by Jonathan Eberle | Oct 10, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona House Republican leaders are demanding answers after learning that the Chief Medical Officer of the state’s Medicaid program, AHCCCS, has been serving with an expired medical license.
According to records from the Arizona Medical Board, Dr. Theresa Costales, a psychiatrist appointed as Chief Medical Officer in January 2025, failed to renew her license, which was due April 9. The statutory grace period ended on August 9, leaving the license fully expired. Despite this, Dr. Costales continues to advise on state health policies that impact more than 2 million Arizonans.
House Speaker Steve Montenegro called the lapse “a failure of oversight” by Governor Katie Hobbs’ administration. “A lapse like this should never happen in a healthcare agency responsible for millions of people,” he said. “The public deserves accountability when even the most basic standards aren’t met.”
House Majority Leader Michael Carbone echoed the concern, noting that license verification is a simple process. “Any citizen can look this up in minutes. That it slipped through the cracks at the highest level of medical leadership is completely unacceptable.”
House Majority Whip Julie Willoughby, who is also a healthcare professional, questioned whether key policy decisions were made without proper credentials in place. “You cannot have a Chief Medical Officer without an active license—it’s that simple,” she said. She raised particular concern about the recent rollout of the controversial Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) assessment tool, asking whether decisions tied to the program were made under expired authority.
Republican leaders also pointed to other state agencies, such as the Department of Corrections, that explicitly require valid medical licenses for their top medical positions. They argue AHCCCS should be held to the same standard, given its role in overseeing care for vulnerable populations.
Speaker Pro Tempore Neal Carter said the situation undermines public confidence. “Governor Hobbs’ administration has failed once again to ensure competence and accountability in state government. This isn’t a small oversight—it undermines trust in one of Arizona’s largest healthcare agencies.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Oct 4, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona State Representative Quang Nguyen (R-LD1), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, was recognized as Legislator of the Year on Saturday at the 40th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) in Salt Lake City. The award highlights Nguyen’s role in advocating for Second Amendment protections at both the state and national levels. The GRPC, founded by Alan Gottlieb of the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), brings together legal scholars, public officials, authors, and activists to address firearms policy and constitutional rights. Each year, SAF honors individuals who have made significant contributions to defending the right to keep and bear arms.
Gottlieb praised Nguyen during the ceremony, saying, “I have rarely encountered a public servant as principled and tireless as Representative Quang Nguyen of Arizona. Since his first day in office, Representative Nguyen has stood as a stalwart voice for your rights and mine, not just voting the right way, but leading from the front, shaping the debate, and holding the line against those who would erode our freedoms incrementally.”
Nguyen was joined at the conference by Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro and Representative Nick Kupper. Montenegro participated in a “Fireside Chat” moderated by Armed America Radio host Mark Walters, highlighting Arizona House Republicans’ record on gun rights.
In accepting the award, Nguyen emphasized his commitment to constitutional protections: “It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the Second Amendment Foundation as Legislator of the Year. I will always defend the Constitution as written and protect Arizonans’ right to self-defense. I am grateful to Speaker Montenegro and Representative Kupper for standing with me in defense of the Second Amendment. House Republicans will continue to lead Arizona in the fight to preserve our rights.”
The 2025 conference featured dozens of speakers addressing issues surrounding firearms law, policy, and the future of the Second Amendment.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Sep 24, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro, alongside Senate President Warren Petersen and House Republicans, announced the filing of an amicus brief with the Arizona Supreme Court in the case Republican National Committee v. Fontes.
The brief urges the Court to require Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to adhere to Arizona’s Administrative Procedures Act (APA) when drafting the Elections Procedures Manual (EPM), a critical set of rules governing the state’s election process.
The APA mandates a transparent public notice and comment period before new rules take effect, ensuring accountability and alignment with Arizona’s election statutes.
The brief, filed in support of the Republican National Committee, the Republican Party of Arizona, LLC, and the Yavapai County Republican Party, argues that the EPM must comply with the APA’s procedural requirements, as neither the APA nor the authorizing statute (A.R.S. § 16-452) explicitly exempts it.
“The integrity of Arizona’s elections is absolutely vital. House Republicans are committed to the rule of law and to ensuring that Secretary Fontes stays within the limits of his authority,” said Speaker Montenegro. “We already convinced a judge to strike down unlawful provisions in the 2023 EPM in our own lawsuit. We fully support this case, which asks only that Secretary Fontes follow long-standing notice and comment requirements when drafting the manual. Arizonans deserve accountability and transparency from every public officer, especially when it comes to election rules.”
The brief emphasizes that Arizona’s comprehensive election laws, which cover voter registration, early ballots, polling places, and vote tabulation, limit the Secretary of State’s authority to draft an EPM.
