The Arizona 番茄社区 of Commerce & Industry will host its annual Update from Capitol Hill luncheon on Friday at the Arizona Biltmore, bringing together members of Arizona鈥檚 congressional delegation and one of the country鈥檚 most closely watched political analysts.

will feature U.S. Reps. Juan Ciscomani and Greg Stanton, along with Jonathan Martin of Politico, columnist and host of the .

番茄社区 spoke with Arizona 番茄社区 President and CEO Danny Seiden about the event and what he鈥檚 most interested in hearing.

Tell us about Update from Capitol Hill. It鈥檚 one of the 番茄社区鈥檚 premier annual events, isn鈥檛 it?

Danny Seiden:

It really is one of our signature events each year. What makes it so valuable is that it brings Arizona鈥檚 business community face-to-face with members of our congressional delegation at a time when so many federal decisions are directly affecting our state鈥檚 economy.

There鈥檚 no substitute for hearing directly from the people who are in the room making those decisions鈥攚hether it鈥檚 on taxes, trade, infrastructure, or regulatory policy. And just as important, it gives our members a chance to better understand the dynamics in Washington and how those decisions translate back home to Arizona.

What topics are you anticipating you鈥檒l hear about from Congressmen Ciscomani and Stanton?

There鈥檚 certainly no shortage of issues right now. Water is always top of mind in Arizona, and I expect that to be part of the conversation given the federal government鈥檚 role in long-term solutions.

Beyond that, I think we鈥檒l hear a lot about the broader state of Congress鈥攈ow things are functioning, what鈥檚 realistic in terms of bipartisan cooperation, and what we can expect over the coming months.

There are also a lot of frontpage issues鈥攆rom border policy to economic conditions to foreign affairs鈥攖hat have real implications for Arizona employers. Having both Congressman Ciscomani and Congressman Stanton there gives us a valuable bipartisan perspective on those challenges.

This year the 番茄社区 is welcoming Jonathan Martin from Politico. What do you believe he鈥檒l add to the conversation?

is one of the most respected political commentators in the country. He鈥檚 been covering national politics for a long time, and he brings a level of experience and insight that鈥檚 hard to match.

He鈥檚 also a regular presence on the Sunday shows, so he鈥檚 constantly plugged into the national conversation. With this being an election year, his perspective on the state of politics鈥攚here things stand heading into the primaries and what to expect in November鈥攚ill be incredibly valuable.

Honestly, there are very few people who can provide that kind of real-time, informed analysis of what鈥檚 happening in Washington and on the campaign trail. I think our attendees will really benefit from hearing his take.

How do federal decisions right now directly impact Arizona鈥檚 business community, and what should employers here be paying closest attention to?

Federal policy has a very real, day-to-day impact on Arizona employers, whether people always see that connection or not. Decisions coming out of Washington affect everything from the cost of doing business to the availability of workforce and the reliability of our supply chains.

For Arizona, trade and border policy are especially important. We鈥檙e a major gateway state, so anything that affects cross-border commerce鈥攚hether it鈥檚 customs operations, infrastructure, or security鈥攈as a direct impact on our economy. The USMCA review is coming up, for example, so we鈥檙e paying close attention to that.

Energy is another major factor right now. Global uncertainty, particularly events in the Middle East, can create volatility in energy markets, and that has a ripple effect across the economy. When fuel costs rise, it impacts everything from what we pay at the pump to the cost of transporting goods, which ultimately shows up in prices on store shelves.

And, obviously, water is also an area where federal involvement matters, particularly in terms of long-term planning and investment. I know our delegation is deeply involved in that issue.

And of course, tax and regulatory policy always play a role in shaping whether businesses can grow and compete.

I鈥檇 also point to the overall economic environment鈥攊nterest rates, inflation, and federal spending decisions鈥攁ll of which influence business confidence and investment.

The bottom line is that what happens shows up here in Arizona, and that鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so important for our business community to stay informed and engaged.

More about this year鈥檚 Update from Capitol Hill luncheon can be found on the Arizona 番茄社区鈥檚 .

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The Arizona 番茄社区 of Commerce & Industry this week hosted its 鈥淏etter In My Backyard鈥� Barbecue, bringing together business leaders, lawmakers, and economic development officials to defend responsible growth in Arizona and counter a rising tide of opposition to development projects across the state.

