The Hobbs administration may be getting creative again when it comes to directors at state agencies Katie Hobbs refusing to send nominees to a GOP senator who has blocked several prior picks Hobbs said on May 2 that she would not send any new nominees to Sen a Queen Creek Republican who leads the Senate committee that vets those nominees before confirmation The Democratic governor said Hoffman was an "indicted fake elector" motivated by a "political agenda and conspiracy theories." "I'm quite frankly done with Jake Hoffman and his agenda," Hobbs said "We're going to move forward in the best way possible in the current environment We are looking at what that means in terms of interim directors at these agencies But I'm not going to send anyone else to him to go through this circus that he continues." Two directors who helm the state's health care agencies stepped down earlier in the week saying it was clear they would not be confirmed Those directors were Carmen Heredia at the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and Jennie Cunico at the Department of Health Services "Why would anyone want to go through what these folks are going through?" Hobbs said "They're being dragged through the mud because of one person's political agenda that has nothing to do with their careers in public service." Hobbs said her office was still working on other agency directors but could not answer a question about how long an interim director could serve without being confirmed Hobbs praised Heredia's leadership over the last two years including uncovering and combating an estimated $2 billion in fraud by providers claiming to operate sober living homes Disability funding: Gov. Katie Hobbs pledges vetoes until lawmakers compromise whose office has worked alongside the state agency to identify fraud and combat it said on May 1 that leaving the program without a leader was "damaging to our ability to continue to go after this fraud." Mayes faulted GOP lawmakers for standing in the way of Hobbs' nominees But Hoffman noted criticism of the state's response to that sober living home scandal which also cut off legitimate providers and has led to at least one lawsuit Hoffman, who is facing criminal charges related to an alleged scheme to keep Donald Trump in the White House in 2020 saying she "double and tripled down on the systemic failures of public health officials" during the COVID pandemic Hoffman said the "confirmation process has produced better quality nominees in every case where a rejection has occurred and that is a big win for every Arizonan." He said Hobbs' "unhinged statement" made clear she was "making rash emotional decisions and flying by the seat of her pants without any due diligence or thought behind her actions." Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669 Arizona won't be taking money away from state universities and community colleges that offer courses in diversity David Farnsworth that would remove all state funds from any school that had even one course that his legislation declared unacceptable That includes anything that relates contemporary American society to things like whiteness And that's just a partial list of what the measure crafted by the Mesa Republican would not allow.Farnsworth said he crafted the proposal after reading a book in a course on cultural diversity he is taking at Rio Salado Community College to go after his bachelor's degree in elementary education.In her veto message the governor did not address the specific concerns raised by Farnsworth but instead focused on the effects the bill would have "Our state universities and community colleges play a vital role in developing Arizona's workforce and strengthening our qualify of life through transformational research,'' she wrote "Jeopardizing their state funding with a bill that lacks clarity attacks future stability and would lead to negative effects on the state's workforce and economy.'' Hobbs on Friday found fault with 23 proposals that reached her desk bringing her tally so far this still-ongoing legislative session to 75 That already is two more than she issued during the entire 2024 session the record for any governor in state history -- is the 143 bills she vetoed in 2023 Also getting her veto stamp was a proposal by Sen David Gowan to impose personal fines of $5,000 against any elected or appointed official who "knowingly and willfully'' violates existing laws that preempt cities and counties from enacting any local regulation of firearms.Hobbs called it unnecessary "There are existing mechanisms to challenge city ordinances,'' she wrote lobbyist for the Arizona Citizens Defense League which has filed such challenges most recently to a Pima County ordinance imposing a fine of up to $1,000 on people who fail to report the theft or loss of a firearm within 48 hours But Infanzon said such rulings haven't deterred officials in some cities and counties from continuing to enact restrictions He said they figure they have nothing to lose what with the legal defense and any fines paid by taxpayers Infanzon said civil fines which officials would have to pay from their own pockets would make them think twice Hobbs also refused to be told by state lawmakers that she must "enforce administer and cooperate with federal actions orders and programs that relate to the enforcement of federal immigration laws.''The proposal is one of several being pushed by Republicans who say they want state and local officials to do all they can to help the Trump administration round up and deport those here illegally not only imposed the requirement on the governor but also the attorney general as well as all cities as did each of you,'' she wrote in her veto message to lawmakers And Hobbs said she has worked with the federal government to secure the border stop the flow of fentanyl and disrupt cartel operations But she said these are decisions that must be made locally must decide what's best for Arizona,'' the governor said.Hobbs also rejected a related proposal that would have required county jails to daily transmit to Immigration and Customs Enforcement the name gender and social security number of anyone arrested for certain offenses These range from larceny and shoplifting to burglary assault on a law enforcement officer and any other offense that results in death or serious bodily injury.The legislation is one in a series of measures designed to ensure that local governments cooperate with ICE to identify and remove those not here legally "Existing state law already bans sanctuary cities,'' she said "I expect state and local governments to uphold the law and work with the federal government to secure the border,'' Hobbs wrote in her veto message this places extreme burdens on local law enforcement.'' Hobbs also objected to legislation crafted by Sen Mark Finchem putting new restrictions on unemployment benefits These are payments that are available to those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own The cost is borne by a premium on employers with the rates paid by each linked to how often they release employees The proposal by the Prescott Republican would have tightened some requirements for recipients to seek employment But it also would have barred the Department of Economic Security from paying benefits until they had checked a series of state and federal databases "This legislation creates unnecessary delays for workers The governor also nixed legislation that would make voter registration rolls available on the internet.Proponents said that would enable any individual to have access and report inaccuracies But Hobbs said it "poses risks that the information will be misused or used for commercial purposes.'' And the governor also vetoed legislation that would make the "cast vote record'' -- essentially a digital representation of every vote cast -- a public record Hobbs said she believes it would put voter privacy at risk Hobbs also rejected two measures making changes in groundwater regulation saying she is trying to work with lawmakers to come up with a comprehensive plan "I am disappointed that neither of these bills would move toward solving the water policy challenges that Arizona residents and communities are facing today,'' the governor said "To see more effort misspent on pointless bill that would only weaken groundwater protections is a continued affront to rural Arizonans who have asked their legislature for years to address rural groundwater challenges.'' Other bill vetoed Friday by the governor include: (vuk burgic/Unsplash) What to know: Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have allowed the state to invest in bitcoin using seized funds.The bill could have made Arizona the first U.S state to adopt bitcoin in its financial reserves.Arizona will not be investing in bitcoin (BTC) Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill on Friday that would have allowed the state to hold the digital asset as part of its official reserves STORY CONTINUES BELOWDon't miss another story.Subscribe to the State of Crypto Newsletter today. See all newslettersSign me upBy signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.The legislation proposed using seized funds to invest in BTC and create a digital assets reserve managed by the state After passing the state House in a narrow 31–25 vote “The Arizona State Retirement System is one of the strongest in the nation because it makes sound and informed investments. Arizonans' retirement funds are not the place for the state to try untested investments like virtual currencу,” Hobbs wrote in a statement The veto ends a push that could have made Arizona the first state to set up a cryptocurrency reserve Read more: As One State Gets Closer on a Crypto Reserve, Others Jump Into the Fray Francisco is a reporter for CoinDesk with a passion for cryptocurrencies and personal finance. Before joining CoinDesk he worked at major financial and crypto publications. He owns bitcoin, ether, solana, and PAXG above CoinDesk's $1,000 disclosure threshold. Motived by the nearing deadline, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs visited a state motor vehicle office to get her Real ID The enhanced identification will be required for domestic flights or to enter federal buildings beginning on May 7 though people can still use other approved identification like a passport Hobbs visited a state Motor Vehicle Division office to get her license on May 1 in Phoenix "There’s nothing like a deadline to spur people to action," the governor said noting that she doesn't always need identification to travel Hobbs' trips are often on the state plane and not subject to TSA inspection a perk of the job as Arizona's chief executive She said it was “a good time to remind Arizonans that the deadline is coming up on May 7." applauds for those affected by the Los Angeles area wildfires as she gives the State of the State address in the House of Representatives at the Capitol with Speaker of the House Rep Katie Hobbs on Friday vetoed a Republican-backed bill intended to support the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown by requiring local and state officials in Arizona to cooperate with federal enforcement efforts local and state officials couldn’t prohibit or restrict cooperation with federal immigration efforts or block the use of federal databases and grant funds related to immigration enforcement It also would force cooperation on immigration detainers — requests from the federal government to hold onto people already in state custody until immigration authorities could pick them up “I will continue to work with the federal government on true border security but we should not force state and local officials to take marching orders from Washington,” Hobbs said in her veto letter Supporters say the measure is needed to ensure federal authorities can safely and more easily take custody of immigrants rather than having to track them down later after they have already been released from state prisons or county jails Opponents say the state should leave immigration enforcement to the federal government and that the cooperation required in the bill would be expensive for local governments to carry out and would harm the cooperation local police get from people in immigrant communities said his proposal aims to ensure that Arizona is a “partner and not an obstacle” where President Donald Trump’s immigration efforts are concerned state prisons and county jails would be required to enter agreements with Washington to temporarily house people with detainers Local agencies would be required to comply with detainers and tell judges who are determining bail when a given individual has an immigration detainer The bill would also require Arizona’s attorney general to investigate alleged violations of the cooperation rules and let the attorney general sue to bring an agency into compliance Supporters say state-shared revenues to local government could be withheld until compliance is reached The law bars state and local governments from limiting the enforcement of federal immigration law and lets residents sue over alleged violations immigrant rights advocates and an association representing counties say they are unaware of any such lawsuits being filed in the nearly 15 years since it was signed into law Hobbs has vowed to veto all bills sent to her in a standoff with the Legislature until there is a compromise on funding for a state agency that provides services for people with developmental disabilities GOP lawmakers say Hobbs has mismanaged agency funds Hobbs counters that Republicans are leveraging the crisis for “political warfare.” She has said she is willing to veto even bills that she supports New Mexico State Police is on the hunt for a person after a shooting involving the Hobbs Police Department on Monday The incident occurred in the 400 block of West White Street Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Gregory R.C. Hasman covers crime and is the road warrior. You can contact him at ghasman@abqjournal.