Arizona Republican legislative leaders are backing Congressman Andy Biggs’ proposed $19 billion plan to expand water supplies and accelerate infrastructure projects throughout the Colorado River Basin.
The Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act, introduced by Biggs (R-AZ-05) last week, would authorize funding for water augmentation, desalination, storage, treatment, recharge, and conveyance projects across the seven Basin states.
The goal of the legislation I introduced this week is simple: add new water, strengthen the Basin, and protect the farms, communities, and military installations that depend on the Colorado River.
My bill offers a path forward by investing in new water, modernizing critical…
Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29), and several Republican committee leaders have announced their support for the proposal, arguing that Arizona needs to focus on developing additional water supplies as uncertainty continues over the Colorado River.
“Arizona can’t make it rain or snow, but we can take action to secure our water future,” said Petersen.
Petersen said state lawmakers worked with Biggs to ensure Arizona priorities were incorporated into the federal proposal.
“Arizona has known for years that shortages could put the Central Arizona Project at risk, Petersen said. “Valuable time to develop alternative supplies has already been lost, and we cannot afford to lose any more. That’s why we worked with Congressman Biggs to make sure Arizona’s priorities helped shape this federal plan.”
One of the bill’s central provisions would establish a $5 billion Colorado River Basin Water Augmentation Program for projects that increase, store, treat, or transport water.
States, tribes, municipalities, utilities, nonprofit organizations, and private entities could seek funding under the program.
The federal government would provide $2 for every $1 in non-federal funding, with priority given to projects that increase available water supplies, benefit multiple states, address municipal water needs, or reduce dependence on the Colorado River.
Montenegro said the proposal represents a shift from negotiations over how existing Colorado River supplies should be divided toward projects intended to increase available water.
“Congressman Biggs has put forward a serious proposal that addresses the problem Arizona should have started preparing for years ago: we need more water,” Montenegro said. “For too long, the discussion has centered on how to divide a declining supply. This legislation takes a better approach by removing unnecessary federal delays and putting real resources behind projects that can increase supply. Long-term water augmentation is the path forward.”
✅Arizona Republicans Applaud Federal Legislation to Expand Colorado River Water Supplies Biggs’ plan would speed new water projects, direct $19 billion in supply and infrastructure, and restore the Yuma Desalting Plant
The proposal would also change the federal permitting process for qualifying water projects. Agencies would have 30 days to determine whether an application is complete and 180 days to make a final decision, with a limited 90-day extension.
Certain qualifying projects would also be exempt from review under the National Environmental Policy Act while remaining subject to other applicable federal requirements.
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16), who chairs the Senate Natural Resource Committee, said increasing the Basin’s overall supply should be part of the long-term response to Colorado River shortages.
“Our job is to make sure Arizona families and businesses have reliable water without driving up costs,” said Shope. “We cannot solve a water shortage by arguing over smaller and smaller shares of the river. We need to make the pie bigger, and this bill gives Arizona and the other Basin states practical ways to bring more water into the system.”
Another major component of the legislation involves the Yuma Desalting Plant.
The bill would direct the U.S. Department of the Interior to restore the plant to operational status within 180 days and authorize $1 billion for restoration, operation, modernization, and expansion.
According to a press release from the Legislature, treating agricultural drainage water at the facility could help meet U.S. treaty obligations to Mexico while preserving an equivalent amount of Colorado River water in the system.
An additional $1 billion would be authorized to support seawater desalination facilities that could be used toward U.S. treaty obligations, potentially reducing the amount of Colorado River water delivered from the United States.
House Speaker Pro Tempore Neal Carter (R-LD15) said the provisions are intended to focus on developing additional sources rather than relying solely on managing existing supplies.
“We need to stop trading paper around and start bringing new, real wet water into the state. Congressman Biggs’ plan prioritizes just that,” Carter said. “Instead of focusing on scarcity, as Governor Hobbs has done by instituting water-use moratoriums and vetoing bills designed to authorize access to new water, Biggs’ bill plans for prosperity and abundance through the development of new water sources.”
The proposal would additionally authorize $12 billion for federal water infrastructure projects throughout the Basin, including potential water capture projects in California, augmentation and storage projects serving Arizona and Nevada, and infrastructure and forest restoration projects in the Upper Basin.