The event was held at U-Haul鈥檚 Shoen Family Conference and Fitness Center in Phoenix,  itself a symbol of the kind of long-term corporate commitment to Arizona that the campaign aims to protect. Sebastian Reyes, president of a U-Haul subsidiary, welcomed attendees and outlined the company鈥檚 deep roots in the state.

Arizona 番茄社区 President and CEO Danny Seiden opened the program by framing growth as a practical matter for everyday Arizonans, not just a business priority. Responsible development, he argued, means more jobs, a more diverse industrial base, and greater revenue for public services like schools and infrastructure.

Arizona Commerce Authority President and CEO Sandra Watson moderated a panel that ranged across the issues shaping Arizona’s economic future 鈥� from zoning and permitting to advanced manufacturing, ballot initiative reform, and the projects currently in Arizona’s development pipeline. Panelists Chris Camacho of Axon, Jimmy Lindblom of Willmeng Construction, Senator T.J. Shope (R-Coolidge), and Courtney Coolidge of the Arizona 番茄社区 each stressed the importance of keeping Arizona’s pro-growth environment intact.

The conversation repeatedly returned to a concern that has grown louder in recent years: the influence of out-of-state interests using the ballot initiative process to block or slow development that local communities support.

The Better In My Backyard campaign was launched to address exactly that dynamic 鈥� providing Arizonans with factual information about key projects and pushing back against misinformation that, the panelists argued, harms communities more than the projects themselves.

The campaign has spotlighted a range of signature Arizona developments, from Axon’s new Scottsdale headquarters and TSMC鈥檚 North Phoenix semiconductor facility to the proposed renovation of Chase Field in downtown Phoenix and the construction of the VAI Resort in Glendale.

Coalition members span local chambers of commerce, retailers, and tourism organizations, united around the argument that economic momentum in Arizona depends on continuing to welcome investment rather than relitigate it.

On the legislative front, Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) last month vetoed a bill by Shope and Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro that would have created greater parity between the processes for sending a measure to the statewide ballot versus the local ballot, a direct response to what panelists described as a coordinated effort by outside groups to shape Arizona policy through the initiative process.

Coalition partners led by the 番茄社区 are now backing an that they hope will pass muster with the governor.

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Arizona and the nation face surging energy demand. AI, data centers, domestic reshoring, and economic growth are stretching our grid. Advanced nuclear reactors are ready to deliver the clean, reliable, and abundant power we need. But regulatory red tape and excessive public process threaten to stand in the way.

Today鈥檚 permitting system too often prioritizes procedure over outcomes, adding unnecessary steps that slow progress and derail major projects. Public input is essential, but the effort to democratize the process has gone too far. A vocal minority with no capital invested in a project can now block even the most widely supported proposals, weaponizing public comments, exploiting environmental reviews, and abusing land use appeals to drive up costs and deny critical permits.

No energy source is immune.

In Massachusetts, just a few dozen affluent homeowners derailed a major offshore wind project, Cape Wind, by filing 26 lawsuits and fighting it for nearly 16 years. Though they publicly supported renewable energy, they opposed this project because it threatened their property values and views, placing personal interests above their stated cause and exhausting every avenue until the project collapsed.

In Tennessee, residents who generally support fossil fuels opposed a new coal-fired power plant that the Tennessee Valley Authority proposed to meet rising demand. They mobilized against it and used local permitting objections to slow the project in the very community it was meant to serve.

Arizona has seen the same abuse. In southern Arizona, a small group of residents who otherwise support renewable energy repeatedly used the public process to delay SunZia, a critical high-voltage transmission line needed to deliver renewable power from New Mexico. For more than seven years, local activists opposed the clean energy project to stop it from being built in their backyards.

In Mohave County, NIMBYism cut across both energy types. First, residents demanded a countywide moratorium on new solar development. Then, when the local electric cooperative proposed a natural gas expansion to meet growing demand, many of the same residents turned against that project as well, flooding the planning and zoning process with protests and forcing the utility to find a new site.

This is why we struggle to build in America. What began as a good-faith effort to democratize permitting has devolved into endless procedural abuse. It no longer serves a modern economy. These objections are often less about environmental protection or responsible development than about protecting personal interests and stopping projects altogether, raising risks for developers while weakening our national economy and security.

Nowhere is that risk greater than with new nuclear reactors.

According to senior officials at the U.S. Department of Energy, the nuclear sector must navigate more regulatory steps than any other energy infrastructure sector in the nation, with at least 14 points of public input across federal, state, and local levels combined.

