by Ethan Faverino | Feb 25, 2026 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The Arizona House of Representatives passed HCR 2003, the Protect Girls’ Sports in Arizona Act, on February 23, 2026, in a vote of 32 ayes to 25 nays.
Sponsored by Rep. Selina Bliss (R-LD1), the measure now advances to the Arizona Senate. If approved by the Senate, it would refer the proposed law to Arizona voters for consideration on the November 2026 general election ballot.
HCR 2003 seeks to require schools and athletic associations to designate interscholastic and intramural athletic teams or sports as “males/men/boys,” “females/women/girls,” or “coeducational/mixed,” based on an individual’s biological sex as recorded at birth on the original birth certificate. Teams designated for females would not be open to biological male athletes.
The resolution also includes stronger privacy protections, prohibiting schools and athletic associations from authorizing individuals to use restrooms, locker rooms, shower rooms, or other private athletic facilities not designated for their biological sex, effective January 1, 2027.
The measure restores and strengthens elements of Arizona’s 2022 Save Women’s Sports Act (SB 1165), which faced partial blocks by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, creating uncertainty for schools, families, and athletes.
“Today the House acted to protect fair competition for girls across Arizona,” stated Rep. Bliss. “Women’s sports were created because biological differences matter. When those differences are ignored, girls lose roster spots, scholarships, and opportunities they earned. HCR 2003 gives voters the chance to protect female athletes and establish clear, durable rules for schools.”
Additional provisions of the proposed law include:
- Allowing athletes to participate on teams aligned with their biological sex or on coeducational teams.
- Prohibiting government entities, licensing organizations, accrediting bodies, or athletic associations from taking adverse action against schools or associations that maintain separate teams for female athletes.
- Providing a private cause of action for athletes deprived of opportunities or harmed by violations, including for injunctive relief, damages (including for psychological, emotional, or physical harm), attorney fees, and costs.
- Protecting against retaliation for reporting violations, with similar legal remedies available.
- Applying to public and qualifying private schools serving K-12.
“Court rulings have created uncertainty for schools and families,” Rep. Bliss added. “This referral allows Arizona voters to decide whether girls’ sports should remain for girls. It protects privacy in locker rooms and showers and restores clarity statewide.”
HCR 2003 now heads to the Arizona Senate for further consideration. If approved, it will be on this year’s general election ballot.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Feb 7, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
A slate of bills designed to strengthen oversight of Arizona’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) advanced Monday as House Republicans moved to implement federal reforms enacted under H.R. 1. The bills include new work requirements, stricter eligibility verification, and measures to reduce payment error rates
The actions follow a separate advancement of Medicaid and health-related bills tied to federal H.R. 1 reforms by the Arizona House Health and Human Services Committee, part of a broader state response to changes enacted under the federal budget reconciliation act.
House leaders said the measures correspond to provisions in the federal law signed into effect on July 4, 2025, which included updates to SNAP work requirements, eligibility criteria, and administrative rules.
“H.R. 1 made it clear that work expectations and eligibility rules matter again,” Committee Chairman Rep. Selina Bliss (R-LD1) said. “Our SNAP reforms reinforce responsibility while protecting parents, seniors, and the disabled. This package keeps the program strong so it can continue serving families who qualify and rely on it.”
Key bills advanced under the SNAP reform package include measures to tighten employment and training provisions for SNAP participants, adjust work requirement waivers, and increase data verification for eligibility determinations. The bills advanced with a ‘Do Pass’ recommendation 7-4.
One bill, HB 2206, would require the Arizona Department of Economic Security to reduce the SNAP payment error rate to 3 percent — a target state lawmakers say could reduce improper payments and lower the risk of federal cost-sharing penalties tied to high error rates under H.R. 1.
Failure to act, Republican lawmakers said, could expose Arizona to federal penalties related to improper payments and high error rates, effectively shifting more program costs onto state taxpayers. According to legislative budget estimates, the reduction would save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars annually.
“SNAP should be a hand up, not a blank check,” House Majority Leader Michael Carbone (R-LD25) said. “When benefits flow to people who no longer qualify or who do not even live here, the program is weakened for families who truly need help. These bills tighten eligibility, reinforce work expectations, and protect taxpayers while keeping SNAP available for the vulnerable.”
Mandatory employment and training requirements for certain SNAP recipients are addressed in HB 2442, which would align Arizona law with updated federal work provisions enacted under H.R. 1. The bill requires eligible participants to engage in job readiness, employment, or training activities as a condition of receiving benefits, reflecting federal standards adopted through the reconciliation package.
HB 2448 focuses on waivers and exemptions for work requirements, narrowing the circumstances under which SNAP recipients may be exempted from employment obligations. The legislation responds to federal changes limiting broad waiver authority and seeks to ensure exemptions are applied more narrowly and in accordance with updated eligibility rules.
Expanded eligibility verification requirements for SNAP and other public assistance programs are proposed under HB 2797, which applies additional data checks to confirm income, employment status, residency, and overall eligibility. The bill also directs suspected fraud cases to be referred for further review, including potential federal prosecution.
The committee’s agenda also included adjustments to employment reporting requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents and limits on backdoor waivers unless approved by the Legislature.