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Stay informed with the latest top headlines from your trusted local source the Albuquerque Journal—delivered to your inbox every day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist it provides narrative coverage of local trends going beyond the headlines to keep you informed Stay in the loop with the top stories of the week delivered straight to your inbox every Saturday Sign up to see what’s trending and get the latest on the stories that matter most to our readers Get breaking news and important alerts sent straight to your inbox as they happen Stay up-to-date with the latest sports headlines and highlights from the Albuquerque Journal Get the latest on local happenings delivered straight to your inbox Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Best of the Capitol Hobbs vetoes Republican bills on immigration Katie Hobbs giving her third State of the State speech Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include the current total number of bills vetoed Arizona won’t be taking money away from state universities and community colleges that offer courses in diversity that would remove all state funds from any school that had even one course that his legislation declared unacceptable race-based reparations and gender-based inclusion who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in elementary education said he crafted the proposal after reading a book in a course on cultural diversity at Rio Salado Community College the governor ignored Farnsworth’s concerns and instead focused on the effects the bill would have for Arizona’s colleges and universities “Our state universities and community colleges play a vital role in developing Arizona’s workforce and strengthening our quality of life through transformational research,” she wrote “Jeopardizing their state funding with a bill that lacks clarity attacks future stability and would lead to negative effects on the state’s workforce and economy.” And Farnsworth’s bill was not the only veto that day either Hobbs found fault with 23 proposals that reached her desk on May 2 bringing her total vetoes in this still-ongoing legislative session to 76 — three more than her 2024 total and the record for any governor in Arizona history David Gowan’s proposal to impose personal fines of $5,000 against any elected or appointed official who “knowingly and willfully” violates existing laws that preempt cities and counties from enacting any local regulation of firearms was also rejected after Hobbs called it unnecessary “There are existing mechanisms to challenge city ordinances,” she wrote a lobbyist for the Arizona Citizens Defense League the organization’s efforts were aimed at a Pima County ordinance imposing a fine of up to $1,000 on people who fail to report the theft or loss of a firearm within 48 hours And Infanzon said such rulings haven’t deterred officials from enacting restrictions have legal defenses and fines paid by taxpayers which imparts civil fines that officials would have to pay from their own pockets Hobbs also refused to be told by state lawmakers that she must “enforce orders and programs that relate to the enforcement of federal immigration laws.” The proposal is one of several being pushed by Republicans who say they want state and local officials to do all they can to help the Trump administration round up and deport those here illegally imposed the requirement on not only the governor but also the attorney general as well as all cities “When I assumed the role of governor as did each of you,” she wrote in her veto message to lawmakers Hobbs said she has worked with the federal government to secure the border must decide what’s best for Arizona,” the governor said Hobbs also rejected a related proposal that would have required county jails to transmit to Immigration and Customs Enforcement the name assault on a law enforcement officer and any other offense that results in death or serious bodily injury The legislation is one in a series of measures designed to ensure local governments cooperate with ICE to identify and remove those not here legally “Existing state law already bans sanctuary cities,” she said “I expect state and local governments to uphold the law and work with the federal government to secure the border,” Hobbs wrote in her veto message this places extreme burdens on local law enforcement.” proposing new restrictions on unemployment benefits These payments are available to those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own The proposal would have tightened some requirements for recipients to seek employment but would have also barred the Department of Economic Security from paying benefits until they had checked a series of state and federal databases “This legislation creates unnecessary delays for workers and costs for the state,” Hobbs wrote The governor also vetoed legislation making voter registration rolls available on the internet Proponents said that would enable any individual to have access and report inaccuracies But Hobbs said it “poses risks that the information will be misused or used for commercial purposes.” The governor also vetoed legislation that would make the “cast vote record” — essentially a digital representation of every vote cast — a public record saying she is trying to work with lawmakers to develop a comprehensive plan “I am disappointed that neither of these bills would move toward solving the water policy challenges that Arizona residents and communities are facing today,” the governor said “To see more effort misspent on pointless bills that would only weaken groundwater protections is a continued affront to rural Arizonans who have asked their legislature for years to address rural groundwater challenges.” Other bills vetoed Friday by the governor include: Get our free e-alerts & breaking news notifications Essential news and information about Arizona government The border wall is pictured in Sunland Park on Jan Border Patrol officers search an undocumented migrant before loading him onto a bus bound for a processing center in Sunland Park on Jan GEO Group responded to a request for information last fall indicating openness to using the facility for immigration detention The New Mexico Corrections Department is moving its inmates out of the Lea County Correctional Facility near Hobbs after a private prison operator that owns the facility decided it will not continue leasing the land under the prison from Lea County when the firm’s current contract ends in November What will become of the 350,000-square-foot facility operated by GEO Group wasn’t clear late Thursday but the company responded to a request for information from Immigration and Customs Enforcement last fall indicating openness to contracting with the federal agency for use as an immigration detention facility The state corrections department will begin moving inmates out of the Lea County Correctional Facility in the coming weeks with the goal of having them out by June 30 according to a letter Corrections Cabinet Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero sent to Lea County Manager Corey Needham earlier this week The medium-security prison has a capacity of 1,200 inmates and housed about 1,000 as of Thursday Spokesperson Brittany Roembach declined to say where the inmates will go “for the safety and security of our staff and inmates,” but said the state has more than enough capacity across its other state-operated facilities to house them Roembach wrote in an email Thursday the state was ending its contract early because GEO Group decided not to renew its contract with Lea County in November She did not respond to questions about what if any fiscal impact early termination of the contract would have on the state but the land under it is owned by the county and leased to the firm which contracts with the state to hold prisoners there The private prison operator had recently been trying to sell the prison to the county and the state but it appears neither entity was willing to buy it GEO Group had initially been asking $300 million for the prison but agreed last month to drop the price to $175 million according to a letter from Chief Executive Officer J The firm has been unresponsive to The New Mexican’s inquiries about its plans for the prison. However, records obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union through a federal Freedom of Information Act request show GEO Group responded in September to a federal request for information about housing immigrant detainees there ICE began looking into expanding its capacity to detain immigrants throughout the West issuing an August request for information regarding “approximately 850 to 950 detention beds … for adult noncitizens” within two hours of its El Paso office and suboffices in Las Cruces GEO Group told the federal government in its application the Lea County facility is “an appropriately zoned existing structure capable of providing secure residential as well as all support services necessary to meet the needs of adult ICE noncitizens (male and female) at multiple security levels,” the documents state a private prison operator that runs ICE detention facilities in Cibola and Torrance counties also submitted information about possibly increasing capacity in those centers It wasn’t clear Thursday whether GEO Group would need permission from a local entity to hold federal detainees Needham said he couldn’t immediately answer questions about how that might work But a clause in the agreement by which the city of Hobbs conveyed the property to Lea County in 1997 indicates that if the land ceased to be used for a “county jail or state prison” it would revert back to the city A bill to ban local governments in New Mexico from entering into immigration detention contracts and phasing out existing ones passed the state House of Representatives this year but failed to reach the Senate floor Correction: This story has been amended to reflect the following correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated the state had decided to ends its contract with private prison operator GEO Group The state is moving its inmates out of the facility after GEO Group made a decision not to renew its lease on the land under the prison House Republicans pushed back on the proposal citing worries about lost jobs in facilities in or near their districts which owns and operates a Lea County prison housing state inmates has indicated an interest in taking on ICE detainees The agency began seeking applicants in the region to increase bed capacity for immigrant detainees even before the Nov Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Receive a list of headlines from the latest edition of The New Mexican in your inbox every morning get a preview of The New Mexican's big Sunday stories and review highlights from the week Stay informed of the latest local news by receiving emails as soon as news is posted online Stay up to date with news from the Capitol during the legislative session and follow New Mexico politics throughout the year A guide to outdoors opportunities and profiles on peoples' connections with places Keep up with what's going on in the local business scene Receive the latest episode of "Conversations Different" in your inbox every Tuesday.  