At the federal level, these include hearings, comment periods, challenges, and appeals on NEPA environmental impact statements, Nuclear Regulatory Commission license applications, and site suitability reviews for nuclear waste storage.

At the state level, they include hearings, interventions, and appeals before the Arizona Power Plant & Transmission Line Siting Committee, Corporation Commission, and Department of Environmental Quality for certificates of environmental compatibility and air and water quality permits.

At the local level, they include hearings, comments, and appeals involving decisions by planning and zoning commissions, boards of supervisors, and city councils on rezonings, special use permits, or general plan amendments.

Each step creates another opportunity for delay, opening the door to self-interested property owners, outside special-interest groups, anti-competitive business rivals, and even hostile foreign adversaries to block critical projects by adding time, cost, and legal risk, including nuclear projects that most Americans support.

Recent events show how steep the climb already is. When Arizona鈥檚 three largest electric utilities announced plans to explore a new nuclear plant, residents protested outside Tucson Electric Power鈥檚 headquarters, and that was before a site had even been selected.

Thoughtful public comment remains essential and can improve a project鈥檚 design or location. But providing endless points for delay and opposition is neither constructive nor democratic. It wastes time and does more to stall or kill projects than improve them. Given that advanced reactors are safer and smaller than older designs, the current process already offers more opportunities for public participation than most projects reasonably require.

If we want to usher in a new era of energy abundance, unleash economic prosperity, restore domestic manufacturing, and win the AI arms race against China, we must support rapid deployment of advanced nuclear technology and reevaluate the permitting system that now threatens American economic power and leadership.

As leaders, our goal should be simple: Everyone should have a voice, but no one should have a veto. Arizona can preserve democratic process while delivering decisive nuclear deployment. It鈥檚 time to support advanced reactors and eliminate the endless proceduralism standing in the way of America鈥檚 clean, prosperous, and abundant energy future.

Michael Carbone is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing Legislative District 25 and serves as House Majority Leader. Follow him on X at @MichaelCarbone.

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The Industrial Commission of Arizona voted last week to adopt strengthened workplace heat safety guidelines for employers statewide, delivering an outcome the business community called a practical, Arizona-driven solution to a genuine challenge.

The commission’s action follows nearly a year of work by the Governor’s Workplace Heat Safety Task Force, which brought together business, labor, and occupational safety experts to develop guidance grounded in real-world conditions. The Arizona 番茄社区 of Commerce & Industry and the Arizona Manufacturers Council participated throughout that process, with Grace Appelbe representing both organizations.

Appearing before the commission, Appelbe urged members to support the task force recommendations, describing them as the product of genuine collaboration and the right fit for the state’s diverse economic landscape.

“The recommendations before you reflect a thoughtful, Arizona-specific approach grounded in real-world experience,” Appelbe told the commission. “They focus on practical measures 鈥� water, shade, rest, acclimatization, and training 鈥� while preserving the flexibility needed across different industries and job sites.”

The guidelines adopted by the commission build on the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s existing Heat Stress State Emphasis Program, launched in 2023. In the months ahead, the commission will expand employer training on heat risks, encourage the development of workplace heat safety plans, and collect data on the effectiveness of heat safety interventions across the state. Commissioners plan to revisit the recommendations in December.

For Arizona’s business community, the outcome reflects a broader principle that worker safety and economic sustainability are not in conflict 鈥� but that the path to both runs through collaboration rather than mandate.

“That balance is critical,” Appelbe said in her testimony. “In other states, more rigid, one-size-fits-all mandates have created compliance challenges without necessarily improving outcomes. Arizona has taken a better approach 鈥� one that prioritizes safety while recognizing operational realities.”

The commission’s chairman described the vote as a beginning rather than an endpoint, noting that guidelines carry the advantage of taking effect immediately, allowing employers to act now while the state continues gathering data to inform any future rulemaking.

Appelbe told the commission that the Arizona 番茄社区 and Manufacturers Council are prepared to be active partners in what comes next. “We stand ready to work with the Commission and its staff on the distribution and implementation of these employer guidelines to ensure Arizona’s workers are informed and protected,” she said.

The Arizona 番茄社区 and Manufacturers Council have been engaged in the heat safety conversation since the task force was convened by executive order in 2025. Appelbe said the business community’s consistent goal throughout has been to ensure that any guidance coming out of the process works in actual workplaces 鈥� across manufacturing floors, construction sites, agricultural operations, and the full range of industries that make up Arizona’s economy.