According to the legislation and the Arizona Legislature’s summary, the proposal would preserve existing Colorado River entitlements and state water priorities and would not modify state water rights, interstate compacts, or the Arizona v. California decree.
House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee Chairwoman Gail Griffin (R-LD19) called expanding the water supply a priority that should receive support across party lines.
“Expanding water supply should be a bipartisan priority,” Griffin said. “We need a long-term solution that protects the Colorado River system and works for everyone who depends on it. House and Senate Republicans support Congressman Biggs’ legislation and will continue working on state policies that protect existing residents, increase supply, and support rural economies.”
Biggs introduced the legislation to confront long-term questions over Colorado River operations and water availability. His office has characterized the proposal as an effort to supplement conservation and allocation negotiations with projects designed to add or preserve water supplies throughout the system.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizona Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16) is accusing Attorney General Kris Mayes of providing political cover for Governor Katie Hobbs after Mayes declined to prosecute the governor following a two-year investigation into alleged pay-to-play activity involving Sunshine Residential Homes.
Shope is also challenging Mayes to publicly support legislation aimed at increasing transparency around political contributions and state contracts, measures he said her office has previously declined to support.
Last week, Mayes announced that her office found insufficient evidence to establish that political contributions made by Sunshine Residential Homes and individuals connected to the company were exchanged for rate increases approved by the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS).
The attorney general’s decision does not close the matter entirely. A separate investigation being led by the Arizona Auditor General, with assistance from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, remains ongoing.
The Arizona House of Representatives has also commissioned an independent investigation into the allegations.
Shope originally requested the investigation in 2024 after Sunshine Residential Homes and individuals associated with the company made combined political contributions of $580,840 benefitting Hobbs, her inaugural fund, her legal defense fund, and the Arizona Democratic Party, according to the senator’s office.
🚨FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: President Pro Tem Shope Condemns AG Mayes' Election-Year Cover for Governor Hobbs' Pay-to-Play Scandal
Sunshine founder Simon Kottoor and his wife Elizabeth also contributed to Hobbs’ campaigns. Kottoor even served on Hobbs’ inaugural committee and became a gold-level sponsor of her inauguration.
Sunshine initially sought a DCS rate increase in December 2022 but was denied in February 2023. The company reapplied several months later and received a mid-contract increase in May 2023. Its rate was subsequently increased again during its April 2024 contract renewal, making it the state’s highest paid group-home provider per child.
Internal DCS communications that surfaced during the controversy also acknowledged Sunshine’s political connections and discussed keeping the company’s special rate increase from competitors.
Despite the scrutiny, Hobbs did not agree to an interview with investigators. Instead she provided two written statements through her attorneys.
Shope said Mayes’ decision is particularly concerning because he previously introduced legislation intended to address the types of conflicts raised by the Sunshine investigation.
“For two years, Kris Mayes had every opportunity to support meaningful pay-to-play reforms, and she chose silence,” Shope said. “She allowed Hobbs to avoid questioning, ignored the growing trail of political contributions, and then cleared her fellow Democrat after a two-year investigation. Only after the Legislature adjourned did Mayes suddenly discover that reform was necessary. That’s not leadership. It’s political damage control.”
Shope sponsored SB 1612 in 2025, legislation that would have required companies seeking state contracts or certain grants to disclose political contributions and other items of value connected to the governor, political committees, and affiliated organizations.
The bill also included requirements for state agencies to retain records used in evaluating contract proposals.
Hobbs vetoed the bill.
Shope introduced similar legislation again this year through SB 1186. The bill retained requirements for companies seeking state contracts or grants to disclose political contributions and for state agencies to preserve records used to evaluate contract proposals.
Hobbs again vetoed the measure in June, amid the continuing investigation into Sunshine Residential Homes.
“Katie Hobbs took the political money, her administration approved the rate increases, she refused to answer investigators’ questions, and then she vetoed the reforms designed to prevent this from happening again,” added Shope. “Now her political ally wants Arizonans to believe the matter is closed. It isn’t.”
Mayes has called for legislative action following her decision not to prosecute Hobbs, saying changes to state law are needed to address potential conflicts involving political contributions and government contracting.
Shope said he plans to bring his legislation back during the next legislative session and intends to challenge Mayes to publicly testify in support of the reforms she is now calling for.