Taking the temperature of New Mexico's environmental issues local prep sports and more every Wednesday Contests and special offers from The Santa Fe New Mexican and advertising partners A new report concludes that Democratic Gov Katie Hobbs could be in real trouble as she faces reelection next year unless she gets an assist from the state’s MAGA voters Sabato’s Crystal Ball, from the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, is out with its initial analysis of next year’s gubernatorial elections and rates Arizona’s race a toss-up — one of just two in the country (The open seat in Michigan is the other.)“While Hobbs has an OK approval rating we think she could be in for a difficult reelection,” the nonpartisan handicapper reported would be for Republicans to nominate hard-right U.S Hobbs “benefited from a weak opponent in 2022 — Republican Kari Lake (who went on to lose a Senate race in 2024) — and may face a stronger challenger in 2026 although she is not guaranteed to,” Sabato’s Crystal Ball reported its analysis concludes that Biggs “would be the more enticing opponent for Hobbs.” is that Biggs is also the more enticing candidate for die-hard MAGA voters just as Lake was their pick in the 2022 Republican primary Opinion: Arizona Democrats' cage fight is a red flag for 2026 Not everybody thinks the more moderate Karrin Taylor Robson is the Republican best positioned to knock off Hobbs The Club for Growth recently released a poll suggesting that Biggs would have better shot at ousting the governor especially with his record?But it’s early days and Biggs has never had to appeal to a statewide electorate They may not yet realize that he was a key mover in the effort to set aside Arizona’s vote in the 2020 presidential election and actually voted to disenfranchise his own state’s voters by refusing to certify Arizona’s election results on Jan They might not yet know that he voted against the CHIPS Act the 2022 law that jumpstarted domestic semiconductor manufacturing and led to the largest-ever foreign investment in Arizona One would think then that Taylor Robson would come up with a new campaign strategy this time around into believing that she is anything other than a traditional conservative Republican Instead, she’s already out with her first campaign ad touting herself as the Trumpiest of them all Her campaign thus far is all about how she has Trump’s “complete and total endorsement.” Trump endorsed her in December, before Biggs got into the race. But on April 21, he also endorsed Biggs Taylor Robson’s golden ticket is now tarnished you’d think she’d chart a course correction You'd think she would talk more about what she has to offer other than unquestioned fealty to a president whose approval ratings are sinking There’s still time for Taylor Robson to shift into her own lane hoping to draw in those Trump Republican and independent voters now experiencing heartburn and to convince others that Biggs is Lake 3.0 But I’d guess that Hobbs is hoping she continues on her present path What’s that old adage about doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results Like this column? Get more opinions straight into your email inbox by signing up for our free opinions newsletter ARIZONA POLITICS NEWS BY KEVIN STONE Katie Hobbs’ agency director nominees resigned Wednesday in the face of unbending Republican opposition AHCCCS Director Carmen Heredia and Department of Health Services Director Jennie Cunico stepped down after it became clear the GOP-led Senate Committee on Director Nominations (DINO) wouldn’t recommend their confirmation Cunico oversaw the health department’s transition from the previous administration “Unfortunately, the Senate’s unprecedented politicization of the director confirmation process has ended the directorship of two health care professionals who have made our state government run more efficiently and more effectively,” Hobbs, a Democrat, said in a statement After Heredia and Cunico withdrew from consideration Jake Hoffman said they weren’t qualified for the positions “The withdrawal of these two highly unqualified nominees by Katie Hobbs is a victory for the hardworking people of Arizona that simply want a government that will work for them,” Hoffman said in statement “Katie’s clear inability to nominate qualified individuals to serve as directors defies logic.” Heredia was scheduled for her DINO hearing on Thursday but the meeting was canceled after she withdrew “The Arizona Senate majority has been aware for months that Katie Hobbs had no intention of keeping Carmen Heredia in the position and planned to withdraw her nomination once she was placed on my committee’s agenda,” Hoffman said Hoffman’s committee has been a thorn in Hobbs’ side throughout her tenure as governor Senate President Warren Petersen created the committee and appointed Hoffman to lead it after Hobbs took office in early 2023 The panel vets nominees who are subject to Senate approval before the full chamber votes on them the committee approved most of the director nominees it vetted several candidates were rejected following sometimes contentious hearings Shortly after Hoffman’s committee recommended the rejection of Joan Serviss as director of the Department of Housing in September 2023 Hobbs withdrew her remaining director nominations she tried to sidestep the committee by naming interim directors The interims then appointed “executive deputy directors” and resigned Republicans took Hobbs to court over the maneuver and won. A Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled in June 2024 that the executive deputy director appointments were illegal Hobbs resubmitted nominees for unconfirmed director positions in January of this year Since then, DINO has held hearings for 10 of the nominees with the committee voting to recommend confirmation nine times Hobbs’ pick to lead the Department Of Insurance And Financial Institutions Follow @kstonezone Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here Courting another legal fight with the Legislature Katie Hobbs said Friday that she is not going to seek Senate confirmation of her choices to head state agencies "I'm quite frankly done with Jake Hoffman and his agenda," Hobbs said of the Queen Creek Republican who heads the Senate Committee on Director Nominations It is that panel that gets to screen gubernatorial choices a part of the process that gives the Senate the power to "advise and consent" on the picks "I'm not going to send anyone else to him to go through this circus that he continues," the governor said the last time the governor stopped sending names to the Senate it ended up in court with a judge ruling that her scheme to have agencies run indefinitely by unconfirmed "executive deputy directors" was illegal But Hobbs bristled Friday when reminded of that ruling and asked how long she thinks she can avoid submitting new nominations "You'll have to ask Jake Hoffman or the Senate president," she said But the governor appeared to be setting the stage for another court fight She did not address the fact that her last legal battle over the confirmation process did not end well for her told Capitol Media Services on Friday that the Senate will wait to see what exactly Hobbs plans to do about who heads her agencies before deciding whether to take legal action But he called the governor's action "a childish temper tantrum and emotional meltdown," referring to her by her first name from her unhinged statements at the press conference today flying by the seat of her pants without any due diligence or thought behind her actions," Hoffman said All this occurred just days after the governor's picks to head two major state agencies quit after she said it became clear that the Republican-controlled Senate would refuse to confirm them That was confirmed just hours later when Hoffman said that Carmen Heredia the governor's choice to head the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and Jennifer Cunico who she tapped to be state health director were "unqualified nominees." That left the question of who Hobbs would nominate to replace them why would anyone want to go through what these folks are going through," the governor said "They are being dragged through the mud because of one person's political agenda that has nothing to do with their careers in public service." And she said both have done "amazing work" for the state "that is totally separate from indicted fake elector Jake Hoffman's political agenda and conspiracy theories." That was referring to the fact that Hoffman is one of 11 Republicans indicted by a state grand jury after they submitted documents to Congress following the 2020 presidential election saying that Donald Trump had won the Arizona primary and that the state's electoral votes should be tallied for him even though he had been outpolled by Democrat Joe Biden They along with others who are accused of helping advance the plan are facing charges of conspiracy forgery and conducting fraudulent schemes and practices still leaves the question of who will run the state agencies if there is no director "We're going to move forward in the best way possible in the current environment," Hobbs said is having the agencies be run with interim directors rather than submit new nominees to the Senate — and to Hoffman some of the governor's picks were confirmed and a few were rejected But that still left 13 by September of that year who were in a governmental limbo allowed to serve as director for up to a year the governor would be legally required to name someone else The governor's action left each agency without a director She then used a procedural move to name each nominated-but-unconfirmed director as an "executive deputy director," doing the same job as before — but as a deputy director not required to get Senate confirmation Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott Blaney said that Hobbs was "arguably" within her power to withdraw the names of her nominees after she could not get them confirmed was in giving those deputies the exact same duties and powers they would have had as Senate-confirmed directors took those actions for an improper purpose culminating in an improper result — one that violates Arizona law," he wrote Blaney also took a slap at Hobbs for arguing that state law allows the appointment of deputy directors to agencies even without directors who are subject to Senate confirmation over them "That argument improperly elevates form over substance," the judge said directors run their respective agencies and are appointed to their positions through a statutorily defined process — meaning Senate review and confirmation "That process requires oversight by the legislative branch," Blaney said the governor willfully circumvented that statutory process and eliminated the legislative branch from its executive role." Hoffman defended the role of his committee in doing in-depth reviews of each nominee And he also noted that some of the governor's choice have made it through the process A total of 15 of her picks have been confirmed Another seven nominations — including the most recent two — have been withdrawn Hoffman said there are still nine nominations that have yet to get a hearing 2025 Bitcoiners blast Arizona governor’s ‘ignorance’ after Bitcoin bill veto Arizona state senator and Bitcoin advocate Wendy Rogers said News COINTELEGRAPH IN YOUR SOCIAL FEEDBitcoiners