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Amid ongoing concerns about the Colorado River, it is understandable that Arizonans would ask hard questions about water use from new industries, including data centers. Under different scenarios, the Central Arizona Water Conservation District has estimated reductions between 20 and 57 percent to municipal water entitlements, which could require some cities to rely on alternative supplies or banked water savings reserves.

But the fear of shortages shouldn’t stop state and local officials from viewing growth in context with the broader water picture. Our state has some of the toughest water laws in the nation. Arizona鈥檚 water managers are among the best in the country, and remarkably, Arizona uses less water today than it did in the 1950s, despite a population that has grown sevenfold and an economy that has expanded dramatically.

That record should give us confidence, not fear.

Given our strong track record for conservation, Arizona should continue welcoming responsible businesses, especially those with a demonstrated commitment to water conservation and stewardship. That includes data centers, which are becoming as essential to modern life as power lines, water systems, and fiber-optic networks.

Just as important, many modern data centers are being designed with water efficiency in mind.

Many hyperscale facilities use closed-loop cooling systems that require a one-time initial water fill and then use only minimal additional water beyond domestic needs. Others rely on dry cooling or similarly advanced methods that greatly reduce or eliminate traditional evaporative water use.

Arizona is already seeing this shift in practice.

CyrusOne uses air cooling and a closed-loop system at its Chandler campus, which largely eliminates ongoing evaporative water demand after the initial fill.

Google uses advanced dry-cooling technology at its Mesa data center to reduce long-term water use.

Meta uses a closed-loop, multi-pass system at its Mesa facility to recycle and recirculate water before discharge.

These examples make an important point: data center operators are not ignoring Arizona鈥檚 water realities. They are adapting to them.

That is not surprising. As the has noted, data centers have strong economic incentives to improve operational efficiency in both energy and water use. Conservation is not just good stewardship. It is also smart business. Data centers also provide critical revenues that are necessary to help fund the next tranche of major water conservation investments.

The construction of new digital infrastructure requires millions of dollars in new capital investment, which translates to assessed value, jobs, and secondary impacts that increase state and local revenues. A single 250 megawatt data center, for example, brings in nearly $45 million in annual real and business property taxes and pays over $15 million in sales taxes on its annual electric bill alone.

Arizona should absolutely position itself to take advantage of this investment and use it to fund the future water infrastructure projects for this state. No additional fees or surcharges are required.

Although the uncertainty on the Colorado River is real, our state鈥檚 largest cities and towns have the water they need to accommodate future growth, and they should continue to attract the latest and most cutting-edge industries to our state, especially those like data centers that are adopting the latest technology in water-efficient infrastructure.

Arizona has never succeeded by retreating from the future. Our state has long embraced innovation, growth, and responsible stewardship of limited resources. The next era of economic development will depend on technological infrastructure, and data centers will be part of that future.

Economic growth, technological advancement, and water stewardship do not have to be in conflict. Arizona can and should lead on all three.

Michael Carbone is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing Legislative District 25 and serves as House Majority Leader. Follow him on X at @MichaelCarbone. Justin Wilmeth is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 2 in North Phoenix and is Chairman of the House Committee on Artificial Intelligence & Innovation. Follow him on X at @JustinWilmethAZ.

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As Arizona鈥檚 largest private employer, Banner Health is highlighting its outsized role not only in health care, but in the state鈥檚 broader economy.

In its newly released 2025 annual report, the Phoenix-based nonprofit health system said it invested $1.1 billion back into the communities it serves, supporting patient care, workforce development, research, and prevention efforts. The report also estimates Banner鈥檚 operations generate a $12 billion annual economic impact across Arizona.

The figures reinforce Banner鈥檚 standing as one of Arizona鈥檚 most consequential institutions for both public health and economic growth.

According to the report, Banner supports 140,000 jobs statewide, including 60,000 direct employees and another 80,000 indirect jobs tied to its operations and related economic activity.

For Arizona鈥檚 business community, those numbers underscore how health care systems increasingly serve as pillars of regional economic development, workforce stability, and long-term competitiveness.

