by Matthew Holloway | Jan 12, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Legislature will return to the State Capitol today, marking the start of the Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session and the beginning of legislative work for 2026.
According to information published by the Arizona Legislature, the opening day will include ceremonies in both chambers of the Capitol, followed by a joint session of the House and Senate later in the afternoon.
Per a legislative announcement released ahead of the session, events will begin at 11:00 a.m. with welcome music in the Capitol courtyard performed by the Eastern Arizona College Marching Band.
The Arizona Senate is scheduled to convene at noon in the Senate Chamber to formally open the Second Regular Session. The program outlined in the legislative release includes gathering music by Trio Fratelli, a call to order by Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), an invocation delivered by Pastor Luke Simmons of Ironwood Church, and the presentation of the colors by the Luke Air Force Base Honor Guard.
The Pledge of Allegiance is scheduled to be led by Senator Priya Sundareshan (D-LD17), followed by the national anthem performed by Trio Fratelli. Petersen is expected to deliver opening remarks before the Senate recesses.
Following the recess, Brian Mueller, president of Grand Canyon University, is scheduled to address lawmakers and guests, according to the same announcement.
At 2:00 p.m., members of the House and Senate are scheduled to convene in the House Chamber for a joint session, during which Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs is expected to deliver the annual State of the State address, outlining her priorities for the year ahead.
Following the joint session, the Senate is scheduled to reconvene to complete remaining Senate business.
In a statement included with the opening-day announcement, Petersen said lawmakers are entering the 2026 session focused on affordability and public safety.
“This session, our top priority is to provide real relief for the people of Arizona,” Petersen said. “Opening day is both a celebration and a call to action. It offers a special opportunity for the legislature to welcome their families and loved ones to the Capitol as we mark the beginning of a new session. As we start our work, our focus is clear: lowering costs, making Arizona affordable, protecting our freedoms, and enhancing community safety. I look forward to commencing this session and delivering results for Arizonans across the state.”
The opening-day ceremonies and the joint session will be livestreamed on the Arizona Legislature’s official website at: https://www.azleg.gov/liveproceedings.
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 Daniel Stefanski | Jan 25, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Another Arizona lawmaker is pushing back against the governor’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Earlier this week, Arizona State Representative Gail Griffin issued a scathing response to Governor Katie Hobbs’ recently released budget for Fiscal Year 2026. Griffin, the Chairman of the House Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee, wrote, “As usual, the Governor talks a big game on water but does little to prioritize the solutions that matter.”
The all-important issue of “water” in Arizona has been a source of great contention over the past two years with the state’s current status of a divided government. In Hobbs’ State of the State address, she said, “As I said when I stood before you last year, we must act now to protect Arizona’s water. And when the Legislature did not, I did. I remain committed to true, bipartisan reform to protect our groundwater. But mark my words, if this Legislature fails to act. I will… Again. Further, any bills that attack our assured water supply program, undermine our water future, or are political cover for this Legislature’s lack of action on water security, will meet my veto pen.”
Hobbs proposed a $3 million investment to create a Colorado River Litigation Fund to “ensure that The Department of Water Resources (ADWR) has the resources to defend Arizona’s interests and water users who depend on the State’s precious Colorado River entitlement.” The governor also requested another six full-time employees for ADWR “to meet the demanding water policy challenges facing Arizona,” among other proposals from her team, including almost five million dollars for renovations to fish hatcheries across the state.
Representative Griffin also stated, “With Governor Hobbs’ latest proposal, it seems the Governor is more interested in building new homes for fish and birds than building new homes for hard-working Arizonans. Nothing in the Governor’s budget does anything to increase the critical supply of for-sale housing or support the American Dream of home ownership.”
Griffin added, “Arizona House Republicans are committed to advancing fiscally responsible solutions that address our critical housing and water supply issues, preserve the American Dream, and unleash economic prosperity in our state while protecting our individual rights and liberties. We will continue to put the interests of Arizona citizens first – and this will be reflected in our ongoing budget negotiations and proposals.”
The longtime Arizona Republican legislator’s comments about housing and water policies mirrored what two Senate lawmakers in her party had to say following the governor’s state of the state address earlier this month. In a video following the speech, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen said, “We agree with the Governor that home ownership has become unaffordable for many Arizonans… but the Executive’s mandate halting home construction in two of the most booming areas of the valley was irresponsible, and first-time homebuyers are suffering the consequences of sky-high prices.”
