This week, the Natural Resources, Energy, and Water (NREW) Committee had a packed agenda, with a recurring theme: the movement and management of water. We heard 11 bills—one passed unanimously, while the other 10 advanced along party lines. I opposed these 10 bills because they ignored practical climate science in favor of short-term solutions to our long-term water challenges. Living in a desert where 84% of the state is in severe drought, we should focus on water under three main pillars: adaptation, conservation, and responsible management.

One of the repeated topics in committee was water hauling—the transfer of water from one place to another. While it is a necessary reality for some tribal and water-stricken communities, it’s a symptom of water scarcity, not the root cause. This also is reflected in Trump’s recent executive order forcing the release of water from Northern California dams without a clear plan—a move that risks overflooding farmlands now, while leaving them without enough water for irrigation in the summer.

Water is a finite resource—moving it from one place means another place has less. That reality will be at the center of negotiations between the seven Colorado River Basin states in the coming months. To prepare, HB 2103 appropriates $1 million to defend against negotiation-related lawsuits, while Governor Hobbs’ budget asks for a $3M allocation.

Meanwhile, Cochise County is experiencing severe groundwater shortages—wells are running dry, and over-pumping is causing underground fissures that are splitting homes apart. Recognizing the urgency, voters in 2022 approved an Active Management Area (AMA) for the Douglas Basin, but a similar measure failed in Willcox. In December, Governor Hobbs took necessary action, and the Arizona Department of Water Resources designated Willcox as an AMA as well. In an AMA, wells pumping over 35 gallons per minute require a permit, while smaller, exempt wells face some restrictions.

Yet, the majority of bills in committee aimed to reverse these AMA designations in various ways. I heard from many Cochise County residents and farmers who strongly opposed these efforts. Their message was clear: water management should prioritize long-term sustainability.

With Kindness,

Sarah

Community Corner

I met with a bright group of Brophy high schoolers participating in Aliento’s Education Day. The seniors all have big plans to attend college both in and out of state next year. One student shared his heartbreaking family experience as a small child when his father was taken by ICE and detained for three months. He described saying good bye to his dad as he left for work as agents swarmed his home.

Aliento took the lead in another powerful way this week, organizing a campus protest against the ASU student organization College Republicans United—a group with documented ties to white supremacists. This organization openly promoted a police-state mentality, urging students to report their peers and faculty to ICE. Over 1,000 people gathered at ASU, with hundreds more joining in protest at the Capitol.

Remember this: Mass deportations aren’t about national security—they’re about consolidating racial power. They serve as a tool to marginalize communities, disrupt lives, and uphold systemic inequality under the guise of enforcement.

Standing in solidarity with my Democratic colleagues, we sent a letter to ASU President Michael Crow, urging an investigation and the revocation of the group’s club status. Hate speech is not free speech.

Federal Flagrancies (contd.)

This week brought mass panic and urgent action as a wave of executive orders threatened our communities.

I spent the first part of the week hearing from nonprofits around the state who’s work was frozen by the Office of Management and Budget’s sudden pause on federal funding. Some of these vital service groups couldn’t even continue their work that day with the uncertainty if payments would arrive. Although OMB rescinded the order, after receiving wide backlash from nonprofits and law enforcement groups, confusion remains as the White House insists the cuts are still in place.

Meanwhile, public health is in free fall. Trump forced mass resignations in the scientific and medical community, including a friend studying infectious diseases at the VA, who was given three weeks to resign with minimal severance. More disturbingly, critical public health information has been removed from the CDC’s website, including guidance on contraception and HIV.

Over the last 36 hours, top Justice Department officials have resigned or been fired in a partisan purge aimed at silencing anyone connected to legal action against our felony-indicted president—a direct threat to public safety and the rule of law.

Then, in a stunning legal and institutional overreach, Elon Musk stormed the Treasury demanding access to our nation’s secure payment system—and got it. A billionaire now holds unprecedented access to private financial data and the power to manipulate federal funding, from Social Security to Medicare, tax refunds, and grants—including funds for companies competing with his own. Senator Ron Wyden called it a “national security risk.”

In yet another blow to consumers, Trump abruptly fired Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra, who had returned over $6 billion to ordinary Americans.

And most tragically, my deepest condolences go to the families who lost loved ones in the Washington, D.C. plane and helicopter collision. Federal agencies exist to protect us, yet in the weeks leading up to this disaster, Trump:

• Fired the TSA administrator

• Eliminated an aviation security advisory group

• Left the FAA leaderless after clashing with Elon Musk

  
  

I will continue to expose these egregious federal actions because their consequences will affect us all. We rely on safe roads and air travel. We have parents on Social Security. We are all at risk from current and future diseases. We cannot afford to look away. Here’s two ways to get involved:

Call To Boycott Companies That Rollback DEI Policies

Small but mighty ways to show force is by boycotting against the companies operating against our best interest. Leaders like Dolores Huerta, alongside many others are vocally advocating to use our dollars to push back on these illegal Presidential power moves.  

• Create an account on BlueSky and delete Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

• Boycott businesses that are not operating in good faith of their consumers.

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