鈥淎 strong health care system is foundational to a strong economy,鈥� Arizona 番茄社区 of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden said. 鈥淏anner Health鈥檚 continued investment in Arizona鈥檚 workforce, communities, and long-term health outcomes demonstrates how essential institutions like this help make our state a place where businesses can grow, families can thrive, and talent wants to live and work.鈥�

That broader economic perspective is reflected in Banner鈥檚 nonprofit model, which emphasizes reinvestment in patient care, technology, workforce development, and community-based services across Arizona.

鈥淎s a nonprofit health system, every dollar we earn is invested into our care, services, technology, talent and communities, not Wall Street shareholders,鈥� Banner Health President and CEO Amy Perry said in the report鈥檚 .

That reinvestment model is especially visible in Banner鈥檚 workforce pipeline efforts, a critical issue as Arizona continues to grapple with population growth and a rising demand for health care professionals.

The annual report notes Banner trains more than 1,300 residents and fellows each year, supports 7,000 nursing students annually, and provides hands-on health care career experiences for more than 3,500 high school students through programs such as Camp Scrubs.

Those investments come as Arizona employers across sectors continue to emphasize the importance of talent development and workforce readiness.

Beyond its role as an employer, Banner also detailed major investments aimed at improving health outcomes in Arizona communities.

Among the report鈥檚 highlights, the system said it served 70,000 meals to low-income seniors through the Banner Olive Branch Senior Center and distributed more than 1 million pounds of food through its pantry operations.

Banner鈥檚 BIG Pink Bus mobile mammography program also screened nearly 1,000 women, with 18% receiving their first-ever screening, expanding access to preventive care in communities that may otherwise face barriers to early detection services.

The report also cites measurable gains in preventive care among Medicaid populations, including a 114% increase in colorectal cancer screenings and more than an 1,100% increase in blood pressure checks year over year.

For employers and policymakers alike, those gains carry implications that extend beyond the health sector.

A healthier workforce can translate into reduced absenteeism, improved productivity, and lower long-term health costs 鈥� all factors that influence Arizona鈥檚 economic competitiveness.

As the state continues to attract new residents, businesses, and investment, Banner鈥檚 report makes clear that health care infrastructure remains a central driver of Arizona鈥檚 economic momentum.

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After World War II, the American West was transformed by a spirit of innovation and ambition. Nowhere was that more evident than in Phoenix. Once a modest desert outpost, the city grew rapidly thanks to breakthroughs in air conditioning, abundant electric power, and the optimism of the Atomic Age.

In 1954, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Lewis Strauss captured that mood when he said, 鈥�Our children will enjoy in their homes electrical energy too cheap to meter.鈥� It was a time when America thought big and viewed nuclear power as a symbol of progress.

That confidence helped give rise to the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. Built in the 1980s despite doubts that a nuclear plant could succeed in the desert without a nearby river, Palo Verde turned that challenge into a strength. By using reclaimed wastewater for cooling, Arizona engineers made it a triumph of innovation and, for decades, the largest power producer in the nation. It remains proof that Arizona can turn bold ideas into reality.

That same spirit helped bring semiconductor giants like Motorola and Intel to Arizona, helping earn our state the nickname 鈥淪ilicon Desert.鈥� Just as Palo Verde proved nuclear energy could thrive in the desert, those companies proved Arizona could become a center for world-class technology and innovation. In this state, advanced energy and advanced industry have long gone hand in hand.

Today, Arizona stands at the front edge of another wave of growth, driven by artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, and the broader high-tech economy. Our business climate, competitive costs, and skilled workforce have made Arizona a magnet for investment. Companies such as TSMC, Amkor, ON Semiconductor, LG Energy Solution, Microchip Technology, ASM, and NXP have chosen Arizona as the place to invest billions in America鈥檚 future.

Their customers have followed. Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Meta, and other technology leaders need advanced chips to power massive digital infrastructure. Arizona is now one of the fastest-growing data center markets in the country. Companies including CyrusOne, QTS, Digital Realty, and Iron Mountain are expanding here, and Buckeye is planning the largest data center campus west of the Mississippi, a massive $20 billion data campus planned for up to 40 individual data centers and as much as 1.8 gigawatts of power demand.

As energy demand rises, Arizona must be ready to meet it. That means leading in the next generation of nuclear reactors, including small modular reactors, molten salt reactors, and microreactors, which offer the promise of clean, reliable, abundant power across the economy. Designed to be factory-built and scalable, they can reduce construction times, lower costs, and be deployed where they are needed most. Even technologies first demonstrated decades ago, like molten salt reactors, are drawing renewed interest as the country looks for dependable power sources that can support long-term growth.

