Steve Kirwan, Author at Arizona Globe

Mesnard Pushes Plan to Expand State House by 30 Seats

March 18, 2026 4:24 pmMarch 18, 2026 4:24 pm

Arizona’s LD-13 Republican Senator J.D. Mesnard is proposing to expand the Arizona House from 60 to 90 members, claiming that his idea is about enhancing representation at the state’s local level. Under his proposed Senate Concurrent Resolution SCR1022, Arizona would...

Montenegro Make Hobbs’ Vetos Central to GOP Election Message

March 16, 2026 3:29 pmMarch 16, 2026 3:30 pm

Gov. Katie Hobbs’ veto record has become a central line of attack for Arizona Republicans and a point of defense for state Democrats. The veto battle reflects the broader struggle of governing with a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled Legislature....

Finchem Bill Would End Elective Gender Changing Drugs

February 25, 2026 10:02 amMarch 7, 2026 2:49 pm

PHOENIX — The Arizona Senate recently approved Senate Bill SB1095, a measure that would expand Arizona’s existing restrictions on gender-transition care for minors. The bill bars physicians and other health professionals from providing or referring patients under 18 for puberty...

Pinal’s Miller Wins Round 1 in County’s ICE Ban

February 20, 2026 9:28 amMarch 5, 2026 11:48 am

Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller scored an early procedural win Friday in his legal fight with the Pinal County Board of Supervisors over his office’s controversial partnership with federal immigration officials, after a judge ordered the case moved out of...

Kavanagh, Olson Lead GOP Against Hobbs’ Veto History

February 18, 2026 3:50 pmMarch 4, 2026 1:52 pm

PHOENIX — Republican lawmakers are moving to reintroduce dozens of bills previously vetoed by Arizona’s Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs. This strategy is already colliding with a separate, high-stakes fight over the state’s tax conformity with federal tax standards after Hobbs’...

AZ GOP and DEMS Clash over Unborn Child Legislation

January 27, 2026 2:10 pmFebruary 17, 2026 12:22 pm

Three bills moving through the Arizona House—HB2043, HB2144, and HB2074—are intended to expand the legal recognition of unborn children in Arizona law, aimed explicitly at homicide cases, family-court child support, and abortion-related criminal reporting. Supporters are framing them as “catch-up”...

Kavanagh, Petersen Lead 2026 Budget Battles

January 12, 2026 3:56 pmJanuary 26, 2026 2:05 pm

As Arizona lawmakers gavel in the 2026 legislative session on Jan. 12, they’re walking straight into a familiar mess: big promises, tight money, and an election-year pressure cooker. The loudest early concern is tax conformity—whether Arizona should fully align its...