Overview
- On March 6, Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed SB 1439, which would have created a Charlie Kirk specialty plate sending $17 of the $25 fee to Turning Point USA.
- In her veto letter, Hobbs said the measure did not help Arizonans and brought politics into a function of government that should remain nonpartisan.
- Republican allies of Kirk, including Sen. Jake Hoffman, Rep. Andy Biggs, and TPUSA COO Tyler Bowyer, condemned the decision, with Biggs calling it "petty and callous."
- Arizona offers many specialty plates that direct $17 per renewal to designated causes, but none are dedicated to an individual or a political party.
- Democrats noted TPUSA’s significant funding—about $84 million raised in 2024, plus $27 million by its PAC—and separate proposals to rename Loop 202 and authorize statues remain under consideration at the Capitol.