That momentum is growing nationwide. In the past year alone, lawmakers in 19 states introduced more than 50 bills to advance new nuclear energy. Major technology companies, including Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, have also signed agreements to secure power from advanced reactor projects, and in some cases have invested directly in them.

National support is growing as well. Beginning in 2025, four presidential executive orders were issued to supercharge nuclear development, streamline licensing, encourage innovation, and set a goal of quadrupling America鈥檚 nuclear capacity by 2050. Another directive called for an SMR to be operational at a U.S. military base by 2028. That presents a real opportunity for Arizona, home to seven military installations.

Arizona is doing its part. Arizona State University has announced a strategic partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to accelerate deployment of microreactors for data centers. The University of Arizona is conducting fusion research. Arizona鈥檚 three largest electric utilities are engaged in pre-site selection work for future nuclear development. Private investors, including Arizona Nuclear Ventures, are also backing new nuclear startups.

All of this reflects a simple reality: the public is ready. Polling shows about 72 percent of Americans, along with a majority of Arizonans, support new nuclear energy. That support crosses party lines. The reasons are clear. These technologies promise more reliable power, stronger economic growth, and new high-quality jobs.

Arizona is ready to lead. Palo Verde already showed the country what is possible. With advanced reactors, we can do it again by powering economic growth, strengthening national security, and securing a more reliable energy future.

As President Ronald Reagan said, 鈥�We must continue to lead the world in the development and use of safe, clean nuclear energy.鈥�

Phoenix rose with the Atomic Age. Arizona can rise again by embracing the next generation of nuclear energy with the same ingenuity, ambition, and confidence that helped build our state in the first place.

Steve Montenegro is the Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives and serves Legislative District 29 in the West Valley, Goodyear, and Surprise. Follow him on X at @SteveMontenegro. Michael Carbone is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing Legislative District 25 and serves as House Majority Leader. Follow him on X at @MichaelCarbone.

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Last week, the Arizona 番茄社区 of Commerce & Industry office was a hub of policy exchange as we hosted a delegation of lawmakers and business leaders from Missouri. The 鈥淪how Me State鈥� representatives came west to see how our deliberate policy choices in areas like regulation, taxes, and emerging technologies have turned Arizona into a global leader in advanced manufacturing and semiconductors.

Arizona has much to teach other states about economic growth, and we are proud to showcase the work of our lawmakers and successive governors.

But during those conversations, one lesson ran in the other direction: Missouri is showing us a better way to help small businesses afford health care.

In Missouri, the state chamber of commerce , or MEWA. It鈥檚 model that allows small businesses to pool their risk and gain a level of buying power typically reserved for larger corporations. The result is greater rate stability, more plan choices, and lower costs. 

It鈥檚 not just Missouri that offers MEWAs. Nearly 30 other states have already implemented similar programs. Yet in Arizona, many small businesses and sole proprietors remain on the sidelines. , sponsored by Rep. David Livingston, is our opportunity to catch up.

HB 2693 expands the definition of entities that can operate these self-funded health plans to include statewide chambers of commerce and business leagues. By allowing small employers to join a larger pool, the bill helps stabilize premiums and expand access to quality coverage for the job creators who are the backbone of our economy.

Despite no group coming forward to oppose the bill publicly, some legislators have expressed criticisms, but they miss the mark.

First, HB 2693 is fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Opponents often confuse this state-level expansion with a 2018 federal rule that was struck down in court. This bill is different. It operates within the explicit authority granted to states under ERISA, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, to regulate MEWAs. 

This bill also doesn鈥檛 weaken coverage protections. Arizona law continues to require coverage for preexisting conditions, maternity care, mental health coverage, and prescription drugs. In practice, large group plans鈥攚hich MEWAs emulate鈥攐ften provide more comprehensive benefits than what many smaller employers can access today, including superior dental and vision coverage. 

This bill creates affordability through scale. By pooling together, small employers create a larger risk pool that puts natural downward pressure on costs and reduces volatility. By purchasing as a coalition, small businesses gain the leverage to negotiate for the high-quality, robust coverage usually only available to the state鈥檚 largest employers. This isn鈥檛 about cutting corners; it鈥檚 about using collective strength to make comprehensive care more attainable. 

The bill also recognizes the modern workforce by including sole proprietors and working owners. If an individual works at least 20 hours a week or earns enough to cover their premiums, they deserve access to the same stable, high-quality coverage as a corporate executive.

