House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-AZ) has introduced legislation that would remove Attorney General Kris Mayes' (D-AZ) office from legal decisions involving the state's top law enforcement agency, following remarks Mayes made about the use of force against police officers.
On Monday, the Arizona House Committee on Public Safety and Law Enforcement passed House Bill 2993, sponsored by Montenegro, which would allow the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to seek independent legal counsel outside of the Attorney General's office.
The legislation follows controversy surrounding comments made by Attorney General Kris Mayes about when members of the public could legally use deadly force against police officers.
Those remarks drew strong criticism from law enforcement groups and lawmakers, leading the Arizona House to issue a formal censure against her.
Montenegro has argued that the censure alone was insufficient.
"Attorney General Mayes does not get to put officers at risk with reckless talk and then expect DPS to trust her office for legal protection," Montenegro said. "The House censured her, and we are taking the next step."
Under HB 2993, DPS would have the authority to retain outside legal counsel, removing the agency's dependence on the Attorney General's office for legal guidance.
The legislation also includes a funding component. The bill would then move $5 million from the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection and Fraud Fund to the Gang and Immigration Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission Fund, directing the money toward on-the-ground law enforcement efforts
"Public safety is not a press strategy," Montenegro said. "This bill protects DPS from interference, strengthens enforcement, and puts resources on the front line where they belong."
HB 2993 now moves to the full House, where it will face a broader vote amid ongoing tensions between the Republican-led legislature and the state's Democratic Attorney General.