Senate President Pro-Tempore T.J. Shope noted, “We must build. We have the water to support the growth. We use the same amount of water today that we did 70 years ago – and we have 6 million more people today! Arizona knows how to conserve water. Right now we have legislation to allow us to continue to grow and build homes while conserving water. Governor, sign our Ag-to-Urban bill. You vetoed it last year. Don’t make the same mistake twice.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 18, 2025 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
Border security was again a hot topic on the first day of the Arizona Legislative session for 2025.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs gave her State of the State address on Monday and discussed the issue of border security during her speech. Hobbs said, “A truly thriving economy means security for our families and neighbors. That’s why safe communities are a core pillar of the Arizona Promise and why I’ve made border security a top priority… We must remain vigilant in protecting Arizonans from the cartels who seek to do us harm. The fentanyl crisis is one of the greatest threats to public safety in our state’s history and requires a collaborative approach across state, local, and federal governments. When we work together, we protect Arizona families. I will continue working with this legislature to protect our border because until all Arizonans feel secure in their communities, we will not be able to deliver on our Promise of freedom and opportunity.”
Republicans were not amused by the governor’s comments, highlighting the many times she has opposed efforts to secure the border and protect Arizona communities from the harms and dangers wrought by illegal immigration. Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen said, “When the Governor promised to prioritize border security last year, her actions did not match her words. She vetoed our border bills. But, the voters spoke loud and clear last November. They want their government to enforce the law and secure our open border. We will support President Trump and our law enforcement in their efforts to protect Arizonans from the crime pouring into our communities and jeopardizing our national security.”
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope added, “If the Governor or any other elected leaders choose to stand in the way…get ready for court. The Republican-led Arizona Legislature vows to uphold the rule of law, and we will exhaust all legal options to ensure the chaos we’ve lived for the past four years comes to an end.”
Late last year, Hobbs released an ambiguous post on her official X account, indirectly taking aim at the Trump administration’s forthcoming actions on the border after his momentous victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the historic November General Election. She said, “Securing our border is not a red issue or a blue issue. It’s an Arizona issue and an American issue. I’ll work with anyone to secure our border while standing up to misguided policies that attack Arizonans.”
Thus far in her administration, Hobbs has resisted most attempts by Republicans to maximize Arizona’s resources and laws to better protect communities against the harms from illegal immigration. That resistance led to state legislative Republicans sending a border security ballot measure to voters this past November – Proposition 314, which gave local law enforcement more tools to combat illegal immigration across the state. Arizona Republicans are expected to continue to search for ways to assist the Trump Administration to stop the flow of illegal immigration into and through their state over the next two years.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Jan 17, 2025 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
As another legislative session begins in Arizona, Republicans and Democrats are again bringing the all-important issue of school choice to the forefront of the public debate.
On Monday, Governor Katie Hobbs ushered in the start of the 57th Regular Session of the Arizona Legislature with her State of the State address, where she took time to criticize the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program. In her speech, Hobbs said, “The current program is unchecked, flawed, and rife with exploitation. Three years ago, it went far beyond its original purpose, which was to support kids with special needs and military families. Today, it has ballooned into a billion-dollar boondoggle increasingly scamming Arizonans. Other entitlements funded by taxpayers have strict oversight and income requirements. Yet the ESA program has the privilege of virtually no safeguards.”
Hobbs proposed changes to the ESA program for a “balanced solution that supports families and finally brings real and effective guardrails to ESAs.” Her solution was to “institute responsible income caps, ensure taxpayers know where their money is going, and create real accountability for taxpayer dollars.”
The governor’s remarks were met with immediate criticism from Republicans and others who support the expanded ESA program. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said, “Under my leadership, the department has done a full-court press against waste and fraud. I hired both a program auditor and an investigator, which had not been done before. I require that every expenditure be for a valid educational purpose and have been attacked for doing that. The Governor needs to pay more attention to what is going on. She gets an ‘F’.”
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope added, “We will also protect parental choice, so that every child in the state has the ability to succeed in the classroom, no matter their zip code or financial status.”
Common Sense Institute Arizona wrote, “In her State of the State address, Governor Hobbs asked lawmakers to compare Arizona’s ESA program to other government entitlement programs with respect to accountability and transparency. Luckily, we already did! And it turns out that improper payment rates in the Arizona ESA program are a fraction of those in other government programs like Medicaid, Unemployment Insurance, and SNAP.”
Jason Bedrick said, “The voters made their will clear by re-electing those who supported ESAs and expanding their legislative majority. The legislature should reject Gov. Hobbs’ attempts to undermine ESA families.”
On the flip side, Governor Hobbs’ comments received support from her allies, who have long attempted to shrink, regulate, or eliminate the historic ESA expansion program in Arizona. Save Our Schools Arizona Executive Director Beth Lewis responded, “It is time to end the rampant waste, fraud, and abuse in the universal ESA voucher program. We commend Governor Hobbs for championing public education and pushing for much-needed voucher reform. We sincerely hope legislators like Senate President Petersen who name ‘fiscal responsibility’ their top priority will bring long-overdue guardrails to this irresponsible program, which now costs taxpayers nearly $1 billion annually.”