and United States government officials have criticized Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs’ decision to veto a bill that would have allowed the state to hold Bitcoin as part of its official reserves “Imagine the ignorance of a politician to believe they can make investment decisions.” “If she can’t outperform Bitcoin, she must buy it,” Pompliano said. Crypto lawyer Andrew Gordon said “We need more elected officials who understand that Bitcoin and crypto are the future.” who co-sponsored the bill with State Representative Jeff Weninger “Politicians don’t understand that Bitcoin doesn’t need Arizona. Arizona needs Bitcoin,” Rogers said On May 2, Hobbs vetoed the Arizona Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act, which would have permitted Arizona to invest seized funds into Bitcoin and create a reserve managed by state officials The Arizona State Retirement System is one of the strongest in the nation because it makes sound and informed investments,” Hobbs said Rogers said she would refile the bill during her next session Rogers also pointed out that Arizona’s state retirement system already holds stocks of Michael Saylor’s Strategy (MSTR) Related: US gov’t actions give clue about upcoming crypto regulation However, well-known crypto skeptic Peter Schiff sided with Hobbs. “The government should not be making decisions to use public funds to speculate in cryptocurrencies,” Schiff said Arizona would have become the first US state to establish a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve if it had passed Magazine: Bitcoin to $1M ‘by 2029,’ CIA tips its hat to Bitcoin: Hodler’s Digest, April 27 – May 3 KJZZ’s Friday NewsCap revisits some of the biggest stories of the week from Arizona and beyond To talk about the resignations of two state agency directors next year’s gubernatorial campaign hitting the airwaves and more The Show sat down with former state schools superintendent Jaime Molera of the firm Molera Alvarez and Mike Haener of Lumen Strategies let’s start with the resignations of two of the agency directors that Governor Hobbs had appointed not confirmed: the AHCCCS director and the director of the Department of Health Services their resignations were kind of an acknowledgment that they weren’t going to be able to get through the state Senate What do you make of the fact that these are not the first that have had this an indicted fake elector is making these hearings hyperpartisan bring continuity and sanity to these agencies so that they can run efficiently and effectively to the best degree that they can And this partisan outburst by the senator is is causing problems throughout the business community all of these agencies that impact everyday Arizonans the Hobbs administration has referred to this committee over the last couple of years as a political sideshow — that’s one of the nicer things and some of the other Republicans on this committee have expressed concerns about political viewpoints or policy viewpoints of some of the agency directors I guess this all kind of gets down to the question of what do you think the role of an agency director is or are they doing what the person who won the election is asking them to do it’s certainly a new standard now because the confirmation process was really to vet the qualifications of individuals also to look at things that might keep them from doing those jobs in an impartial and effective manner But the one criticism I would lay on the governor’s office is that a lot of times when these nominations are put forward they’re usually backed by the governor’s office getting coalitions in the industries to support their nominations You’ve seen that with a couple of the nominees but that was done pretty much on their own Alec Thomson was also kind of a controversial He’s the state director of the lottery department we don’t want him because of other things that occurred.” Well he organized a very effective coalition of business leaders tourism industry folks that benefit from the lottery And that’s the kind of thing that really didn’t happen with the other agency directors I think a lot of folks approached the governor’s office early on saying “How can we be of help to get these nominations through?” But there was really no follow-through these kinds of nominations — if you would have had a lot of these MOLERA: If you would have had a lot of the health care organizations the hospital CEOs and even some of the business groups I think would have been willing to support the governor There really wasn’t that effort to coalesce those interested to back her up the governor tried to sort of get around this committee by creating new positions and just appointing these people to those positions So they had to go back through this committee is there anything the governor can do to try to make sure she has the agency director she wants I think the one thing that you can do — as an example the former director of the Department of Health Services resigned during the Ducey administration about 18 months before the end of Gov They appointed an interim director and said they were going to do a national search They never appointed anyone to that position He remained the interim director until Gov No one in the Senate brought up this issue you don’t have a confirmed director.” So what I would do if I were the governor’s office is I would appoint interim directors for the rest of her term and not send anyone else to the Senate BRODIE: Do you think there’s any chance that Jake Hoffman and the other Republicans in the Legislature wouldn’t try to call her out on that this isn’t just vetting you to make sure that you’re qualified There is a current director that has not been confirmed yet that was told he might not get confirmed because he has negative tweets about President Trump That’s a First Amendment right to criticize the president of the United States And so if you’re not going to confirm somebody because of that we heard a little clip of new ads from gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson She is going up with a multi-million dollar ad buy money is not going to be a problem for her I believe here and in other forums — that if she if Karrin Taylor Robson employs the same strategy she did the last time she ran for governor raise a bunch of money and just go on the airwaves and not really do the ground game that I think is necessary — particularly in the primary — then the the outcome is going to be the same MOLERA: Building coalitions and really going to the grassroots especially in the Republican primary or even the Democratic primary You really have to build those coalitions and entities that are willing to support you it doesn’t connect you with the grassroots and the heart of the party that I think is going to be needed to get over the finish line Andy Biggs is going to be a formidable candidate She’s touting her endorsement from President Trump would think that that’s the real endorsement So that’s where Robson needs to identify herself a little bit better and be more aggressive in building those kinds of relationships that could be a benefit in the primary the whole thing was basically about how President Trump endorsed her toward the end of last year Do you think that’s sort of telling about what we’re going to be hearing from her for the next year-plus I think there’s been a couple of polls that have been released that show that already MOLERA: And so I think what they want to do is trying to inoculate themselves early on before it gets to the point where a lot of Republicans saying She’s not the kind of Republican we need.” So they’re going on the airwaves They’re going to spend a lot of money to say So I anticipate that they’re going to continue to do that because they’re going to have to But if they don’t combine that with what I just said then I think it’s going to be just like what happened with Kari Lake the heart and soul of the Republican Party just wasn’t with her I love asking you to wade into internal Republican politics I know it’s an area in which you like to reside Would you agree with Jaime that we’re just going to be hearing about the Trump endorsement from Karrin Taylor Robson Is this something we’re going to be hearing from Karrin Taylor Robson from now until at least through next July the base of the Republican Party is already for Andy Biggs She has to try to convince them that Donald Trump supports her more than he supports Andy Biggs She’s got to go shake hands with the precinct committee people BRODIE: Do you think it makes a difference when you get to the general election — whether or not it’s Karrin Taylor Robson or Andy Biggs — if the primary has been mostly a fight over who President Trump endorsed more Does that in any way affect the general election because — I hate to say this — but in the old days as a Democrat you might run a little bit to the left in the primary and then you try to come back to own the center Karrin Taylor Robson cannot pivot back to saying I’m a McCain Republican now.” It’s not going to work So now it’s just two people fighting over the MAGA coalition We read a piece this week from Bob Robb — longtime political observer writer on Substack — about how in his mind maybe Karrin Taylor Robson should have been running as an independent which would have allowed her to sort of be who he thinks that she is Do you think that if the primary election is basically “Who does President Trump love more?” — does that affect the general Does that maybe give Katie Hobbs an opening if Karrin Taylor Robson gets out of the primary she’ll be almost impossible to beat in the general election Because I think she’d be able to develop that kind of a coalition of Democrats Andy Biggs is going to be tough to beat in the primary Hobbs’ best bet would be to face somebody that’s much more of a MAGA But one of the things I’ve told folks is that Andy Biggs is not Kari Lake I think Andy Biggs is a very sharp candidate And he’s not going to make the kinds of blunders that Kari Lake did in particularly offending the McCain wing party I don’t think he’s going to have those kinds of bombastic statements that she said about abortion or things like that So while I think it’ll be a much tighter race I still think that Andy Biggs has a chance of being the next governor HAENER: I’m going to disagree with Jaime here the headwinds against the Republican candidate are going to be very very strong based off of the way that the economy is performing based off of the way the administration is .. And that’s going to make it very difficult for either of them to defeat an incumbent governor who’s going to have a ton of money herself Katie Hobbs visited the Motor Vehicle Division on Thursday to get her Real ID the new form of identification that will soon be required at airports across the country The Real ID Act requires that ID cards used at airports and certain federal facilities meet minimum security standards but repeated delays have pushed back the deadline for Americans to obtain one “It’s a good time to remind Arizonans that the deadline’s coming up on May 7,” Hobbs said you have to have a Real ID compliant ID or you won’t get through TSA.” Hobbs said residents can still use other federally compliant identification at airports Hobbs visited an MVD office in the West Valley to get her Real ID just days before the May 7 deadline there’s nothing like a deadline to spur people to action,” she said According to the Transportation Security Administration, 81% of travellers at airports were presenting federally compliant identification as of April 11. And, as of January, 2.35 million of the 7.6 million active IDs in Arizona were Real ID compliant Arizona officials initially refused to adopt Real ID when Congress first passed the law in 2005 Lawmakers at the time expressed concern that the new standards would essentially create a national ID card “I don’t think there’s a reason to be skeptical about it,” she said “I think there’s been a lot of conspiracies And people don’t have a reason to be skeptical of it.” The Arizona Legislature didn’t authorize Real IDs until 2015 and all states did not become compliant until 2020 Arizona residents can obtain a Real ID at MVD offices for $25. Information about