House & Senate Education Chairs Gress, Angius Welcome Regents’ Confirmation of Independent ASU Hockey Review Board says review will examine what happened to Matthew Mayich and allow witnesses to participate confidentially “The Board has confirmed that Chief Justice Bales will examine what happened to Matthew Mayich on August 20 and what happened afterward. That is what we asked for. Chief Justice Bales is highly respected, and we appreciate the Board of Regents and ASU giving him the independence and access he needs to get the facts.” -@MatthewGress, @AZHouseGOP Education Committee Chairman “The confidentiality protections matter because players have said they are afraid of retaliation. They need to be able to tell Chief Justice Bales what they saw without worrying about the consequences. He should hear from everyone involved, get the information he needs, and determine what happened.” -@SenatorAngius, @AZSenateGOP Education Committee Chairman FULL DETAILS👇 azleg.gov/press/house/57LEG/… #AZHouseGOP #AZSenateGOP #AZLeg

State Land Oversight Committee to Examine State Trust Land Sales for Housing September 29 hearing will examine legislative requirements, agency permitting delays, and residential development during severe housing shortage, among other issues “During our sunset review, we heard about a backlog of more than 400 pending applications that was continuing to grow, with some applications sitting for more than two years without a final approval or denial on the merits,” said Senator @TimDunn_AZ, Senate Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee. “This was one of the top concerns raised by stakeholders. Nearly every industry that does business with the Department and that generates revenue for the Trust reported negative experiences with the Department’s secret ‘A.S.A.P.’ process—where applications go in and, instead of being approved or denied on the merits, they get sidelined indefinitely under the guise of 'needing more information' when Department staff, the Governor, or her political allies have a different, predetermined vision for a parcel. This practice avoids appealable agency actions under Arizona Revised Statutes 37-133 and denies applicants' basic due process rights. It is unacceptable, unlawful, and must be addressed.” “Arizona is in a housing crisis,” said Representative Gail Griffin, House Co-Chair of the Joint Legislative Ad Hoc Committee. “In 2023, Arizona was more than 50,000 units short. Since then, the shortage has only grown while demand for new housing has remained steady, driving up housing costs for both renters and prospective buyers. The shortage is also delaying family formation, with fewer young people starting families because they cannot afford the cost of living or find an affordable starter home. The national average age for first-time home buyers is now 40 years old, the oldest on record. For someone taking out a 30-year mortgage at that age, that means making payments until age 70.” READ MORE DETAILS👇 azleg.gov/press/house/57LEG/… #AZHouseGOP #AZSenateGOP #AZLeg

🚨JLAC Chairman Gress, Co-Chairman Finchem Demand Accountability After HHS Calls Arizona’s Single Audit Response “Inadequate” HHS official tells JLAC repeated delays are unacceptable as Arizona faces potential federal enforcement over delinquent audit “The State has had years to get this problem under control, and at Monday’s hearing we heard directly from HHS that serious concerns remain. Deadlines have been missed, timelines have changed, and the federal government still does not have the timely information it needs to properly oversee these programs. My focus is on getting this fixed. The administration needs to provide a credible plan to get Arizona caught up and make sure this does not happen again. If we fail to do that, federal funding could be put at risk, and the Arizonans who depend on these programs should not have to pay the price for the State’s failure to meet basic federal accountability requirements.” -@AZHouseGOP Rep. @MatthewGress, JLAC Chairman “Four consecutive missed deadlines require more than another promise that things will improve. HHS is asking for a credible timeline, discipline, and direct engagement. The Governor’s Office and the agencies responsible for these delays need to deliver. Arizona has to provide accurate financial information and meet the federal requirements that come with receiving these funds. Because of four years of mismanagement, Arizona will lose federal taxpayer dollars that would have benefitted Arizonans most in need.” -@AZSenateGOP Sen. @RealMarkFinchem , JLAC Co-Chairman FULL DETAILS👇 azleg.gov/press/house/57LEG/… #AZHouseGOP #AZLeg