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Hobbs opposes 1864 abortion ban in court, calls on judges to preserve 15-week limit
The Arizona Supreme Court should consider the privacy and well-being of women in the Grand Canyon State and dismiss an attempt to revive a near-total abortion ban from 1864, according to Gov. Katie Hobbs. Before the high court is whether to strike down a ruling from the state appeals court that determined a 2022 abortion […]
Fontes: Donald Trump can’t be barred from the AZ ballot by the 14th Amendment
Former President Donald Trump, who is currently facing 91 criminal charges in four states, is likely to appear on the Arizona ballot in 2024, despite arguments that his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection disqualifies him from running for office. Widely considered to be the frontrunner in the Republican Party’s bid for the White House, […]
Clean air advocates urge EPA to regulate heavy-duty trucks
Growing up amid the opaque skies of Los Angeles resulted in childhood asthma for DJ Portugal. To protect his four children from the same fate, he moved to Phoenix, hoping for clearer vistas and cleaner skies. But the Valley of the Sun has consistently failed to meet air quality standards, a side effect of its […]
Dispute over Mexican tomato agreement threatens AZ with economic loss, ballooning prices
Arizonans who enjoy tomatoes in their salads and sandwiches might be forced to do without them if the federal government decides to terminate a trade deal with Mexico that keeps tomato prices low. A new study from Arizona State University estimates that consumers would see prices spike as much as 50%, with Arizona losing up […]
Arizona teacher shortage streak persists, thousands of classrooms understaffed
Arizona classrooms continue to be understaffed, with more than 6,000 of them missing a qualified teacher. The latest survey from the Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association confirmed that the state’s teacher shortage has now entered its eighth year. The association analyzed 131 school districts and charter schools across Arizona and found that, as of September […]
Arizona abortion access initiative to start signature gathering
The initiative seeking to make abortion a fundamental right in the Grand Canyon state has officially launched the signature gathering effort necessary to land on the 2024 ballot. Reproductive rights advocates gathered Thursday to urge Arizonans to support the campaign for the Arizona Abortion Access Act, which aims to enshrine the procedure as a right […]
Campaign launches to open AZ primary elections
There are more Arizona voters registered with no political party than with either of the two major parties, but primary elections in the Grand Canyon State continue to operate under a two-party system — but a newly launched campaign aiming for a spot on the 2024 ballot seeks to change that. Dubbed the “Make Elections […]
DACA faces ongoing challenge, AZ immigration advocates call for change
More than 30,000 DACA recipients call Arizona home, but a federal judge’s ruling earlier this week — which determined the policy that shields them from deportation is illegal — puts their future safety in jeopardy. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen sided with nine Republican-led states in an ongoing dispute against DACA, Deferred Action […]
Abortion advocates appeal rejected injunction of 2021 fetal abnormality abortion ban
A panel of federal judges on Monday heard arguments in the case to block a 2021 law that criminalizes doctors who perform abortions of fetuses with genetic abnormalities. The ban was previously put on hold by an injunction shortly after it went into effect two years ago, but the U.S. Supreme Court later ruled to […]
Hobbs, Horne spar over federal COVID aid for private schools
Nearly $27 million in federal pandemic aid for private schools is in limbo while the Arizona Department of Education and the Governor’s Office spar over who has the authority to spend it. On Friday, Gov. Katie Hobbs sent a letter to Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, accusing him of dragging his feet when it […]
Horne sues AG, governor over dual language instruction in Arizona schools
Arizona’s public schools chief is taking the governor and attorney general to court in an ongoing spat over how English Language Learner students should be taught. On Wednesday, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, a Republican, filed a lawsuit in Maricopa County Superior Court asking the judge to settle a disagreement over the interpretation of […]
Horne cancels $70 million in COVID-19 funding to set up tutoring program
State schools chief Tom Horne is canceling millions of dollars in contracts funded by COVID-19 aid that his Democratic predecessor awarded to Arizona education programs in order to funnel the money into a new tutoring program for struggling students. But the tutoring will help only about 10% of the students who are falling behind academically. […]