The APA’s notice and comment process serves as a check, promoting transparency and preventing deviations from legislative intent.
The brief cites the Court of Appeals’ ruling in Republican National Committee v. Fontes, which affirmed that the EPM is subject to the APA’s requirements due to clear statutory language.
The filing highlights two key benefits of APA compliance. First, it reinforces constitutional and statutory limits on the Secretary’s authority, preventing overreach. Second, the public comment process allows for early identification of legal or practical flaws in the EPM drafts, potentially reducing litigation and supporting public confidence in Arizona’s elections.
The brief also notes issues with the 2023 EPM, where provisions added without public input led to legal challenges.
The ongoing litigation, Petersen v. Fontes, further highlights the importance of APA compliance, as it challenges the 2023 EPM’s deviation from state law. The amicus brief, submitted by Montenegro and Petersen in their official capacities, reflects the Arizona Legislature’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the integrity of the state’s electoral process.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 23, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Steve Montenegro announced that Arizona’s legislative leaders have filed amicus briefs in two companion cases before the U.S. Supreme Court: Little v. Hecox (Idaho) and West Virginia v. B.P.J. The cases, expected to be argued this fall, address whether states may preserve the integrity and safety of girls’ and women’s sports by limiting participation to biological females.
Petersen emphasized that the cases offer the Court an opportunity to uphold fairness and safety in female athletics. “These cases give the Court an opportunity to affirm what science and common sense already make clear: biological males hold inherent physical advantages that make women’s athletic competitions unfair and unsafe when they are allowed to participate,” he said.
Speaker Montenegro echoed these sentiments, highlighting Arizona’s legislative action. “Arizona passed the Save Women’s Sports Act to keep competition fair for girls,” he said. “It’s unacceptable that our state’s top lawyer refuses to defend that law. While Attorney General Mayes stands aside, House Republicans are doing the job she won’t—standing up for Arizona’s daughters and every female athlete who trains and competes. The Ninth Circuit sidelined our law; I’m confident the Supreme Court will correct course and affirm what parents and coaches know: girls’ sports are for girls.”
The Save Women’s Sports Act, signed into law in 2022, restricts participation in girls’ athletic events at public schools to biological females. After Attorney General Mayes declined to defend the statute, Republican leaders in the House and Senate intervened in federal court. While the Ninth Circuit recognized the state’s interests in competitive fairness, student safety, and equal athletic opportunities, it left the act enjoined as applied to two transgender, biologically male athletes.
Arizona’s briefs in the Idaho and West Virginia cases urge the Supreme Court to uphold state laws that maintain female-only sports to protect safety, fairness, and equal athletic opportunities. The filings assert that the federal injunction against Arizona’s law has already harmed girls, impacting placements, roster spots, and playing time. They also argue that courts should defer to elected legislatures—rather than unelected athletic bodies—when setting uniform participation standards, particularly in areas involving scientific and medical disputes.
“Girls deserve a level playing field,” Speaker Montenegro said. “House Republicans will continue to vigorously defend Arizona’s law and support states working to keep girls’ sports fair and safe.” The Supreme Court’s rulings in the Idaho and West Virginia cases will likely shape the future of Arizona’s law and similar legislation across the country.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Sep 13, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
Arizona’s top Republican lawmakers are asking the Trump administration to reimburse the state for more than $700 million spent on border security initiatives over the past several years.
Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Steve Montenegro sent a letter this week to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, requesting repayment under the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill, which provides $10 billion for states to recover border-related expenses incurred during the Biden administration.
According to the letter, Arizona appropriated $599 million in 2021 and 2022 through the Border Security Fund, in addition to $145 million over five years for law enforcement and other enforcement efforts tied to the southern border. The funds were used to support sheriffs, the Department of Public Safety, and construction tied to border barriers.
“For four years, the Biden Administration failed to defend our border, leaving Arizona to shoulder the burden,” Petersen said in a statement. He argued that the investments made by the Legislature were necessary to protect residents and that taxpayers deserve reimbursement.
Earlier this year, Petersen joined a group of attorneys general on a border tour reviewing state and federal enforcement operations. He praised former President Donald Trump’s policies, calling them effective in reducing illegal crossings without additional legislation.
Montenegro also underscored the legislature’s commitment to border security, contrasting it with the approach taken by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. He pointed to the voter-approved Secure the Border Act as evidence of public support for stricter enforcement.
“Arizona voters made their voices clear when they overwhelmingly passed the Secure the Border Act that Democrats tried to block,” Montenegro said. “Thanks to President Trump and his administration, Washington is finally treating border security as a priority again, and Arizona taxpayers deserve to be reimbursed.”
If the state receives federal funds, legislative leaders said the money will be directed into Arizona’s General Fund and overseen by the legislature to ensure proper use.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