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.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jan 30, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona House Republican Majority advanced five of six bills aimed at aligning state law with key provisions of the Trump administration’s signature legislation, H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, during a meeting of the House Health and Human Services Committee on Monday.
According to a pre-meeting press release from the Arizona House GOP Conference, the six-bill package focuses on Medicaid eligibility verification, reporting requirements, rural health workforce issues, and related health policy changes. GOP leaders said the measures are intended to mirror select federal reforms included in H.R. 1, including restoring accountability to Medicaid, strengthening rural health care access and workforce participation, and protecting taxpayer resources.
The following bills were identified by House GOP leadership as part of the package:
Medicaid-related measures:
- HB 2796 (Rep. Michael Carbone, R-LD25) — AHCCCS; enrollment verification; presumptive eligibility: Strengthens eligibility verification for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) by requiring cross-agency data matching to verify income, residency, deaths, and out-of-state activity. The bill limits reliance on self-reporting where not federally required and tightens presumptive eligibility primarily to children and pregnant women. Advanced 7–5.
- HB 2689 (Rep. Ralph Heap, R-LD10) — Hospitals; patient immigration status; reporting: Establishes reporting requirements related to hospital patient immigration status. Advanced 7–5.
Public assistance, health access, and workforce-related measures
- HB 2396 (Rep. Leo Biasiucci, R-LD30) — SNAP; allowed purchases; waiver: Addresses Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) policy options, including purchase eligibility and waiver authority. Advanced as amended 7–5.
- HB 2190 (Rep. Julie Willoughby, R-LD13) — Physician Assistant Licensure Compact: Seeks to join Arizona in an interstate compact to facilitate licensure portability for physician assistants. Advanced 11–1.
- HB 2437 (Rep. Selina Bliss, R-LD1) — EMS reciprocity; compact: Would establish an interstate compact for emergency medical services credential reciprocity. Held.
- HB 2233 (Rep. Walt Blackman, R-LD7) — Arizona Rural Health Transformation Fund; reporting: Requires additional reporting related to the Arizona Rural Health Transformation Fund. Advanced as amended/strike everything 7–5.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed by the U.S. Congress under budget reconciliation and signed into federal law on July 4, 2025. It includes broad federal policy changes affecting tax policy, Medicaid funding, SNAP, border security, and other areas.
The House Health and Human Services Committee meeting was open to the public and available for viewing online via the Arizona Legislature’s official video player.
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 Ethan Faverino | Jan 30, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Former Arizona State Representative Noel Campbell, a dedicated public servant and veteran, passed away on January 24, 2026, at the age of 84, from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident on I-10 in Phoenix on January 20.
Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro announced the news, highlighting Campbell’s lifelong commitment to service. “Noel Campbell lived a life defined by service,” explained Montenegro. “He served his country in uniform, protected our communities in the air and on the ground, and brought that same sense of duty to the Arizona House. Our state is better because he chose to serve. Our prayers are with Noel’s wife, Mary Beth, his family, and all who were fortunate to know him. He will be remembered with respect and gratitude.”
Campbell, a Republican from Prescott, represented Legislative District 1 in the Arizona House of Representatives for three terms, from 2015 to 2021.
He chaired the House Transportation Committee during the 53rd and 54th Legislatures, earning respect for his practical approach, leadership, and thoughtful policy work.
Before entering politics, Campbell’s career was marked by extensive service in high-stakes roles. He served as a United States Navy combat aviator during the Vietnam War, later retiring as a Commander in the Naval Reserves.
He went on to work as a pilot with the United States Customs Service, combating illegal drug trafficking, and later as a wildfire pilot for the United States Forest Service.
Arizona lawmakers from both chambers mourned his loss and celebrated his legacy. “Noel served Arizona with distinction, representing his district with a steady hand and a deep commitment to the people he was elected to serve,” expressed Senator Mark Finchem. “Never afraid to have a scrappy debate, his work at the Legislature reflected a strong belief in public service, civic duty, and the responsibility of government to its citizens. Noel was someone who took the job seriously and never forgot who he worked for. He represented his district, Legislative District 1, with integrity and left a lasting mark on Arizona’s legislative history.”
“His passing is a loss for our state,” Senator Finchem added. “Noel was known for his thoughtful approach to policy and his dedication to Arizona communities, particularly in Legislative District 1. His service spanned decades of civic involvement, and his impact continues to be felt by colleagues and constituents alike.”
Representatives Quang Nguyen and Selina Bliss also honored Campbell’s legacy in Arizona, stating:
“Noel was a mentor and a friend,” Rep. Nguyen said. “When I was first elected, he reminded me that my vote mattered just as much as anyone else’s and that no one should ever be bullied out of doing what they believe is right. He also taught me that your word is everything. Once you lose that, you have nothing left. I am grateful for his guidance and his example. Thank you for your service, Representative Campbell. Rest in peace.”
“Noel Campbell was a champion for Legislative District 1 and for the state of Arizona,” said Rep Bliss. “He served with honor and cared deeply about the people he represented. God bless him, and rest in peace.”
Campbell’s decades of service—from military aviation and federal law enforcement to wildfire response and state legislation—reflected a consistent willingness to step forward in challenging environments, guided by leadership, discipline, and a focus on protecting communities in his district and across the state of Arizona.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
