Lupe Diaz

Damn, dude: Republican Rep. Lupe Diaz is trying to make it illegal to buy meat grown in a lab, and he’s not messing around, per Capitol scribe Howie Fischer. Under Diaz’s HB2791, if you sell “cell-cultured protein” you could be sentenced to 18 months in prison. Fellow Republican Rep. Quang Nguyen offered a more tempered measure. His HB2762 would allow the sale of lab-grown meat, but it would need a label saying it was “derived from cultivated cells.” (January 21, 2026)

Unborn babies on the brain: Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee passed a trio of bills that would treat unborn fetuses more like post-birth people, Capitol Media Services’ Howie Fischer reports. One would include the unborn as murder victims who died during separate crimes, like robberies, another would require fathers to pay child support before birth, and the last would require anyone who witnesses an already illegal “partial-birth” abortion to report it. Democrats opposed the measures on the grounds that giving person-like status to embryos and fetuses could be a sneaky way to establishing fetal personhood. And, of course, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs is likely to veto them all if they make it to her desk.“I’m pro life, and so is God,” Republican Rep. Lupe Diaz said during the hearing. (January 28, 2026)

No more nuisances: The state’s “public nuisance” laws have become a go-to tool for Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. She’s used them to net a $11 million settlement from Riverview Dairy in Cochise County for pumping groundwater and she’s now considering using them to block an ICE detention center in Surprise and a recycling plant in Benson. But Republican Rep. Lupe Diaz, whose district includes Benson, is trying to rein in her authority to use public nuisance laws with a trio of bills, Stacey Barchenger reports for the Republic. "They're an obvious attempt to kneecap my office and our ability to protect Arizonans using nuisance law," Mayes said. "It's actually stunning and unbelievable that Lupe Diaz would be the one offering this legislation, given that its his community that we have tried to protect most with nuisance law.” (February 13, 2026)

No new wolves: House Republicans passed SB1280, which would ban Arizona’s Game and Fish Department from transporting gray wolf puppies into the state. Proponents of the bill like GOP Rep. Lupe Diaz labeled the wolves as “predators,” though they only pose some harm to livestock. Wildlife experts say Arizona’s 124 wolves are already dangerously inbred, and banning new pups could make that problem worse. (June 10, 2026)

The LD19 showdown: Pima County Republican Party Chair Kathleen Winn chatted with the Herald/Review about an interesting race for the pair of House seats in Cochise County’s Legislative District 19. Cheryl Caswell is hoping support from Turning Point will help her unseat Republican Rep. Lupe Diaz and Republican Sen. David Gowan (who is running for the House this year). Caswell is asking voters to use the “single-shot” approach and only vote for her, instead of voting for two House candidates, as voters are entitled to do. “It can work or can backfire, and we won’t know until we’ll see the efforts of their work,” said Winn, who will not endorse any candidate until after the primary. (June 16, 2026)

Puppy problems: Legislative Republicans want to ban Arizona’s Game and Fish Department from bringing gray wolf puppies into the state, which is a key part of federal recovery efforts for the endangered species, Capitol scribe Howie Fischer reports. Republican Rep. Lupe Diaz told his colleagues they should heed a warning from Little Red Riding Hood, “that this predator’s going to get you,” but the real concern appears to be protecting livestock. Wildlife experts say Arizona’s 124 wolves are already dangerously inbred, and cutting off new pups could make that problem worse. (April 10, 2026)