AZ Legislature Passes 'Charlie Kirk' Highway Bill, But Will Dem Gov. Katie Hobbs Do the Right Thing and Sign It?
A bill to rename a highway in the Phoenix area after slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk passed the Arizona House on Wednesday, meaning it is off to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ desk for a signature, and if she’s smart politically, she’ll sign it.
The Arizona Senate already passed the legislation that would name the Loop 202 freeway, which runs on the southeast side of the Phoenix Metro area, near Turning Point USA’s headquarters, “Charlie Kirk Loop 202.”
Both the state Senate and House have a Republican majority.
Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen posted Wednesday on social media, “We’ve named sections of freeways after Democrats before — that’s nothing new. Surely we can show the same bipartisan spirit by honoring a courageous Republican who was assassinated for boldly exercising his First Amendment rights and defending freedom of speech.”
He continued, “Charlie Kirk devoted his life to empowering young Americans to think critically, reject indoctrination, and stand unapologetically for liberty. His voice was silenced by violence, but his legacy of fearless advocacy should live on — starting with this fitting tribute on one of Arizona’s busiest freeways. Let’s hope the governor does the right thing and signs it. Honoring those who die in defense of our fundamental freedoms shouldn’t be a partisan issue.”
The bill to designate Charlie Kirk Loop 202 has now passed both chambers of the Arizona Legislature and is headed to the governor’s desk.
We’ve named sections of freeways after Democrats before — that’s nothing new. Surely we can show the same bipartisan spirit by honoring a… pic.twitter.com/hEjGpE7Pja
— Warren Petersen (@votewarren) March 18, 2026
Arizona House Majority Leader Michael Carbone told local ABC affiliate KNXV-TV on Wednesday, “I just care about what Charlie did and what he meant to a lot of people in this world. And that’s what he stood for: freedom of speech and being able to speak freely, especially on the college campuses.”
An assassin shot and killed Kirk on Sept. 10 while the Turning Point USA founder was speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
Democrat House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos voiced a talking point that Hobbs may grab onto if she decides to veto, telling KNXV, “We already have a process for naming highways and freeways in the state of Arizona. This would short-circuit that process by five years.”
KTAR reported that the governor has five days, excluding Sundays, to sign the bill into law or veto it.
The Arizona Capitol Times reported in January that Hobbs holds the record for the most vetoes of any governor in Arizona history, with 390 at that time, so her bipartisan bona fides are lacking, to say the least.
Earlier this month, Hobbs, who is up for re-election in November, vetoed a bill that would have created a specialty license plate honoring Kirk, with some of the proceeds going to support Turning Point USA.
According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, specialty license plates cost an additional $25 upon purchase and then annually, $17 of which goes to the cause the purchaser chooses to support, such as veterans, health, and educational organizations, or even the Arizona Cardinals’ and Phoenix Suns/Mercury’s charity arms.
Katie Hobbs vetoes ‘For Charlie’ Arizona license plate bill honoring late TPUSA founderhttps://t.co/l0Zt6AoJXr
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 7, 2026
Hobbs explained her decision to veto the Charlie Kirk plate, writing in a letter to Petersen, “I will continue working toward solutions that bring people together, but this bill falls short of that standard by inserting politics into a function of government that should remain nonpartisan.”
However, she also acknowledged, “Charlie Kirk’s assassination is tragic and a horrifying act of violence. In America, we resolve our political differences at the ballot box. No matter who it targets, political violence puts us all in harm’s way and damages our sacred democratic institutions.”
Well, here’s a chance for her to put something behind that sentiment and sign the highway bill into law, with an accompanying bipartisan message. In any case, it would seem likely to help her reelection chances.
Turning Point Action, TPUSA’s political arm, has already endorsed her likely competitor, U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who is leading in the GOP primary, so a decision to sign the bill into law would be a powerful gesture. But given her veto record, it may be too much of a stretch.
🚨 DO NOT MISS THIS RALLY 🚨
@TPAction_ is hosting a HUGE RALLY for Trump-endorsed ANDY BIGGS for AZ Governor!
Register to be a part of the movement that will FIRE KATIE HOBBS and reclaim AZ for opportunity, prosperity and freedom! 🇺🇸
Register here ➡️ https://t.co/b4medf31Yv pic.twitter.com/HFGECPPNOn
— Jake Hoffman (@JakeHoffmanAZ) May 21, 2025
Hobbs will likely make a political calculation whether the approval hurts or helps her re-election chances. If she vetoes it, that will energize the right. If she approves it, that will likely help in the center.
Katie Hobbs has now vetoed over 400 bills as Governor.
We need a leader who will work with and communicate with the Legislature to get things done for Arizonans, not a Veto Queen. pic.twitter.com/0LNwv5ckei
— Andy Biggs (@andybiggs4az) March 17, 2026
The question is how much it will hurt her with the left-wing base and donors. But where are they going? The governor can point to her license plate veto and say, “I’m with you.”
Hobbs pulled out a narrow, less than 1 percent victory over Republican candidate Kari Lake in 2022, but at least 70, and likely over 130 (59 percent in all) of the polling locations in Maricopa County experienced voting machine issues on Election Day, resulting in hours-long lines. Republicans voted in greater numbers on Election Day.
In 2024, President Donald Trump won Arizona by over 5 percent of the vote.
We’ll see. I give it something like 60-40 odds that Hobbs will not approve the Charlie Kirk Highway bill, but if she’s smart, she’ll sign it into law.
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