“If Mayes is sincere, she can endorse the legislation, appear before lawmakers, and demand that Hobbs sign it,” continued Shope. “If she refuses, Arizonans will know her call for reform was nothing more than election-year cover for the governor. The other investigations must continue without interference, and their complete findings must be made public,” Shope concluded.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed legislation that would have established financial transparency requirements tied to an alleged pay-to-play scandal involving her administration.
Hobbs called the legislation, SB 1186, a “political stunt” against her in a veto letter. The governor issued her veto last Friday as part of her office’s regular legislative action updates.
The governor also claimed that her proposed amendment to the financial disclosure reform bill — carried by Senate Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan (D-LD18) — was superior to what was vetoed by her.
“As I have made clear, this proposal is a political stunt that applies only to one elected official, when what we really need is real transparency and accountability for all elected officials, campaigns, and affiliated political committees,” said Hobbs. “Transparency and accountability are priorities I have acted on from day one.”
The Hobbs-Sundareshan amendment would have restricted lawmakers from receiving donations from state contract bidders.
Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope (R-LD16), the bill sponsor, explained to Capitol Media Services that the governor’s office, not the legislature, handles procurement, and that the amendment would have weakened the legislation.
SB 1186 would have required companies holding or seeking state contracts and certain grants to disclose anything of value provided in the preceding five years to the governor or the governor’s campaign-related entities, inaugural funds, joint fundraising committees, and organizations supporting the governor or opposing the governor’s political opponents.
The bill also would have prohibited state agencies and employees from destroying contract proposal evaluation notes. Contracts tied to improperly destroyed records would be subject to resolicitation.
Multiple entities are investigating Hobbs for the alleged pay-to-play scheme, which involved $400,000 in campaign donations from group home operator Sunshine Residential Homes and a unique, multibillion-dollar rate increase contract nearly 40 percent above the average for other peer contractors, as awarded by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS).
Hobbs was also the only Arizona candidate to receive contributions from Sunshine Residential Homes CEO Simon Kottoor and his wife, Elizabeth Kottoor, during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.
Several investigations into this alleged scheme are occurring simultaneously: one by Attorney General Kris Mayes, one by Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell and Auditor General Lindsey Perry, and one by an advisory team within the Arizona House.
The agency told Capitol Media Services that the contract occurred because Sunshine Residential Homes threatened to increase intake of migrant children at the expense of the state’s foster children if it didn’t receive additional funding.
The Arizona Senate GOP stated in a press release that Hobbs had rejected essential safeguards to prevent government officials from rewarding financial supporters with taxpayer-funded contracts.
Shope accused Hobbs of denying Arizona taxpayers the right to transparency from their elected leaders.
“Arizona families work hard for every dollar they send to the government. They have every right to know whether companies seeking millions or even billions of taxpayer dollars have financial or political ties to the Governor’s inner circle before contracts are awarded, not after another scandal makes headlines,” said Shope. “If state contracting decisions are truly being made fairly and on merit alone, transparency should not be controversial.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
Arizona’s Republican state lawmakers are challenging Gov. Katie Hobbs to sign into law a government transparency bill amid the ongoing “pay-to-play” scandal involving the governor.
This past week, the Republican-led legislature sent SB 1186 to Hobbs’ desk. The legislation was inspired partly by ongoing legal challenges to the legality of the Arizona Medicaid program’s contract award system, and partly by ongoing allegations that Hobbs arranged for a unique rate increase to one of her top campaign donors.
Sunshine Residential Homes, a group home operator, donated more than $400,000 collectively to Hobbs’ gubernatorial campaign, Hobbs’ inaugural fund, and the Arizona Democratic Party.
Once Hobbs took office, the Arizona Department of Child Safety gave Sunshine Residential Homes a 30% rate increase, though no other group homes received rate increases and over a dozen contracts were terminated. This was reported initially by the Arizona Republic in 2024, along with another key detail indicating a close relationship between the governor and the company: Hobbs fine dining at the mansion of Sunshine Residential Homes CEO Simon Kottoor.
Hobbs’ inaugural fund — which reached nearly $2 million — was another funding source that was shrouded in secrecy. The inauguration event cost about $200,000, leaving the million-plus as a nonprofit source of funds to be spent at Hobbs’ discretion.
Attorney General Kris Mayes, a fellow Democrat, has maintained that her investigation into the alleged pay-to-play arrangement remains ongoing. Hobbs has yet to take Mayes up on her request for an interview.
