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Hamadeh gears up to appeal latest dismissal, sanctions still pending
Abraham Hamadeh, who has unsuccessfully attempted to overturn his 2022 loss three times, is appealing his latest rejection, hoping the courts will reconsider his case after a judge dismissed it last week. Late Tuesday, the Republican filed a notice of appeal asking the Arizona Court of Appeals to take up his motion for a new […]
Judge: No proof means no new trial for Hamadeh in bid to overturn election loss
Abraham Hamadeh won’t be granted a third try at overturning his 2022 loss, after a Mohave County judge ruled that he lacks both the evidence and legal basis to do so. Hamadeh, the Republican nominee for attorney general, narrowly failed to capture the office, losing by a mere 280 votes. Spurred by conservative outrage over […]
AG Mayes says Horne can’t defund dual language education programs
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne doesn’t have the power to punish schools for using dual language instructional models, according to Attorney General Kris Mayes. But this won’t be the end of the matter, as Horne is preparing to sue schools teaching students in two languages. Last month, Horne, a Republican and long-time foe […]
Horne threatens dual language learning model, but advocates push back
Public school advocates are calling on the state board of education to protect dual language instruction, delivering a petition on Thursday signed by nearly 3,000 Arizonans who oppose Superintendent Tom Horne’s recent threats against the teaching model. Horne warned last month that his administration would withhold funding from schools using the 50-50 dual language model. […]
Hobbs reaffirms commitments to LGBTQ community via vetoes, executive orders
Legislative hostility towards LGBTQ Arizonans is likely to persist next year, though in a more muted form as Republican lawmakers adjust to the realities of working with a Democratic governor. This session was a landmark year for discriminatory legislation at the state Capitol. Several bills were introduced to restrict the behavior and daily lives of […]
Arizona approves prescription-free birth control
Arizona women are now able to visit their local pharmacy for their birth control needs without first securing a doctor’s signature. A law passed two years ago that finally made it through official hurdles last week removes the requirement for a doctor-approved prescription to buy hormonal contraceptives, including the pill, vaginal rings and patches. “It’s […]
Hobbs shoots down request from 12 county attorneys to rescind executive order on abortion
Gov. Katie Hobbs resoundingly dismissed calls from a dozen county attorneys to withdraw an executive order that prevents them from prosecuting abortion providers. Two weeks ago, Hobbs signed an executive order that made the state attorney general the sole figure responsible for prosecuting medical providers who violate Arizona’s abortion laws, effectively removing the ability of […]
County attorneys, GOP legislative leaders, spar with Hobbs over executive orders
A dozen county attorneys are pushing back against Gov. Katie Hobbs’ recent move to prevent the criminalization of abortion care. At the same time, GOP lawmakers are voicing their outrage over that order and another one that bans state funding and promotion of so-called “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ Arizonans. Last month, Hobbs issued a flurry […]
Conservative moms want to defend Arizona’s anti-trans athlete ban
A trio of conservative activists is asking to intervene in a lawsuit against Arizona’s trans athlete ban, claiming their daughters would face unequal treatment in school sports if the ban is eliminated. On June 30, Washington, D.C.-based legal firm America First Legal Foundation filed a request to intervene in the case on behalf of Arizona […]
Rural AZ police get $1.5 million to combat fentanyl
Two Northern Arizona police departments will receive a combined funding injection of $1.5 million to combat fentanyl and human smuggling activity in their communities. On Friday, Gov. Katie Hobbs announced the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office and the Prescott Valley Police Department will each receive funding boosts of over $500,000, with YCSO snagging the lion’s share […]
Picks to fill vacant AZ Senate seat: Election deniers, conspiracy theorists and extremists
The race to fill a vacant North Phoenix seat in the state Senate is between three election skeptics, two of whom have ties to extremist ideologies and one who sought after 2020 to change Arizona law to let legislators overturn presidential election results. Two weeks ago, Republican Sen. Steve Kaiser, who represents a district in […]
Judge dismisses lawsuit against dark money law, but legal challenges remain
Conservative groups aiming to strike down a new Arizona law forcing the disclosure of anonymous political donors suffered a setback last week, but the battle is far from over. Last year, more than 70% of Arizonans cast their ballots in support of Proposition 211, the Voters’ Right to Know Act. The act seeks to eliminate […]