Arizona Bitcoin Bill | Veto by Governor Hobbs

Arizona Bill SB 1025, which passed both chambers of the Arizona legislature, and was sponsored by State Senator Wendy Rogers (R), was vetoed on May 2, 2025, by Governor Katie Hobbs (D).

Bitcoin advocate Rogers has previously introduced legal tender legislation in Arizona via Senate Bill 1341. The effort faced too many legal challenges initially to even reach a vote, but it aimed to recognize bitcoin as a lawful form of payment for debts, taxes and commerce.

In her veto statement, the governor expressed concerns about the volatility and allegedly “untested” nature of the asset class (but see Bitcoin News’ coverage of the Lindy effect for more informed reporting on bitcoin’s “tested” nature).

Hobbs’ public veto stated,

“The Arizona State Retirement System is one of the strongest in the nation because it makes sound and informed investments. Arizonans’ retirement funds are not the place for the state to try untested investments like virtual currency.”

Similar to the strategic bitcoin reserve which the U.S. city of Roswell, New Mexico, announced publicly and which, according to deep internet and AI searching, has not yet received any mainstream coverage other than it’s own hometown newspaper, Arizona’s veto of the bill has to-date been left uncovered by mainstream news sources.

New Hamphire, however, on Tuesday passed the nation’s first state-level reserve bill into law, allowing the state to purchase both bitcoin and alternative digital assets.

A Chat GPT search stated that neither mainstream media outlets, such as Fox News and CNN, nor any major newspapers have yet covered Hobbs’ bitcoin reserve veto, the city-level reserve established by donation in Roswell, or New Hampshire’s breaking news.

“However, several reputable financial and cryptocurrency-focused publications have covered the event extensively.”