen said in his statement. “House Republicans are taking direct action against fentanyl dealers because Arizona families deserve safe streets, strong laws, and accountability for those who profit from destruction.”
The next stop for HB 2132 is the state Senate, where it will be assigned to a committee before a potential floor vote. A similar measure from Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-LD7), Senate Bill 1061, would lower the enhanced sentencing threshold to nine grams. The bill passed the Senate Judicial Committee in January and is pending a floor vote.
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 10, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
New Legislation requiring continuous electronic monitoring for certain registered sex offenders who lack a fixed residence advanced out of a key legislative committee last week.
House Bill 2413, sponsored by Rep. Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, was approved by that Committee and is bound for the House Rules Committee before heading to the House floor for consideration.
The bill would amend existing law to require courts to place any registered sex offender without a permanent address on a global positioning system (GPS) or other electronic monitoring until a residence is established.
As explained in a news release, the bill “closes a serious gap in current law by ensuring offenders who cannot be reliably located are continuously monitored, strengthening accountability and protecting Arizona communities.”
Under current statute, sex offenders who are homeless may register as transients and periodically update their status, a gap Nguyen’s bill aims to close. HB 2413 also directs the Arizona Department of Public Safety to oversee compliance with the monitoring requirement.
“Public safety in Arizona is not negotiable,” Rep. Nguyen said. “If a registered sex offender cannot tell authorities where they live, the public should not be left guessing where they are. This bill puts accountability first and gives law enforcement the tools they need to track offenders who would otherwise be difficult to locate.”
House GOP leaders stated, “House Republicans have made clear that protecting communities requires firm enforcement, clear standards, and consequences that are enforced.”
HB 2413 advances the House Republican Majority Plan’s public safety pillar, which emphasizes enforcing the rule of law and prioritizing the safety of families and neighborhoods.
Under the bill language summarized by legislative tracking services, the monitoring requirement would be in addition to any supervision already in place for offenders on probation, parole, or other court orders.
The committee vote was 5–4 along party lines, with the bill clearing the Judicial Committee and moving to the Rules Committee, before going to the full House for a potential floor vote.
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 6, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
Republican lawmakers in the Arizona House are continuing their investigation into Gov. Katie Hobbs over an alleged pay-to-play scheme.
On Monday, House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29) announced the House advisory team obtained outside counsel from out of state to investigate the connection between Hobbs and a Glendale group home, Sunshine Residential Homes, independently.
Montenegro said in a statement that the connection between the governor and the group home constituted special treatment derived directly from political donations. The lawmaker said that the addition of outside counsel was necessary to achieve the full independence an investigation of this significance needed.
“The advisory team has done serious, disciplined work, and their recommendation to bring in independent counsel is the right next step,” said Montenegro. “The House will not look the other way when taxpayer dollars and vulnerable children may have been used as leverage in a political scheme. We will follow the facts, consider the findings, and ensure transparency and accountability in state government. Arizonans deserve nothing less.”
The outside counsel is Justin Smith with the Missouri-based James Otis Law Group. The law group was founded by Trump’s solicitor general, D. John Sauer.
Smith is the listed counsel in President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against a woman, E. Jean Carroll, alleging battery and defamation. Carroll sued Trump for defamation after he publicly denied her 2019 claims of him sexually assaulting her in the 1990s.
That petition is before the Supreme Court.
According to Montenegro, Smith will conduct records review and interviews. All findings will go directly to the advisory team and House leadership.
Advisory team members are State Reps. Selina Bliss (R-LD1), David Livingston (R-LD28), Matt Gress (R-LD4), Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), and Neal Carter (R-LD15).
Last November, that advisory team was created to follow up on 2024 media reporting alleging the pay-to-play scheme within the Arizona Department of Child Safety under Hobbs’ direction.
In the summer of 2024, the Arizona Republic reported that Sunshine Residential Homes received a unique 30% rate increase following a donation exceeding $400,000 to Hobbs and the Arizona Democratic Party.
Much of 2024 was spent attempting to determine who, if anyone, was fit to conduct an investigation into the allegations against the governor.
One of the earliest requests came from Republican State Sen. T.J. Shope, who asked Attorney General Kris Mayes to investigate. Mayes complied initially, but was immediately hit with other Republican lawmakers and state leaders asking her to recuse herself due to an alleged conflict of interest.
State Rep. Matt Gress asked Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell and Auditor General Lindsey Perry to investigate.
All three leaders are investigating. Mitchell and Perry are coordinating on one investigation, while Mayes will conduct her own investigation.
As reported last November, the work of the House’s advisory team will coordinate with these parallel investigations by the auditor general and county attorney, and the attorney general.
In February 2024, Sunshine Residential Homes owners Elizabeth and Simon Kottoor maxed out their donations to Hobbs’ reelection campaign. Each gave the maximum $5,400 contribution amount.
In October 2022, the Kottoors gave Hobbs’ initial gubernatorial campaign $10,000.
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