appointments and required documents are available on the Department of Transportation’s website 2025 Arizona governor vetoes bill to make Bitcoin part of state reserves Arizona’s plan to invest in Bitcoin has ended in a veto with Governor Katie Hobbs citing concerns over using public funds for "untested assets." News COINTELEGRAPH IN YOUR SOCIAL FEEDArizona Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed a bill that would have allowed the state to hold Bitcoin as part of its official reserves effectively ending efforts to make Arizona the first US state to adopt such a policy “Today, I vetoed Senate Bill 1025. The Arizona State Retirement System is one of the strongest in the nation because it makes sound and informed investments,” Hobbs wrote in a statement aimed at Warren Petersen “Arizonans’ retirement funds are not the place for the state to try untested investments like virtual currency,” she added On April 28, the bill passed a final vote in the state House when 31 members of the Arizona House voted in favor of the bill Hobbs had previously stated she would veto any legislation not tied to a bipartisan agreement on disability funding Related: Bitcoin bros at ‘the club’ may stop US gov’t from buying BTC — Arthur Hayes which would authorize the state treasurer to allocate up to 10% of Arizona’s rainy-day fund into digital assets like Bitcoin In contrast, North Carolina’s House passed the Digital Assets Investment Act on April 30 allowing the state treasurer to invest up to 5% of certain funds in approved cryptocurrencies The bill has now been moved to the state Senate for consideration The state-level efforts to create Bitcoin reserves come amid a push from US President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers to do the same in the federal government Trump signed an executive order in March with a proposal for a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” and a “Digital Asset Stockpile.” Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, and now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight ARIZONA NEWS 9:11 PM | Updated: May 2 BY BAILEY LEASURE Katie Hobbs said Arizona is ‘open for business’ following the signing of a bill that cleared the way for Axon to build a headquarters and apartment complex in Scottsdale Hobbs joined KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Bruce & Gaydos on Thursday and expressed her support for Axon after signing a bill on April 18 that cleared the way for Axon’s new developments “I’m very excited about (the bill) and it sends a message that Arizona is open for business and we’re not gonna let politicians use the government to shut business down,” Hobbs said weapons and other technology for law enforcement The bill’s passing received some pushback, including from Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky who expressed her concerns over the bill and told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on April 22 that she didn’t think Scottsdale needed any more apartments Hobbs said on Thursday she had not spoken to Borowsky about her concerns over the bill Hobbs added that she supports Axon remaining in Arizona and that workers for the company will not have to move their families out of the state due to the bill’s passing “I stood with thousands of Arizona workers who live here and have families here and who are now not gonna have to uproot their families to move to Texas or Florida because this company was born and raised in Arizona and is going to be able to stay here and grow,” Hobbs said PHOENIX — Governor Katie Hobbs on Monday said her administration is taking steps after the arrest of a now-fired state worker on human smuggling charges Border Patrol agents arrested Joshua Castro a produce inspector for the Arizona Department of Agriculture “Action has been taken within the department to ensure that this is not a more widespread issue and that things are in place to ensure that employees have the training that they need to recognize if this is something that's happening,” she said Hobbs also said her administration would cooperate with any criminal investigation of Castro the Department of Agriculture said it strongly condemns Castro’s actions “Although this took place outside of work hours in the employee's personal vehicle and away from work AZDA has taken proactive steps to deter this unacceptable behavior,” department spokesperson Rachel Andrews said The department is reviewing policies and procedures adding that “will include mandatory training for supervisors and employees” on signs of smuggling to watch for and how to report concerns who leads the Senate panel that vets the governor’s agency directors criticized Hobbs’ handling of the incident “Hobbs’ response that she will implement new employee trainings to ensure this doesn’t happen again is clownish and laughable on its face,” he said “If her employees need to be trained that human smuggling is against the law then Hobbs’ administration is even more dysfunctional and chaotic than everyone thought.” Border Patrol agents in Nogales found two Mexican citizens in the U.S without authorization in the back seat of Castro’s car His vehicle had been “previously identified as a vehicle that may be used for smuggling,” authorities wrote and agents stopped the car when they noticed two passengers Castro told the agents the two men in his car had asked for a ride The passengers told Border Patrol they were Mexican citizens who had paid to be smuggled into the United States and said they were instructed to wait to be picked up near a house Arizona Department of Agriculture Director Paul Brierley is still awaiting a Senate confirmation vote Hoffman’s panel narrowly advanced his nomination earlier this month and the senator told ABC15 in a statement Monday that he and his colleagues have a number of concerns about Brierley “The fact that one of his own employees was engaged in the human smuggling of illegal aliens into our country while wearing his official department uniform is certainly one of those concerns and highlights the very troubling mismanagement that seems to be occurring within the AZDA,” he said who voted against moving Brierley’s nomination forward criticized Brierley’s negative comments on social media about President Donald Trump in 2020 during the April 3 hearing and said Brierley’s request for support during the nomination process from groups he regulates shows “a lack of judgment.” All nominees must clear the Senate Committee on Director Nominations before getting a confirmation vote Hobbs said she is frustrated with Hoffman’s leadership of the panel saying he is “holding director nominations hostage over his political agenda.” "And I think the actions taken since this incident should be considered as addressing the situation,” Hobbs added Report a typo Arizona is one step closer to creating the first-ever state Bitcoin reserve The Republican-led state House and Senate passed a pair of bills, Senate Bill 1025 and Senate Bill 1373, which would create a Bitcoin reserve, similar to President Donald Trump‘s initiative at the federal level The legislation would allow the state to invest up to 10% of its public funds in “virtual currency holdings” such as Bitcoin The legislation advanced through final passage on Monday with the bills being approved largely on partisan lines in the state legislature Democrats have expressed concerns about the volatility of cryptocurrencies and granting public funds to be invested in such endeavors which did not pass with veto-proof majorities The Washington Examiner reached out to Hobbs’s office for comment on how she planned to act on the bills but did not receive a response Trump signed an executive order last month establishing a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” and a “U.S Digital Asset Stockpile” through the U.S as he has been a champion of the cryptocurrency industry throughout his second term in the White House DOJ DIRECTS INVESTIGATORS AWAY FROM CRYPTOCURRENCY ENFORCEMENT Other states have explored adding Bitcoin reserves to their investments as cryptocurrencies spread in popularity and usage Jordan Hobbs (Michigan Photography)Hobbs Picked in WNBA Draft Third Round4/14/2025 10:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Jordan Hobbs of the University of Michigan women's basketball team was selected by the Seattle Storm with the 34th overall pick of the 2025 WNBA draft on Monday evening (April 14) becoming the ninth Wolverine to be drafted to the WNBA Hobbs capped her stellar Maize and Blue career with 962 points starting every contest the last two seasons 4.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 31.4 minutes per game One of five players in program history to make four NCAA Tournaments Hobbs had a career-best 28 points in Michigan's first-round win over Iowa State (March 21) She earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three times in her career as a business administration major in the Ross School of Business Hobbs is the third Wolverine to be drafted since 2022 The leaders of Arizona's Medicaid agency and state health department have stepped down rather than face the Senate confirmation process Katie Hobbs' office announced the pair of resignations on April 30 saying it "became clear to the Governor's Office that the Senate Majority will refuse to confirm" the two leaders Hobbs had nominated Carmen Heredia to lead the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and Jennie Cunico to lead the Arizona Department of Health Services Heredia was scheduled to appear the following day before the Senate's Committee on Director Nominations which has taken the helm of vetting nominees and that Hobbs and others have charged is driven by partisanship under the leadership of Sen the Senate’s unprecedented politicization of the director confirmation process has ended the directorship of two healthcare professionals who have made our state government run more efficiently and more effectively," Hobbs said in a statement "The people of Arizona are tired of the relentless politics that has undermined good governance in the name of partisan retribution." reaffirmed the work of the committee as "Arizonans' last line of defense against incompetent and highly partisan picks to lead state agencies." A spokesperson for Hobbs later said that Heredia and Cunico had resigned their positions as directors but did not respond to a question about their future roles within the state workforce Hobbs has previously demoted and given new jobs to other doomed director nominees in the past Heredia has led the agency since the beginning of Hobbs' administration in 2023 She previously was the longtime chief executive officer of Valle del Sol a nonprofit that operated 17 federally qualified health centers in Arizona and New Mexico Her departure leaves the state's Medicaid agency without a permanent leader as the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are hashing out details of a spending plan that could include significant eligibility changes and reductions in Medicaid funding Hoffman noted concerns about Heredia's leadership in the last two years He said Heredia "basically told the judicial system to pound sand" when the agency in September stood by contracts it awarded to long-term care providers who serve elderly and physically disabled adults The agency ignored the prior ruling of an administrative law judge who found "serious flaws" in how those contracts were awarded a process the judge said led to an "arbitrary outcome." The administrative judge recommended the Medicaid agency re-do the contract process Hoffman also faulted the agency's handling of a massive fraud scandal within the American Indian Health Program The Hobbs administration placed the blame on her predecessor, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey But her administration's response to the fraud has also come under scrutiny criticism that Hoffman noted in his statement Heredia took aim at the confirmation process in a statement provided by the Governor's Office "I believe public service should be about people "When political theater begins to outweigh sound policy and when governance is shaped more by ideology than by data and facts And those who suffer most are the individuals