John Kavanagh
Republican · AZ · Arizona State Senator for Legislative District 3 and Senate Majority Leader
John Kavanagh is a professor of criminal justice at Scottsdale Community College and director of the college's Administration of Justice program. Born in New York City, he lives in Fountain Hills and has served in the Arizona Legislature since 2007.
Where John Kavanagh stands, based on their records
Supports
AI Regulation (1 record), Anti-Corruption (6 records), Housing Affordability (2 records),
Opposes
Immigration (5 records), Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties (4 records), Social Programs and Welfare (5 records),
Mixed record
Environment and Public Health (2 support · 8 oppose), Government Spending Reduction (1 support · 2 oppose), Public Safety and Crime Control (13 support · 2 oppose),
Track record
Track record — AI Regulation
AI Regulation · 1 support
Kavanagh sponsored and voted for SB 1078, prohibiting specified artificial-intelligence deepfakes.
February 29, 2024Supports AI Regulation
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 2 support · 8 oppose
Voted for House Bill 2570, a bill to let irrigation users petition to cap new irrigation outside groundwater zones. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2573, a bill to move wine grapes and soil-free crops outside Arizona's irrigation limits. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-13, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 16, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2574, a bill to let counties approve small subdivisions without a water supply test. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-14, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 16, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2527, a bill to bar retiring a power plant until a plant of equal output is available. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-13, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 16, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2203, a bill to widen the years used to set how much groundwater a farm may keep pumping. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-14, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 9, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2088, a bill to let the state water director shrink a groundwater management area. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-14, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 9, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2089, a bill to let voters end a groundwater management area by petition after ten years. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-14, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 9, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2202, a bill to let farmers move an old groundwater pumping right onto new ground. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-14, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 9, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2291, which ends the rule that a pharmacist must put a red cap on a bottle of prescription opioids. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-13, and the Governor signed it into law.
April 1, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Kavanagh voted for SB 1552, which required air-particle pollution controls in parts of central Arizona; the governor signed the bill.
April 9, 2007Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Anti-Corruption
Anti-Corruption · 6 support
Voted for House Bill 2895, a bill to make public bodies post task order contracts online. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
May 6, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2233, a bill to make the Corporation Commission vote in public before lobbying. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2222, a bill to require 30 days' warning before a public body settles a case. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2169, a bill to make school boards meet in public buildings and post all meeting materials online. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-13, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 15, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1089, a bill to make the transport department explain passing over the cheapest bid. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
March 13, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1612, a bill to put the state health program under Arizona's procurement rules. The Arizona Senate passed it 18-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 27, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Immigration
Immigration · 5 oppose
Voted for House Bill 2099, a bill to require Arizona officials to help enforce federal immigration law. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-13, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 9, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1610, a bill to make county jails send arrestees' details to federal immigration agents. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-10, and the Governor vetoed it.
March 10, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1088, a bill to tie Arizona government and its contractors to federal immigration enforcement. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
March 5, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1164, a bill to push local officials toward federal immigration enforcement and make jails honor detainers. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 27, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1268, a bill to make hospitals ask patients about their immigration status. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 26, 2025Opposes Immigration
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 1 support · 2 oppose
Kavanagh voted against HB 2704, which authorized tax distributions for a new Arizona Diamondbacks stadium.
June 19, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: azleg.gov
Kavanagh voted to establish an $8 million Arizona low-income housing tax-credit program.
February 18, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Kavanagh voted for and cosponsored SB 1332, expanding Arizona's empowerment-scholarship program to eligible Native American students.
February 19, 2015Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 13 support · 2 oppose
Kavanagh sponsored and voted for SB 1635, creating a misdemeanor for intentionally alerting a person to police activity to help that person avoid arrest.
March 2, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: azleg.gov
Voted for House Bill 2374, which raises the offense class for stalking, threats and assault done by agents of a foreign government. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-12, and the Governor signed it into law.
June 18, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2386, which sets yearly pay benchmarks so the state police can compete with big city and county forces. The Arizona Senate passed it 22-6, and the Governor signed it into law.
June 18, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2221, a bill to stop cities cutting police budgets below the previous year's. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-13, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2611, known as Preston's Law, which makes an assault by a group that injures the victim a class 4 felony. The Arizona Senate passed it 18-10, and the Governor signed it into law.
April 29, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2074, which lets school safety grants pay for safety officers, equipment, training and building work. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor signed it into law.
April 29, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2653, which lets crime victims and witnesses keep their names out of public records. The Arizona Senate passed it 22-7, and the Governor signed it into law.