For years, Arizona has led by embracing innovation and market-based solutions. It鈥檚 time we apply that same mindset to health care. By passing HB 2693, we are giving Arizona鈥檚 small businesses another tool to grow, compete, and thrive.

Danny Seiden is the president and CEO of the Arizona 番茄社区 of Commerce & Industry.

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As policymakers look for ways to meet rising energy demands with clean and reliable power, some anti-nuclear advocates argue that new nuclear plants should be dismissed because of historically high upfront costs and past construction delays.

But advanced nuclear technologies like small modular reactors (SMRs) promise to overcome those challenges and deliver clean, reliable, and abundant power through a simple but transformative model: factory-built fabrication, one-time design permits, and modular deployment.

Some traditional nuclear plants have seen major cost overruns. The proposed Marble Hill project in Indiana, for example, rose from $800 million to $2.8 billion before being canceled in 1983, while Vogtle Units 3 and 4 grew from about $14 billion to more than $30 billion and were delivered several years late. But nuclear is hardly unique.

Large, capital-intensive projects of all kinds can run over budget and behind schedule, including wind and solar. Virginia鈥檚 Coastal Offshore Wind project grew from $9.8 billion to $10.7 billion because of grid interconnection challenges. Wisconsin鈥檚 Koshkonong Solar Energy Center rose from $649 million to more than $900 million because of supply-chain issues and labor constraints. In Arizona, the Solana Generating Station fell three years behind schedule and cost millions more than expected because of construction missteps, equipment failures, and air-quality violations, locking ratepayers into electricity prices four times the market rate.

With nuclear, high costs and delays often stem from new safety requirements imposed after construction is underway and a permitting system that requires each plant to be custom-designed from the ground up, even when the technology is very similar to past projects.

At Vogtle, nearly 200 license amendments forced costly pauses and redesigns. Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station also saw costs increase in the 1980s after new safety requirements were imposed following the Three Mile Island accident. Those circumstances were outside the builders鈥� control, but they reflect the consequences of a system that treats each project as a one-of-a-kind, standalone facility. That prevents new plants from learning from past mistakes and capturing economies of scale through repetition.

Today鈥檚 new reactors are changing that. Instead of building massive, one-time projects, advanced reactors are pursuing smaller, modular, repeatable designs that can be approved once and deployed again and again without additional permits or redesigns. Once the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission certifies a design, modules can be mass-produced in centralized factories, shipped by truck, rail, or barge, and assembled on-site with far greater speed and predictability.

Developers are already moving in this direction.

Last Energy, which has signed power purchase agreements with industrial off-takers in the UK and Poland, plans to use modular factory fabrication and skid-mounted shipping to achieve roughly 24-month deployment timelines and repeatable cost reductions for its 20 MWe PWR-20 reactor.

Kairos Power, which is backed by Google and the U.S. Department of Energy, plans to use off-site module fabrication and factory-to-site construction methods to lower commercial build risk for its Hermes low-power demonstration reactor and future 140 MWe KP-FHR platform.

NuCube Energy, which is backed by Arizona Nuclear Ventures, plans to use ultra-small factory fabrication and truck-and-rail deployment for its roughly 1 to 20 MWe microreactor platform, allowing rapid field deployment and multi-unit scaling for remote or industrial users.

By standardizing designs, making units smaller, and allowing one-time design certifications, advanced nuclear offers a fundamentally different business model: off-the-shelf, factory-fabricated nuclear plants ready for deployment and able to benefit from the cost efficiencies of serial production. That reduces construction risk, increases delivery speed, and drives the kind of cost declines seen in other industries, where each successive unit becomes faster, cheaper, and more efficient than the last.

Even legacy nuclear showed those gains. Vogtle Unit 4 was completed at roughly 30% lower cost than Unit 3, and Palo Verde鈥檚 later units were built more efficiently than the first. Replication-driven cost declines are real, and nuclear is positioned to capture them.

There will be some growing pains. NuScale Power, for example, saw projected costs rise because of construction and supply expenses, ultimately leading to the project鈥檚 cancellation. But that reflects the reality of first-of-a-kind deployment, not a structural flaw. Each company is still proving a unique design, and none has yet had the opportunity to fully benefit from the serial factory production that should deliver the economies of scale SMRs promise.

Advanced nuclear is not repeating the mistakes of the past. It is solving them. With modularity at its core, it is positioned to deliver clean, reliable, and affordable power at the scale America needs.