and families who rely on Medicaid for essential health care services." Cunico has worked in the state health department since 2014 and was elevated by Hobbs to serve as its interim director in Aug Hobbs' prior choice to lead the department, Pima County Health Director Dr. Theresa Cullen, faced a grilling in the nominations committee largely related to COVID politics. Cullen withdrew her nomination in Feb. 2023, about the same time the Senate voted to reject her nomination The reason Cunico faced a dead end at the committee was not clear but also appeared tied to the deadly pandemic Hoffman described a one-on-one meeting he had with Cunico as “disastrous,” saying she “double and tripled down on the systemic failures of public health officials during the COVID years.” Hobbs’ office said Hoffman had sought public records dating to 2020 and that he sought to “relitigate conspiracy theories” about COVID Hobbs praised Cunico for leading the agency as it developed statewide plans to prepare for extreme summer heat and Alzheimer's disease Cunico said in a statement that stepping down was a difficult decision but it was “clear to me that there is no path forward to confirmation.” "It has been an honor to serve the State in this capacity and to work with the team at ADHS who consistently demonstrate an unwavering dedication and compassion each day to promote and protect the health and wellbeing of all Arizonans," she said in the statement provided by Hobbs' office (This story has been updated to add new information.) Republicans want school vouchers in the Constitution speaking with attendees on the floor of the Arizona House of Representatives on opening day of the 57th legislature The head of the House Education Committee said on April 30 that any plan to ask voters to increase the pay of public school teachers must also include inserting a right to vouchers for private and parochial schools into the Arizona Constitution – a proposal that could blow up the whole plan said he believes that House and Senate Republicans are supportive of finding the dollars to raise teacher pay That proposal would provide a $4,000 across-the-board increase a move that would put average salaries here above the national average But Gress told Capitol Media Services his GOP colleagues want something else: protections for school choice Both state and federal courts have affirmed the legality of vouchers rejecting various challenges that it amounts to the improper use of state funds for private and religious education Those rulings have concluded that the vouchers of state dollars are given to the parents rather than the schools and it is the fact that the parents decide how to use those funds that makes it legal is a guarantee that the program will continue – and without interference And he said that’s definitely needed “You’ve seen repeated assaults in trying to eradicate one of the school choice options that we have,” he said notably what’s formally known as Empowerment Scholarship Accounts “She is not going to give up until she has ripped out school choice by root and branch,” Gress said “And I think that worries a lot of Arizona families.” says what Gress and the GOP are proposing is “a complete and total nonstarter.” “Business and education leaders are opposed to that shamelessly partisan plan,” she said in a statement to Capitol Media Services “The reckless partisan games from politicians in the Legislature need to come to an end before they endanger pay raises for teachers in order to gut public education.” said the disclosure of the new GOP demand comes even as Democrats have been trying to work with Republicans to craft a deal to extend Proposition 123 it has provided close to $3.5 billion since then in additional dollars for K-12 education by making additional withdrawals from the state land trust Both Republicans and Hobbs have proposed asking voters to extend that extra funding Republicans want all the dollars for teacher pay Hobbs has her own plan – one that would take even more money out of the trust – to finance not just teacher salaries general school funding as well as cash for school capital and safety improvements “That would explain why they have walked away from the table for so long,” Sundareshan said on April 30 after being told of the GOP interest in adding voucher protection to the mix “We have been waiting for over a month with the Republicans to come back with a proposal,” Sundareshan said And what if Republicans insist that higher pay for public school teachers has to be linked to constitutional protections for vouchers “I hesitate to say ‘non-starter,”’ Sundareshan said vouchers are not a good policy in our view.” it may not matter what Democrats or the governor think Any extension of Proposition 123 would be crafted as a constitutional amendment And that means if Republicans who control the House and Senate can line up the votes among their own members The fight is the latest decade-long battle over school vouchers Vouchers were once limited to students with certain disabilities who could not get their needs met in public schools GOP lawmakers gradually expanded eligibility to include foster children those on reservations and students attending schools rated D or F signed legislation for “universal vouchers.” These are essentially checks of state dollars starting at about $7,500 – with higher amounts for students with special needs – that are available to all whether to pay for private schools or for materials used by parents who home school their children The result is that a program that had fewer than 1,000 students in 2014 and only about 11,000 in 2022 has now grown to more than 87,000 with an additional 1,721 already signed up for next school year And the cost has ballooned to more than $770 million a year at least in part because the vouchers are now being used by parents who were sending their children to private schools on their own dime Hobbs had no luck convincing the Republican-controlled Legislature to kill the universal expansion in 2023 So now she has proposed what she calls a compromise: Keep universal vouchers but tie state aid to the ability of the parents to pay families making up to $100,000 a year would still be eligible for a full voucher But there would be a declining amount above that with the ability to get a voucher disappearing at $200,000 Hobbs is calling this a “reform” of the program saying without the change the number of students who will enroll will top 94,000 with a price tag of $964 million Gress said that’s not going to get any traction “She may portray her policies as not getting rid of them,” he said “But the effective operational practice of her policy would be gutting the ESA program.” While Republicans may have the ability to advance their plan linking teacher pay with protecting vouchers there is a potential danger of voter rejection And that was despite bipartisan support and the backing of both business interests and the education community communications director for the Arizona Education Association said her members were already unhappy with the initial Republican plan to restrict the Prop 123 extension on how schools could use the state dollars She said that leaves out things like facilities maintenance “to make sure that if the AC breaks in a school that kids can continue to learn safely there.” Fuentes said AEA is unlikely to support anything that enshrines the right of parents to vouchers in the Arizona Constitution “There have been significant issues with waste fraud and abuse with the current voucher program,” she said particularly high-dollar purchases made by parents of home-schooled children “Constitutional protections for the voucher program would make it very difficult for lawmakers to implement future reforms to the program,” Fuentes said said he does not see adding a constitutional right to vouchers to a Prop Part of what he is counting on is support from the parents now taking advantage of vouchers “We’ve seen the Empowerment Scholarship Account program grow tremendously from 13,000 or 14,000 to nearly 90,000,” he said with close to half of that growth being students who had been enrolled in public schools but are using the vouchers to go to a private or parochial school “They’re overwhelmingly popular,” Gress said “This has changed the game for a lot of these families who just didn’t feel like the existing education options were satisfying the needs of their children,” he continued “So I think you’re going to see a lot of support for not only raising teacher pay but preserving education freedom in the state.” Putting a right of parents to get vouchers in the Arizona Constitution would also override any effort by Hobbs to link the program to the ability of parents to pay saying it goes to the principle of a universal education “We don’t charge tuition to wealthy families who attend a district or a charter school,” he said “I believe that if you are of student age in the state of Arizona you deserve to have state investment in your education.” Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application took his leave in the early hours of February 17th in Salt Lake City to Victoria Gladden-Dahlk and Jeffery Allen Hobbs His early years were spent in West Jordan with a brief stint in Enterprise just doors away from grandparents and cousins whom Taylor enjoyed spending time with throughout his life his family moved to a subdivision built by the family construction company Taylor was proud to tell everyone he grew up on Hobbs Drive and friends got up to on Hobbs Drive are the stuff of legends To the neighbors he kept buzzing and entertained Ask any educator about having Taylor in their class and they'll tell you- he was one of the most loveable smart-alecks they knew Younger siblings coming up through the same teachers were often told they had big shoes to fill He kept teachers on their toes and chuckling until he graduated from Bingham High School in 1998 Taylor was dubbed "Too Tall" by Jr While his appearance and swagger were intimidating his heart held a very soft and protective spot for the "little guys" He never tolerated bullies and garnered thanks from parents whose kids Taylor stood up for on multiple occasions Those with special needs and other kids who would otherwise be targeted for abuse never had to worry with Too Tall around His younger siblings benefited most from his strong protective instinct; for all we ever had to do at the first sign of trouble was say "do you even know who MY big brother is?" Problem solved Taylor carried this protective instinct for family and loved ones throughout his life Most of you reading this who knew Taylor can probably think of an odd job or project he happily volunteered to take care of for you He was the kind of guy who was thankful for the opportunity to be the hero Taylor enjoyed most of all his time spent getting to be a father and obligations made it heartbreakingly difficult for him to get the time he wanted with his children He cherished and spoke often about the great times he's had of late- taking them for swimming lessons and fun at Snowbird and Facetiming his youngest at home in West Virginia Taylor had his share of personal struggles He remained resilient in the face of adversity and never lost his infectious positivity or sense of humor Taylor never stopped trying and had made many great strides The last two years of Taylor's life were met with wonderful achievements; he'd gone to school and was enjoying his new career as a long-haul commercial truck driver What a bright new life he was building for himself making his abrupt departure all the more heartbreaking to bear and stepfather Claude; father Jeffery; siblings Jason King (Anjanette) and Jeffery Hobbs; nieces and nephews Dominic and cousins; and even more close and loyal friends Taylor had an unbreakable bond with his youngest brother Taylor cared for Nathan unconditionally and kept an ever-watchful eye on him until Nathan's untimely death in 2015 We are comforted to imagine what a beautiful reunion that must've been Taylor also reunites with his Grandparents Pauline and George Hobbs Darlene and Boyd Nielsen; Uncle Ed and Aunt Kathleen Peiper; cousins Levi Hobbs and Jessi Jensen; and his late stepfather We are going to deeply miss the hearty laughs and "easy like Sunday morning" energy you brought everywhere you went located at 4330 South Redwood Road in Taylorsville Light refreshments will be served after services followed by a burial dedication at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors See what today's weather forecast looks like in Tucson PHOENIX — Arizona won’t be taking money away after all from state universities and community colleges that offer courses in diversity In a series of vetoes late Friday, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs rejected a bill passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature that would remove all state funds from any school that had even one course the legislation declared unacceptable That would have included anything that relates contemporary American society to whiteness David Farnsworth said he wrote the proposal after reading a book in a course on cultural diversity he is taking at Rio Salado Community College Such legislative efforts, combined with President Donald Trump’s order to stop DEI programs or lose federal funding, led University of Arizona President Suresh Garimella to send a letter recently to Senate President Warren Petersen listing steps he’s taking to eliminate DEI at the university Hobbs did not address specific concerns raised by Farnsworth but instead focused on the effects the bill would have “Our state universities and community colleges play a vital role in developing Arizona’s workforce and strengthening our qualify of life through transformational research,’’ she wrote “Jeopardizing their state funding with a bill that lacks clarity attacks future stability and would lead to negative effects on the state’s workforce and economy.’’ bringing her veto tally so far this ongoing legislative session to 75 That is two more than she issued during the entire 2024 session the record for any governor in state history — is the 143 bills she vetoed in 2023 Also getting her veto stamp Friday was a proposal by Sierra Vista Republican Sen. David Gowan to impose personal fines of $5,000 against any elected or appointed official who “knowingly and willfully’’ violates existing laws that preempt cities and counties from enacting any local regulation of firearms “There are existing mechanisms to challenge city ordinances,’’ she wrote lobbyist for the Arizona Citizens Defense League But Infanzon said such rulings haven’t deterred officials in some cities and counties from continuing to enact restrictions He said civil fines that officials would have to pay from their own pockets would make them think twice Hobbs also declined to be told by state lawmakers that she must “enforce, administer and cooperate with federal actions orders and programs that relate to the enforcement of federal immigration laws.’’ That proposal was one of several being pushed by Republicans who say they want state and local officials to do all they can to help the Trump administration round up and deport those here illegally not only would have imposed the requirement on the governor but also on the attorney general as well as all cities as did each of you,’’ she wrote in her veto message to lawmakers must decide what’s best for Arizona,’’ the governor said Hobbs also rejected a related proposal that would have required county jails to daily transmit to U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement the name gender and Social Security number of anyone arrested for certain offenses These ranged from larceny and shoplifting to burglary assault on a law enforcement officer and any other offense that resulted in death or serious bodily injury “Existing state law already bans sanctuary cities,’’ Hobbs wrote in her veto message “I expect state and local governments to uphold the law and work with the federal government to secure the border this (measure) places extreme burdens on local law enforcement.’’ Hobbs also objected to legislation crafted by Prescott Republican Sen payments available to lose their jobs through no fault of their own Finchem’s proposal would have tightened some requirements for recipients to seek employment But it also would have barred the Arizona Department of Economic Security from paying benefits until they checked “This legislation creates unnecessary delays for workers The governor also nixed legislation that would make voter registration rolls available on the internet But Hobbs said it “poses risks that the information will be misused or used for commercial purposes.’’ Hobbs also vetoed legislation that would make the “cast vote record’’ — essentially a digital representation of every vote cast — a public record She said she believes it would put voter privacy at risk Also rejected were two measures making changes in groundwater regulation as Hobbs said she is trying to work with lawmakers to come up with a comprehensive plan “I am disappointed that neither of these bills would move toward solving the water policy challenges that Arizona residents and communities are facing today,’’ she wrote “To see more effort misspent on pointless bills that would only weaken groundwater protections is a continued affront to rural Arizonans who have asked their legislature for years to address rural groundwater challenges.’’ — Allowing the state treasurer and public retirement funds to invest up to 10% of their holdings in “virtual currency’’ such as Bitcoin “Arizonans’ retirement funds are not the place for the state to try untested investments like virtual currency,’’ the governor said commissions and departments from using any programs on DEI in the hiring Hobbs dismissed the legislation as “Detrimental — Requiring school districts to prepare budgets for three years “It would do nothing to improve the budgeting process for school districts,’’ Hobbs said — Eliminating the ability of transgender people to get an amended birth certificate “I encourage the Legislature to focus on real issues that matter and impact people’s everyday lives,’’ she wrote — Mandating a minimum award of $2,500 for each violation of the Parents’ Bill of Rights a provision in state law that guarantees parents can make the ultimate decisions on the upbringing of their own children Hobbs said she didn’t want to do anything that might discourage children from seeking outside help Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on X, Bluesky and Threads at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter Katie Hobbs warns that the Republican plan to create a constitutional right to vouchers is a "nonstarter."  John Kavanagh continues to churn out bills on "culture war" issues — like bathroom and birth-certificate… For Star subscribers: Arizona lawmakers are voting on a measure to force public school districts to let private school students compete on the… State lawmakers approved a $122 million compromise package to fund services for tens of thousands of disabled Arizonans For Star subscribers: The Utah-based company that ran Arizona State Prison-Marana before it closed in 2023 is set to buy the facility for $15 … travelers will need Real ID or other documents to get on a commercial flight A now-fired Arizona Agriculture Department employee faces human smuggling charges and legislative Republicans are threatening consequences for Democratic Gov Former produce inspector Joshua Castro was arrested in Nogales earlier this month on suspicion of allegedly smuggling two undocumented Mexican immigrants for money after they illegally entered the country Border Patrol agents reported that they saw Castro’s car near I-19 in Nogales on April 9 and 10 The car was "previously identified as a vehicle that may have been used for smuggling” in the area The agents saw the car pass again later on the 10th with two passengers and pursued it Castro pulled over and said he didn’t know the men and they had just asked him for a ride According to court documents, both men – Diego Ramirez-Cruz and Ignacio Salvador Velazquez-Gomez – told authorities they were charged thousands of dollars to be transported into the United States They said they crossed into Arizona illegally and went to a location where they were instructed to wait for someone to pick them up Then they went with Castro once they were inside Arizona and action has been taken within the department to ensure that this is not a more widespread issue,” she said A spokesperson for the Agriculture Department said in a statement that the agency “strongly condemns” Castro’s actions AZDA has taken proactive steps to deter this unacceptable behavior Policies and procedures are being reviewed and will include mandatory training for supervisors and employees to include information from CBP on signs to watch for and how to report concerns,” the statement said The state Senate is poised to vote on Hobbs’ pick to lead the Department of Agriculture Brierly was already in hot water with GOP lawmakers who questioned his judgment for posting negative comments about President Donald Trump on social media in 2020 Now, Sen. Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek) says the accusations against the department’s former employee may affect Brierly’s prospects "It’s no wonder Hobbs vetoes every piece of meaningful border security legislation when on her watch her own state employee is being arrested and prosecuted for the human smuggling of illegal aliens,” Hoffman wrote. “There are no words to adequately describe the obscene mismanagement occurring within @GovernorHobbs’ state government.” Hoffman added in a text that he already had doubts about Brierly and this won’t help his case as it “highlights the very mismanagement that seems to be occurring within the AZDA.” “Hobbs’ response that she was implementing employee trainings to ensure this doesn’t happen again was clownish and laughable on its face If her employees need to be trained that human smuggling is against the law then Hobbs’ administration is even more dysfunctional and chaotic than everyone thought,” Hoffman said Hobbs said she can’t speak to Hoffman’s motives “I continue to be frustrated with him holding director nominations hostage over his political agenda and I think the action is taken since this incident should be considered as addressing the situation,” she said Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has faced criticism from community members and U.S government officials after vetoing a bill that would have allowed the state to establish a Bitcoin reserve In a statement issued on May 2 Hobbs formally announced her decision to veto Senate Bill 1025 “The Arizona State Retirement System is one of the strongest in the nation because it makes sound and informed investments Arizonans’ retirement funds are not the place for the state to try untested investments like virtual currencу,” Hobbs wrote.  also known as the Arizona Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act aimed to allocate seized funds toward purchasing Bitcoin establishing a state-managed digital asset reserve After narrowly passing the state House in a 31-25 vote the bill was sent to Governor Hobbs for final approval Governor Hobbs’ veto sparked backlash across social media, where critics voiced frustration and warned that the decision could impact her chances for re-election Some users also suggested she may come to regret rejecting the proposed legislation Arizona’s House and Senate said YES to #Bitcoin One person who hasn’t studied Bitcoin just overruled an entire legislature That’s fiscal irresponsibility and a betrayal of the voter expressed her disappointment with Governor Hobbs’ veto in a post shared on X “I understand the governor vetoed my Arizona Bitcoin Reserve Bill Politicians don’t understand that Bitcoin doesn’t need Arizona Arizona needs Bitcoin,” Rogers wrote.  Rogers stated that she intends to reintroduce the bill during the legislature’s next session I am sure Governor Andy Biggs will be happy to take credit for signing the bill for this already proven (16 years!) innovation that will protect our wealth,” Rogers added.  However, not everyone opposed Governor Hobbs’ decision. American economist Peter Schiff expressed support for the veto backing her move to reject the proposed legislation “The government should not be making decisions to use public funds to speculate in [cryptocurrencies],” Schiff wrote in an X post.  