April 16, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2607, which sets fixed 5 to 15 year prison terms for carrying 200 grams or more of fentanyl in a vehicle. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-13, and the Governor signed it into law.
April 16, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2114, which raises the penalty for an adult over 21 who has sex with a teenager aged 15 to 17. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-13, and the Governor signed it into law.
April 2, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1060, which makes police forces give an officer the papers 24 hours before an internal inquiry interview. The Arizona Senate passed it 20-9, and the Governor signed it into law.
February 27, 2025Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1310, a bill to make filing a fake claim against someone's property a class 4 felony. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 26, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1725, a bill to cut the fentanyl amount that triggers the toughest sentences from 200 grams to 9. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 26, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1019, a bill to ban photo enforcement of traffic laws. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-13, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 20, 2025Opposes Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Kavanagh sponsored and voted for HB 2550, requiring a warning about penalties for false complaints before agencies accept complaints against peace officers; the governor signed it.
March 3, 2021Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Kavanagh voted for and cosponsored SB 1366, applying aggravated-assault protections to off-duty police officers; the governor signed it.
February 20, 2017Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 4 oppose
Kavanagh sponsored and voted for SB 1635, creating a misdemeanor for intentionally alerting a person to police activity to help that person avoid arrest.
March 2, 2026Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: azleg.gov
Kavanagh voted to require Arizona law-enforcement agencies to notify federal immigration enforcement when a person without legal status is arrested.
February 23, 2026Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: apps.azleg.gov
Sponsored a law making it illegal to film police from within eight feet. A federal judge permanently blocked it as unconstitutional (House Bill 2319).
July 21, 2023Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: azcapitoltimes.com
Kavanagh sponsored HB 2319, restricting recording of police activity within eight feet after an officer orders a person to stop; the governor signed it.
July 6, 2022Opposes Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: azleg.gov
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 2 support
Voted for House Bill 2447, which makes cities let staff approve site plans and land splits without a public hearing. The Arizona Senate passed it 19-8, and the Governor signed it into law.
March 26, 2025Supports Housing Affordability
Source: legiscan.com
Kavanagh voted to establish an $8 million Arizona low-income housing tax-credit program.
February 18, 2020Supports Housing Affordability
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 5 oppose
Voted for House Bill 2450, a bill to tie how long unemployment benefits last to the jobless rate, from 12 to 24 weeks. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2121, a bill to make able-bodied adults under 60 join a work program to keep food assistance. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2122, a bill to stop Arizona easing the work rule attached to food assistance. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2449, a bill to check state health coverage members against gambling records. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-13, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 9, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2165, a bill to make the state seek federal permission to keep food assistance from being spent on soda. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 8, 2025Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 1 support
Voted for House Bill 2375, a bill to make schools answer summer requests to assess a child for a disability within 15 days. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-13, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 15, 2025Supports Public Education Quality
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Gun Control
Gun Control · 4 oppose
Voted for Senate Bill 1705, a bill to let a court fine a local official personally for making local gun rules. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-9, and the Governor vetoed it.
March 6, 2025Opposes Gun Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1143, a bill to block government records showing who owns firearms. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
March 5, 2025Opposes Gun Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1020, a bill to stop universities and community colleges banning guns on campus. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 27, 2025Opposes Gun Control
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1014, a bill to take firearm suppressors off Arizona's list of prohibited weapons. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 27, 2025Opposes Gun Control
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Women's Reproductive Rights
Women's Reproductive Rights · 1 oppose
Kavanagh voted for and cosponsored SB 1600, establishing duties and criminal penalties involving infants born alive after attempted abortions; the governor vetoed it.
February 22, 2023Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Election Integrity
Election Integrity · 9 support · 1 oppose
Voted for House Bill 2440, a bill to shield county supervisors from prosecution for voting against certifying an election. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Opposes Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2046, a bill to set out how the hand count check on election results is run. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2154, a bill to drop voters from the early ballot list when their mail comes back undelivered. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2006, a bill to make private senders of official-looking election mail print Not from a Government Agency on it. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 10, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2007, a bill to ban paying anyone by the number of voter registration forms they collect. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 10, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2004, a bill to stop county recorders sending voter registration cards to out-of-state addresses. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 8, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1098, a bill to require proof of identity to hand in an early ballot. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
March 5, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1123, a bill to set security rules for the paper ballots are printed on. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
March 3, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1064, a bill to set minimum security standards for vote counting machines. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 26, 2025Supports Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Kavanagh voted for HCR 2056, prohibiting election officials from receiving election-administration funding from foreign governments.
