(Scottsdale, Arizona) – Republican lawmakers in Arizona have approved two bills aimed at honoring late conservative activist Charlie Kirk — including renaming a major Phoenix-area freeway after him.
On a party-line 16–12 vote, the Senate passed SB1010 to rename the 78-mile Loop 202 as the “Charlie Kirk Loop 202.” The measure was introduced by Senate President Warren Petersen, who said the designation would preserve Kirk’s legacy as a champion of free speech.
Kirk, who co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012, was assassinated last year.
Minutes later, senators also approved SB1439, which would authorize a specialty Arizona license plate memorializing Kirk. While the bill does not name Turning Point USA directly, its eligibility requirements — including being founded in 2012 and operating a grassroots campus network — effectively limit qualification to the organization.
If the specialty plate is approved and launched, motorists would pay an additional $25 annually, with $17 of that fee going to the sponsoring organization. Specialty plates generated $12 million for charities statewide in 2024.
Democratic lawmakers opposed both measures, arguing the proposal bypasses the state’s standard five-year waiting period for naming highways after individuals and politicizes the process.
Both bills now move to the House and would require the signature of Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs to become law. Her office has not indicated whether she plans to sign them.
