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“This was a tremendous breach, I've never seen one worse...and at such a high level.”

- Guy Ravey, who served in the Marines from 1997 to 2017,

including three tours flying combat missions in Iraq, in response to SignalGate.


THIS WEEK AT THE LEGISLATURE

That’s a wrap. Committee work ended this week, with the last remaining bills being heard. One more Appropriations Committee meeting is scheduled as the hard work of the budget process continues.

A bill I’ve been looking forward to hearing finally came through the Health and Human Services Committee this week—allocating $10 million for Graduate Medical Education (GME). These programs are a critical part of strengthening Arizona’s physician pipeline, ensuring we have enough residency slots to keep our medical graduates in-state to complete their training and build their careers. Governor Hobbs has prioritized increasing GME slots during her term, and this bill passed unanimously through committee. It now heads to Appropriations.

At our final Natural Resources Committee hearing, we ended with a major attempt at rural groundwater reform. HB 1520 ([link removed]) would create Basin Management Areas (BMAs) in Gila Bend, Hualapai Valley, and Willcox—bringing long-overdue oversight to groundwater use. (Last year, the Arizona Department of Water Resources designated the Willcox Basin as a subsequent Active Management Area.) The bill calls for a 10% reduction in groundwater pumping over 10 years and introduces “flex accounts” that allow users to save or borrow water based on changing conditions—adding both flexibility and accountability to how we manage this vital resource.

Supporters say the bill strikes a balance between protecting water resources, meeting the needs of farmers, ranchers, industry, and mining, and preserving local decision-making. However, the only person to testify in support of HB 1520 was the CEO of the Arizona Farm Bureau. The Sierra Club and several rural residents, a business owner, and nut farmer testified that the 10% reduction and lack of conservation criteria fall far short of what’s needed to properly manage our water resources.

In contrast, another bill—the Rural Groundwater Management Act (RGMA)—did not receive a hearing this year. Introduced at the start of session after years of diligent work with a broad group of stakeholders under the Governor’s Water Policy Council, the RGMA would have closed the relevant basin, created conservation and funding programs to protect the aquifer, and established a local council of water users and residents to guide the program’s administration in partnership with the Arizona Department of Water Resources. It had the support of mayors, county supervisors, farmers, business owners, and rural residents from across the state.

Before the Natural Resources Committee hearing, I had the privilege of having lunch with members of rural communities who had driven hours to testify. They shared personal stories about the toll of dwindling water resources—wells running dry, the cost of digging deeper becoming unaffordable, especially for seniors on fixed incomes, and the spread of water-intensive agriculture and dairy farms. Agriculture uses 90% of the water in Cochise County. When I asked a Cochise resident about local sentiment around water management, he replied: Confusion. Concern. A sense of urgency. I agree—and I believe we must act in good faith, setting aside politics, partisanship, and personal interests to protect our water and the communities who rely on it. The Rural Groundwater Management Act will do this, if only it gets the chance.

Catch the groundwater discussion in the video committee

below at the 1 hour 50 minute mark.
View ([link removed])
[link removed]

ECONOMIC UPDATE

Lately, it’s been hard to ignore the signs: grocery bills and gas prices are creeping up, rent isn’t letting up, and people are feeling the weight of it all. Families are budgeting more carefully, skipping vacations, and postponing big purchases. People are worried—and they should be. The recent data confirms what we already know: things are tough right now.

Consumer confidence dropped sharply in March. The University of Michigan’s index fell to 57.1—down from 76.5 a year ago. That’s a 25% drop, driven by real fears about inflation and jobs. Two-thirds of people surveyed said they expect unemployment to rise—the highest level of concern since the Great Recession.

Inflation is still eating into our paychecks. Prices rose 3.2% in February compared to a year ago, and core inflation—excluding food and energy—was even higher at 3.8%. Essentials like eggs, rent, and utilities keep getting more expensive, while wages struggle to keep pace.

Consumer confidence dropped to 92.9 in March—its lowest level in over four years—as uncertainty around President Trump’s policies and rising prices continue to weigh heavily on Americans. The expectations index fell to a 12-year low, with financial outlooks, inflation concerns, and stock market pessimism all dragging sentiment down. @YahooFinance

And yet, in the face of all this, President Trump has signed more than 100 executive orders since taking office, but none have tackled the rising cost of living, housing, stagnant wages, or declining consumer confidence. Instead, we’re seeing policies that make things harder for working families, like tariffs that drive up the cost of everyday goods, and rollbacks of protections that help keep healthcare and housing affordable. This isn’t just political theater - it’s people’s lives.

What we need is leadership focused on real economic relief: lowering costs, raising wages, and investing in the people who drive this country forward. Executive orders should be tools for progress, not Project 2025 distractions from the issues that matter most.