June 15, 2024Supports Election Integrity
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Limit Foreign Influence
Limit Foreign Influence · 2 support
Voted for House Bill 2374, which raises the offense class for stalking, threats and assault done by agents of a foreign government. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-12, and the Governor signed it into law.
June 18, 2025Supports Limit Foreign Influence
Source: legiscan.com
Kavanagh voted for HCR 2056, prohibiting election officials from receiving election-administration funding from foreign governments.
June 15, 2024Supports Limit Foreign Influence
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Personal Income Tax Reduction
Personal Income Tax Reduction · 1 support
Kavanagh voted to align Arizona tax rates with federal tax-rate provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
January 15, 2026Supports Personal Income Tax Reduction
Source: apps.azleg.gov
Track record — Data Privacy
Data Privacy · 2 support
Voted for House Bill 2514, which makes schools tell parents before releasing a student's directory information. The Arizona Senate passed it 18-11, and the Governor signed it into law.
April 10, 2025Supports Data Privacy
Source: legiscan.com
Kavanagh sponsored and voted for SB 1078, prohibiting specified artificial-intelligence deepfakes.
February 29, 2024Supports Data Privacy
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 1 support · 9 oppose
Voted for House Bill 2017, a bill to close voting centers and cut back early voting sites. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 29, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2438, a bill to stop a person changing the sex recorded on their birth certificate. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-13, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 15, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2062, a bill to set one meaning for sex-based words across state law. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 8, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1097, a bill to make public schools serve as polling places and close on election days. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
March 5, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1586, a bill to make clinicians liable for the cost of reversing gender transition care given to a minor. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
March 5, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1052, a bill to take the vote away from citizens who have never lived in the United States. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 26, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1002, a bill to stop school staff using a pupil's chosen name or pronoun without written parental permission. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 20, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1003, a bill to make schools provide separate restrooms and changing rooms on request. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-9, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 11, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Kavanagh voted for SB 1167, barring certain government contracts with entities participating in a boycott of Israel.
April 10, 2019Opposes Civil Rights
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Kavanagh was an introduced sponsor of SB 1070, expanding state and local enforcement involving undocumented immigration; the governor signed the bill.
January 13, 2010Opposes Civil Rights
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — Corporate Accountability
Corporate Accountability · 2 support · 1 oppose
Voted for House Bill 2195, which makes apps aimed at children keep mature advertising off their screens. The Arizona Senate passed it 16-9, and the Governor signed it into law.
May 7, 2025Supports Corporate Accountability
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2788, a bill to make electric utilities file a 15-year resource plan every three years. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
April 16, 2025Supports Corporate Accountability
Source: legiscan.com
Kavanagh cosponsored HB 2912, raising the liability threshold for COVID-19 claims against businesses and institutions; the House passed it.
May 21, 2020Opposes Corporate Accountability
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Track record — General
General · 9 records
Voted against House Bill 2928, which makes counties allow small second homes on lots zoned for one house. The Arizona Senate passed it 21-6, and the Governor signed it into law.
May 7, 2025
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2868, a bill to ban diversity, equity and inclusion offices across much of Arizona government. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-11, and the Governor vetoed it.
May 6, 2025
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 1256, a bill to bar state agencies from using diversity, equity and inclusion programs in hiring. The Arizona Senate passed it 17-12, and the Governor vetoed it.
February 20, 2025
Source: legiscan.com
Kavanagh won reelection to Arizona Senate District 3 with 110,048 votes.
November 5, 2024
Source: multistate.us
Kavanagh won election to the Arizona House in Legislative District 23.
November 6, 2018
Source: multistate.us
Kavanagh served as president pro tempore of the Arizona Senate during the 2017-2019 period.
January 9, 2017
Source: justfacts.votesmart.org
Kavanagh won election to the Arizona Senate in Legislative District 23.
November 4, 2014
Source: multistate.us
Kavanagh won election to the Arizona House in newly drawn Legislative District 23.
November 6, 2012
Source: elections.maricopa.gov
Kavanagh won election to the Arizona House in Legislative District 8, beginning his state legislative service in 2007.
November 7, 2006
Source: apps.azsos.gov
Past races John Kavanagh ran in:
- State Senator - District No. 3 · November 3, 2026 · State Senate District 3; Arizona · incumbent
- State Senator - District No. 3 · July 21, 2026 · State Senate District 3; Arizona · incumbent