Cook becomes Freedom Caucus spoiler
House and Senate Freedom Caucus members started the legislative session with Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs as their prime nemesis, but soon found a new foe in a rural Republican.
Republicans celebrate new anti-Hobbs committee
This session, a new committee designed to vet Gov. Katie Hobbs’ nominees to lead various offices drew outrage from Democrats and was applauded as an effective strategy by Republicans.
Arizona Health Services: most pregnancy-related deaths preventable
Nearly half of Arizona’s pregnancy related deaths in 2022 were tied to mental health or substance use disorders, with 98% deemed preventable, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. And communities of color and rural communities see disparate effects and a lack of perinatal care.
Hobbs still mum on what she wants changed to sign new home-cooked foods bill
Nearly two weeks after vetoing a widely popular bill to expand the sale of home-cooked foods, Gov. Katie Hobbs still won't say what she wants changed in order to get her to sign a new version.
House passes bill to expand laws allowing sale of ‘cottage foods’ to public
With only 11 dissenting votes, the state House approved legislation Thursday to expand state laws that allow the sale of "cottage foods'' to the general public.
Vetoes define first 100 days of Hobbs’ term
A few weeks into her tenure as Arizona’s top public official, Gov. Katie Hobbs took heat from critics over a handful of executive orders she’d issued – efforts to tackle discriminatory hiring practices and create new task forces to address her policy priorities, like prison reform.
Senate Republicans won’t consider ‘evasive’ Hobbs nominees
A Senate committee charged with reviewing gubernatorial nominees held a candidate from consideration on Monday and pledged to hold all future nominees who don’t clearly answer questions after a lengthy questioning process frustrated committee Republicans.
Senate rejects Hobbs’ DHS nominee
The Senate voted Tuesday to reject Gov. Katie Hobbs’ nomination of Dr. Theresa Cullen to serve as the director of the Department of Health Services, though Hobbs tried to withdraw the nomination before the vote.
Arizona’s falling vaccination rates could lead to serious health issues in future
Vaccination rates among schoolchildren in Arizona have steadily declined since 2012, but the Covid pandemic accelerated the drop across the state. The trend is unlikely to reverse any time soon, which could result in serious health consequences for Arizonans in the future, experts fear.
Phoenix nursery provides model solution for newborns exposed to opioids
In central Phoenix, Hushabye Nursery is home to babies born withdrawing from addictive substances they were exposed to in the womb. Across the country, cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome increased a startling 82% from 2010 to 2017, research shows. In Arizona, these cases increased 41% from 2017 to 2021.
Report: Most adolescent suicides caused by firearms
Health officials in Arizona recently reported firearms have become the top cause of adolescent suicides, passing strangulation-related deaths in 2021.
Pro-life Dems throw wrench in party plans and contradict campaign messaging
Two pro-life Democrats are contradicting the party’s message that voting for the Democratic ticket means protecting abortion from statewide bans.