Let鈥檚 not allow yesterday鈥檚 permitting and construction challenges to stand in the way of tomorrow鈥檚 advanced energy solutions. Let鈥檚 support small modular reactors and build a reliable, abundant energy future.

Michael Carbone is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing Legislative District 25 and serves as House Majority Leader. Follow him on X at @MichaelCarbone. Michael Way is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 15, which includes Mesa and Queen Creek in Maricopa County, and San Tan Valley in Pinal County. Follow him on X at @MichaelWayAZ.

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For generations, Arizona鈥檚 firefighters have answered the call, training to run toward danger, not away from it, and preparing for the worst, often with limited resources and information about evolving technologies.

As interest in new advanced nuclear reactors such as small modular reactors, or SMRs, grows, some are beginning to ask whether local fire departments are prepared because SMRs are smaller, more advanced, and could be deployed in more locations?

It鈥檚 a fair question. The idea of responding to a nuclear-related incident does raise legitimate questions. Many fire departments, particularly in rural areas, operate with limited budgets, rely on mutual aid agreements, and do not have the advanced hazmat or radiological certifications necessary to respond to a fire at a nuclear site.

Add to that the fact that Arizona has not built a new nuclear plant in more than 40 years, since Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station was constructed in the mid-1980s. Since then, entire generations have come and gone without ever having to think about the rigorous permitting requirements new nuclear plants must undergo to ensure public safety. And outside Maricopa County, most departments have never had to consider it at all.

But the evidence is clear: if a new SMR were sited in a rural county, no firefighter would be expected to walk into an unknown chemical or radiological hazard for which they were not prepared. 

SMRs are not the Cold War-era systems people associate with radioactive release or nuclear fallout. Advanced reactor designs like TerraPower鈥檚 Natrium reactor, X-energy鈥檚 Xe-100, and Oklo鈥檚 Aurora use passive safety features that make them effectively 鈥榤eltdown-proof鈥� and 鈥榳alk-away safe,鈥� virtually eliminating the risk of high-pressure explosions and radioactive plumes.

Nuclear facilities are among the most heavily regulated energy infrastructure in the county. Federal law requires every nuclear plant to maintain a fully dedicated, on-site fire brigade capable of handling fire, hazmat and radiological incidents independently.

10 CFR 搂 50.48 (Fire Protection), for example, requires plants to be equipped to respond to emergencies without relying on local jurisdictions. That鈥檚 why Palo Verde has its own on-site fire department with no mutual aid agreements with surrounding jurisdictions. It is not by choice. It is because federal law requires it, and federal law would require the same for new SMRs.

10 CFR Part 100 (Site Criteria) requires reactors to be located far from populated areas, at least 1.333 times the distance from the reactor site to the outer boundary of its low-population zone. Although this zone will be smaller for SMRs because they are inherently safer, locations will still be 3 to 5 miles or more beyond municipal boundaries.

10 CFR 50.47 (Emergency Planning Zone) makes clear that local jurisdictions participate in a purely supplemental off-site role, such as facilitating community coordination, evacuations, or sheltering in the event of an emergency. That demonstrates that local jurisdictions are not expected to enter plant operations or contaminated areas during an event, including for new SMRs.

In short, nuclear energy does not depend on local firefighters to manage complex on-site emergencies. It is designed, regulated and operated to be self-contained.

Arizona has a proven track record with nuclear energy. Palo Verde has safely powered our state for decades while supporting thousands of jobs and contributing billions to the economy.

Now, as we consider the deployment of new energy technologies, we have an opportunity to build on that success. Nuclear plants contribute millions annually in local tax revenue, which provides critical funding for local fire departments, including new fire trucks, upgraded fire stations, and state-of-the-art training facilities. They also provide hundreds of good-paying jobs, including for local fire departments and districts in rural areas.

With these new designs, Arizona鈥檚 fire departments and districts are being given an opportunity to benefit. Let鈥檚 take advantage of that.

The rules are in place. The technology is safe. And the benefits are real. Let鈥檚 move forward with confidence and ensure Arizona remains a leader in powering the future.

Michael Carbone is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing Legislative District 25 and serves as House Majority Leader. Follow him on X at @MichaelCarbone. Representative Walt Blackman is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives serving Legislative District 7 and is Chairman of the House Government Committee. Follow him on X at @BlackmanForAZ.

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