The proposed legislation from Arizona’s Republican lawmakers would require companies that obtain state contracts or certain state grants to disclose anything of value provided in the previous five years to the governor, campaign-related entities, inaugural funds, and organizations making independent expenditures supporting or opposing the governor or their political opponents.
The legislation would also prohibit state agencies and employees from destroying notes created during the evaluation
The bill sponsor, State Sen. T.J. Shope (R-LD16), said financial disclosures should come before the state awards any contracts and grants, in order to ensure transparency and fairness in the process.
“Arizonans have watched one contracting controversy after another and are rightly asking whether political connections are influencing decisions involving billions of taxpayer dollars,” said Shope. “Governor Hobbs now has an opportunity to show Arizonans she supports transparency in government by signing this legislation.”
An advisory team was formed in the House to address this alleged pay-to-play scheme by Hobbs, and they also have their own investigation underway. The lawmakers hired outside counsel from out of state — Justin Smith with the Missouri-based James Otis Law Group — to conduct an independent investigation.
Smith led a battery and defamation lawsuit against E. Jean Carroll, an accuser of President Donald Trump.
That independent investigation initiated by lawmakers is ongoing. All findings from the outside counsel go to the advisory team and House leadership.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell and Auditor General Lindsey Perry are also coordinating on an investigation into the matter involving Hobbs and Sunshine Residential Homes. The House advisory team announced last year it would coordinate with Mitchell and Perry on their investigation.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
Republican lawmakers are challenging Pima County over its resolution to prevent federal immigration enforcement from using county property.
House and Senate leadership filed a complaint with Attorney General Kris Mayes on Monday requesting an SB1487 Investigation. There is only one other active complaint under this designation, relating to a similar regulation prohibiting federal immigration enforcement activity on city property passed by the city of Phoenix.
In February, Pima County adopted a resolution, “Protecting County-Owned Properties,” prohibiting county departments, agencies, and employees from giving federal officials access to county buildings without a court warrant. The policy also barred departments, agencies, and employees from voluntarily assisting, facilitating, or cooperating with immigration enforcement.
The policy also prohibited county property from being used for staging areas, processing locations, or operations bases for immigration enforcement. The county defined staging area to include an assembling, mobilization, or deployment of vehicles, equipment, materials, or personnel for immigration enforcement.
Pima County Supervisor Rex Scott told AZPM that federal agents would have to justify themselves to county officials.
“If somebody with an enforceable warrant comes in, wanting to deal with what we’ve heard are the ‘worst of the worst,’ they’re going to be able to do that,” said Scott. “These warrantless, random sweeps that we’ve been seeing around the country are not going to happen on county property.”
Pima County Supervisor Tanya Nunez went a step further. She told KOLD that ICE needed to cease operations entirely.
“It’s a first step, it’s an important step, but it is really just the beginning. We need to have ICE not operate anywhere in our community, not just county property,” said Nunez.
According to the supervisors, the goal of the resolution was to prevent mass deportations and to limit immigration agents to warrant-based actions.
GOP leadership in the legislature say this resolution violates Arizona law prohibiting subdivisions of the state from limiting or restricting the enforcement of federal immigration laws, and the Supremacy Clause included in the Arizona Constitution.
Senate President Warren Petersen called the resolution a “radical” undermining of public safety in a press release.
“We’re seeing Democrat-run local governments put radical political agendas ahead of public safety,” said Petersen. “Instead of supporting law enforcement and protecting their citizens from crime, they’re creating barriers that make it harder to enforce the law and easier for criminals to stay in our communities.”
Senate President Pro Tempore TJ Shope argued these patchwork mandates from municipalities would only undermine law and order.
“This is about making sure our laws are applied consistently across Arizona,” said Shope. “When one county decides to go rogue, it creates gaps that undermine enforcement statewide. Arizonans expect coordination between all levels of government, not policies that tie the hands of law enforcement.”
House Majority Leader John Kavanagh questioned whether Mayes would have an biased approach, given her outspoken criticisms of ICE.
“Given her record and her public opposition to immigration enforcement, there is a serious question about whether she can review this case objectively. This is not a policy debate. The law is clear, and it must be applied,” said Kavanagh.
The city of Phoenix passed a regulation similar to Pima County’s resolution last month.
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