In Arizona, the stakes are just as high. The state’s economy is projected to grow by 2.8% in 2025—slightly ahead of the national average—but recent federal budget decisions have already put that stability at risk. More than $50 million in cuts are headed our way, affecting everything from Phoenix’s real-time crime center to water well development in Chandler. These cuts don’t just hit line items—they hit communities. And they’re part of a broader pattern we’re seeing across this administration: political theater over serious leadership, and loyalty over qualifications.

This week brought yet another reminder of why unqualified people in positions of power pose real risks to our country’s safety. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was caught lying about using an unsecured chat to disclose classified war plans. That lie might have stuck, if not for the journalist who was, incredibly, included in the Signal frat chat.

Because karma is a boomerang, here’s what Hegseth himself said in 2016 about Hillary Clinton’s use of a private server*: “Any security professional — military, government or otherwise — would be fired on the spot for this type of conduct and criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information.”

The hypocrisy is staggering, and the reckless mismanagement is too much to ignore. Using unsecure Signal channels and texting war plans with emojis shows how unserious this chosen leadership team is. Our Secretary of Defense chose to brazenly lie about the facts to the American people and deflect responsibility of an egregious national security breach that puts the lives of our armed forces at risk. Leadership matters, and we deserve better, both nationally and locally.

With Kindness,

Sarah

*It’s worth noting: during Trump’s last term, Ivanka Trump, Betsy DeVos, Steve Bannon, and others also used private servers and personal email accounts.



** Town Hall Save The Date
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[link removed]

Join us for a powerful joint event with Everytown and Moms Demand Action as we explore the public health impacts of gun violence and the role of legislation at both the local and federal level. We’ll break down the policies that could increase gun violence and weaken community safety—and more importantly, we’ll highlight the solutions and actions we can take together to create safer communities.

April 8th, 6:00pm - 7:30pm

Changing Hands Bookstore, Phoenix
TOWNHALL SIGNUP ([link removed])


** Community Corner
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On Sunday, I attended One N Ten’s Fresh Brunch and connected with non-profit leaders, fellow legislators, and leaders from the LGBT+ community. It was a fun and colorful celebration of allyship and accomplishment. Money raised from Fresh Brunch helps keeps programming 100% free to the 10,000 kids they serve across the state.

Attorney General Kris Mayes gave a powerful speech to say it is not controversial to say kids should feel safe in their schools and their homes. She ended with “You matter, you are needed, and you belong.”

CEO Nate Rhoton’s Wicked entrance and speech brought a standing ovation to the crowd, declaring, “Being different isn’t wicked. It’s powerful. It’s magical. And it might just be what changes, and saves, this world.”

Thank you to One N Ten for the great work across Arizona!
[link removed]

Sarah with Mayor Corey Woods and the Honorable Jevin Hodge, Congresswoman Ansari giving opening remarks, Fresh brunchers, Honorable Deborah Nardozzi, and Attorney General Kris Mayes
One N Ten Info ()

Save Our Schools Annual Gala!

The Annual Save Our Schools fundraising gala took place Saturday evening, bringing in much-needed money to protect public education. Save Our Schools ([link removed]) is a community based organization that works to strengthen and protect quality public education in Arizona. Save our Schools works with community groups, businesses, and local governments to inform the public on what's happening in our school system and ensure that Arizona public schools get the funding they need to thrive.
Save Our Schools ([link removed])


** Get Involved
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Thousands of Arizonans will be gathering this week to take a stand for community and democracy. Here are some events to check out!
* Optimists Resist and Democrats from around the valley, including our own LD5 Dems, are organizing apeaceful protest at Rep. David Schweikert’s office ([link removed]) in Scottsdale on Monday March 31 at 9:00AM. . Sign up here to show Schweikert that Arizona deserves better from our elected officials.

* Fuerte Arts Movement is holding a press conference on housing justice Monday March 31st at 10:00am in the AZ Capitol Rose Garden. Come to the press conference to show that Arizona is ready for serious change in our approach to housing. Visit this link ([link removed]) for details and signup!
* On April 5th at 10:00am, Americans will be taking a stand at all 50 state capitals all over America to call for an end to corruption and incompetence. Join Arizonans with the 50501 movement at the AZ Capital building Saturday April 5th at 12:00 pm Noon.

Peaceful protest at David Schweikert’s Office ([link removed])
View ([link removed])

Housing is a Human Right Press Conference

50501 Protest at the State Capital Building

Local Business Alert!

Come check out the first of its kind restaurant in Arizona - a woman owned, women’s sports bar in Melrose. More than a delicious restaurant and family friendly space, Title 9 serves as a place to support female athletes and empower young girls in sports.
Title 9 Game Schedules ([link removed])

Support Sarah‘s Work ([link removed])
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