Had it been signed into law, Arizona would have been the first U.S. state to formally establish a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve the state now joins a growing list of others—such as Oklahoma and Wyoming—where recent attempts to integrate Bitcoin into government holdings have either been withdrawn or failed to gain enough legislative support This reflects the ongoing divergence in state-level approaches to digital assets even as national conversations surrounding cryptocurrency regulation continue to evolve Michaela has no crypto positions and does not hold any crypto assets This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice The Shib Magazine and The Shib Daily are the official media and publications of the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency project Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS BY ARIZONA SPORTS Katie Hobbs and Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin are optimistic about reaching a deal that could keep the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field and support renovations to the aging ballpark Galvin spoke Thursday after a stakeholder meeting involving several key parties House Bill HB2704 — which proposes redirecting sales tax revenue generated at Chase Field back into funding improvements for the stadium — passed the Arizona House on Feb While it has moved more slowly in the Senate the bill advanced out of the Senate Finance Committee on March 24 The proposal has drawn criticism, particularly from the city of Phoenix, for reallocating public funds. Throughout the legislative process, it has undergone several revisions including implementing a cap on public spending removing provisions that would redirect income tax revenue and requiring Maricopa County to match the city’s financial contributions Galvin has spoken out against the revised bill, outlining his concerns in an op-ed for AZCentral.com or you don’t go to Chase Field for a concert like Billy Joel or Stevie Nicks you buy a hot dog then it makes sense that that money can then be plowed back into the stadium “There was an amendment that came up about a month ago in which the legislation would scoop out money from the general fund from the county We didn’t think that was cool because that takes away money from our deputy prosecutors.” Galvin wants to go back to the initial intent of the bill — using revenue generated at the stadium to fund the renovations rather than outside funding and would support the deal “It looks like we’re headed in that direction,” Galvin continued “And that’s the request that we made and that’s what I advocated for at the meeting but that was the biggest one as far as the county is concerned.” Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall added on Thursday that “we’re maybe at the 5-yard line” in getting a renovation deal done Hobbs echoed Galvin’s optimism and is for the bill if it protects the taxpayers as well Gov. Katie Hobbs wants to make sure taxpayers don't get the short end of the stick in a potential Chase Field renovations deal. @OutspokenKTAR @GovernorHobbs Full interview: https://t.co/Y9UkK1sQTn pic.twitter.com/NWvnepnQb9 — KTAR News 92.3 (@KTAR923) May 2, 2025 Hobbs hinted that a resolution may come soon in the next two weeks the Diamondbacks bill would pass,” Hobbs said Follow @AZSports communication is everything — even if she doesn’t speak in the traditional way “She is amazing and tall and spicy and beautiful,” said her mom thanks to an Augmentative & Assistive Communication (AAC) device Lilly has been able to express herself since she was a toddler Her journey inspired Stefanie to launch the non-profit Lilly’s Voice to provide these devices to kids across the country free of charge “AAC devices can cost upwards of $700,” Stefanie explained Lilly’s Voice has provided more than 450 devices giving non-speaking kids a new way to connect “I can’t state how much it has changed our lives,” said Jordan a Valley mom of two sons who are nonverbal Earlier this week, families like Jordan’s received more good news: Governor Katie Hobbs signed House Bill 2945 a bipartisan plan that protects funding for Arizona’s Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) which serves nearly 60,000 people living with Autism “I’m proud to bring an end to the months of confusion and uncertainty,” Gov Arizonans with developmental disabilities and their families can feel some relief.” “When we give kids the tools to communicate “Life doesn’t always look the way you imagined but that doesn’t mean it can’t be wonderful.” To learn more or support Lilly’s Voice, visit lillysvoice.org Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Hurricane Helene left regional bear population largely unfazed (WLOS) — Hurricane Helene abruptly impacted many areas of Western North Carolina North Carolina Wildlife Special Projects biologist explained how Helene hit at the time of year when bears were becoming quite active again This is because that is when bears try to consume as much as possible Hobbs said it was nerve-racking to see how the region's black bears would respond to the storm bears are designed to deal with environmental changes THE BEAR NECESSITIES: WHY THE ICONIC ANIMAL IS VITAL TO NORTH CAROLINA'S MOUNTAINS one of the only normal things about last fall was this region's bear activity “We didn’t see much of an impact from the hurricane in terms of bears going about their daily business When looking at why Helene didn’t affect the bears Hobbs said it was because of their natural instincts they can really navigate the landscape even with all the debris fields That's nothing that they can’t handle,” she said BEARS ON THE MOVE: COALITION PUSHES FOR MORE SAFE PASSAGE FOR WILDLIFE She added that the storm may have actually helped them with their denning habitats all their food went from being in the air to on the ground is when we could observe how Helene's impact affects the bears “Now that we’re missing a lot of these hard mass trees the hickory–how that will impact them in the fall,” she said Hobbs reminds everyone that coexisting with bears remains important BEARWISE BASICS: HOW TO COEXIST WITH THE GROWING BLACK BEAR POPULATION IN WNC “We don’t want to encourage bears to see us as a source of food so it’s a good time of year to bring your bird feeders inside for the rest of the season,” she said Hobbs said it is also about time to be more diligent about trash She advises making sure all garbage is kept in a garage and the region should expect normal bear activity Get your morning recap of today's local news and read the full stories here: tucne.ws/morning PHOENIX — The recent deal to continue funding for disability services in Arizona still leaves a fight ahead to keep the dollars flowing after June 30 Governor Katie Hobbs acknowledged that it took a bipartisan effort to find $122 million just ahead of when services would have been cut off And she had particular praise for the two party leaders who crafted the package But the governor said that discussions have yet to start for the budget for the new fiscal year that begins in just two months And it comes as economists are telling state officials that the revenues they were anticipating might not develop “I don’t have all the answers right now,’’ she said which are in line with Arizonans’ priorities,’’ the governor said “And I’m going to fight for a budget that protects those.’’ The deal protects the funding for a program known as Parents as Paid Caregivers Wednesday for being a key advocate to help ensure continued funding for disability services in Arizona that are needed for her twin brother It was started during COVID when parents of children with developmental disabilities found they could not get individuals to help them with services And it initially was funded with Medicaid dollars And Hobbs made a decision — Republican lawmakers said without their knowledge — to have the state pick up the difference Only thing was that those state dollars were not enough to make it through the budget year Hobbs credited House Majority Whip Julie Willoughby of Chandler and Nancy Gutierrez of Tucson for coming up with a plan that provided the dollars Hobbs agreed to some new restrictions against the governor and state agencies from entering into any new deals for federal dollars — funding that might later disappear — without legislative approval Now the question is what happens after June 30 “It absolutely is a priority to protect this funding in the ongoing budget,’’ the governor said “And I’m sure it will be part of the negotiations.’’ Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, Bluesky, and Threads at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Critics point at the no such equipment currently exists and that the Arizona measure does not specify how to tabulate ballots if the deadline … a birth certificate can only be amended if there is evidence an original birth certificate was “factually ina… She attended Dotson Memorial Church and loved her Bible School class until she could no longer attend Eleanor loved her family and family times more than anything She loved to fix steak and gravy and have all her family come to her house and enjoy the great food and fellowship Pat Summit and she was a regular season ticket holder She attended the SEC Tournaments and Final Fours and going to the beach yearly Eleanor loved watching and feeding all the wildlife in her yard on the lake Special thanks to Asbury Memory Care House Alpine The family would like to thank you all for the compassion and love you showed Mom everyday Sandi Hughes & husband Jimmy; brothers and Mason Hughes; to be reunited with special pet Benny; special friend The family will receive friends at Smith's Trinity Chapel on Saturday 2025 from 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM with a Celebration of Eleanor's life to follow at 6:00 PM with Rev Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPHOENIX (AZFamily) — Arizona Gov Katie Hobbs has signed a bill aimed at limiting cellphone usage in public schools and attention is exactly what today’s students are being robbed of by addictive devices and endless scrolling,” said Rep “We’ve drawn a clear line: Arizona classrooms are for learning Teachers can finally reclaim their classrooms and parents can feel confident their kids are actually focused on school—not their screens.” The signing of House Bill 2484 comes months after Arizona State Superintendent of Public Schools Tom Horne detailed a plan to ban cell phones in classrooms The law still allows for using such devices for “educational purposes,” during an emergency or if the student has a medical condition requiring contact between a parent and student during the school day “I mean beyond the cyberbullying you have access to drugs and alcohol The phones are the way the kids are getting into the bathroom and saying meet me in here I have the marijuana,” Valley parent Katey McPherson said The new law outlines restrictions to social media and internet access as well as texting or calling on wireless devices (that includes personal phones or computers and iPads provided by the school) “Imagine being a teacher and trying to teach a class while students were scrolling on their cellphones. That this has been permitted is outrageous,” Horne in a news conference last August “It decreases student learning significantly and makes life hard for teachers who already have heavy burdens No teacher should have to compete against phones for the attention of students.” Last year, Hobbs vetoed a bill to create statewide rules regarding cellphones and other electronic devices on campus claiming schools were doing enough to address the problem “The cell phone bill has been one of my highest priorities at the legislature,” Horne said “Instead of looking at their cell phones and not learning what the teachers are teaching learn what they need to.” He believes the bill will improve test scores as well A 2024 Pew Research survey of high school teachers found that more than 70% view student distraction from cell phones as a “major problem.” See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? 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