Hobbs and legislative Republicans will continue to bicker about the future of school choice in Arizona, but not much – if anything – will be done this year (and likely the next) to regulate ESAs per the governor’s insatiable desire. Over the past two years, Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen successfully fended off ferocious political attacks that targeted ESAs and other school choice opportunities for Arizonans. He will again be counted upon, along with his Republican colleagues in the Arizona House and Senate, to protect one of the top states in the country for school choice.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Corinne Murdock | Jan 9, 2024 | Education, News
By Corinne Murdock |
Gov. Katie Hobbs is claiming that the state’s school choice program is rife with abuse and in need of serious reform.
In her State of the State address on Monday, Hobbs claimed the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program lacks accountability and transparency, alluding to media reports of questionable and controversial expenditures — some of which were debunked previously.
“We have seen a steady stream of news coverage around unacceptable and sometimes downright outrageous use of taxpayer money under this program, including water park admissions, ski passes, and luxury car driving lessons,” said Hobbs.
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) issues quarterly reports on the ESA program; the latest was released several days prior to Christmas. These reports include the program award amount received by students, as well as the number of orders and reimbursements approved and rejected.
ADE also provides lists of allowable and disallowable expenses, both updated last March. The ADE debunked one of Hobbs’ claims of “outrageous” expenditures last summer. In a statement, ADE clarified that it rejects expenditures for water park admissions.
An ABC15 review of 2022-23 ESA program expenditures found that ADE issued nearly 80 approvals for driving lessons and over 100 approvals for ski passes. However, that report didn’t distinguish whether those expenditures were made in 2022 under former ADE Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) Kathy Hoffman, or in 2023 under current SPI Tom Horne. The difference matters because, as Horne stated in November, similar “outlandish purchases” occurred under Hoffman, not him.
“Approvals like those came during the prior superintendent’s administration led by a friend of the leader of Save Our Schools, and one of my first acts in office was to put an end to it,” said Horne.
As reported by AZ Free News last January, Hoffman’s administration of the ESA program was described as neglectful and improper. In addition to severe understaffing and hundreds of thousands of unfulfilled expense requests, the Horne administration discovered questionable expense approvals such as espresso machines.
Hoffman’s administration of the ESA program has been something that Horne has pointed out repeatedly in refuting claims of improper ESA program expenditures.
“The frivolous ESA spending approvals occurred under the administration of the Governor’s friend, Kathy Hoffman,” said Horne in another statement last month.
As of Monday, over 73,200 students were in the ESA program.
Hobbs’ criticism of the ESA program comes days after she announced a plan to effectively dismantle the ESA program. Monday’s speech made mention of several aspects of this proposed plan: fingerprint background checks for private school educators, a new audit authority for the auditor general specific to monitoring ESA expenditures, and requirement of attendance at a public school for at least 100 days to qualify for the program.
The governor’s plan also aims to require private schools to accommodate Individualized Learning Plans and Section 504 Plans, prohibit private schools from increasing tuition costs at a rate higher than inflation, require private schools to meet certain education requirements, and require ADE to disclose which parental and student rights are waived upon entrance into the ESA program as well as graduation and chronic absenteeism rates.
At least one of Hobbs’ proposals addresses a practice already in place, according to Horne: accountability in the form of manual reviews of purchases over $500 and rejection of non-academic expenditures.
Horne explained in a statement that his staff reviews all expense requests, regardless of amount, leading to a rejection of over 12,000 purchase order requests and the suspension of nearly 2,200 accounts totaling $21 million due to public school enrollment.
“My job is to administer the ESA program in line with state law, and if changes are made, the Department of Education will follow them,” said Horne. “My office already reviews all expense requests regardless of amount, unlike the previous superintendent who approved many frivolous requests.”
That $500 threshold appears to be related to another false expenditure-related claim echoed by Hobbs from the activist group, Save Our Schools Arizona. The activist group implied in a viral post picked up by various media outlets that ADE approved an expenditure of over $500 for a Lego set.
“Contrary to a falsified document tweeted by Save Our Schools, no ESA parent has been reimbursed $500 to buy Legos,” said Horne. “To be clear, district, charter and ESA students are allowed to use Legos. The issue here is a pattern of lying. Save Our Schools admitted they fabricated a document to make it look like a parent made a $500 purchase when she did not. By doing so they have misled both the Governor and a prominent newspaper columnist, both of whom have retweeted this lie.”
Although the claim was debunked, Hobbs didn’t retract her viral accusation of ESA program mismanagement.
“Your taxpayer dollars are being used to buy $500 Lego sets because partisan politicians refuse to place limits on school vouchers,” said Hobbs.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
