PHOENIX — Lawmakers in the Arizona House passed Preston’s Law, a bill named for the 16-year-old San Tan Valley boy who was killed by a group of teens at a party in 2023.
With Preston Lord’s stepmother in the House gallery, legislators voted 37-21 to pass House Bill 2611 with bipartisan support.
“Mob violence will not be tolerated in Arizona,” said House Speaker Steve Montenegro, R-Legislative District 29. “We will throw the book at you.”
HB 2611 would upgrade assault to aggravated assault if the attacker has two or more accomplices and make the offense a Class 4 felony.
“That mob violence should not be tolerated at all, and we need to give our prosecutors the tools they need to stop things from getting out of hand,” said Rep. Matt Gress, R-District 4, the bill’s sponsor.
Lord was attacked while leaving a Halloween party in October 2023, according to police. Seven teenagers face charges in connection with Lord’s slaying. All have pleaded not guilty.
The case drew attention to teen violence in the East Valley, where other teenagers had been attacked by a group of teens for more than a year.
“In living in Gilbert when this was going on, we constantly asked, ‘Why is this taking so long? Why did a group of Hellions roam the town for two years where the police understood and knew all about it?’” said Rep. Khyl Powell, a Republican who represents Legislative District 14, which includes Gilbert.
Like support for Preston’s Law, opposition was also bipartisan, with lawmakers from both parties saying kids could be charged with felonies for schoolyard fights.
“I do not want to put wrong children and people in that place, in that predicament,” said Rep. Lupe Contreras, a Democrat who represents Legislative District 22.
Rep. Alexander Kolodin, a Republican from Legislative District 3, said the measure was not necessary, noting that the teens accused of attacking Lord have been charged under Arizona’s existing laws.
“What this bill does instead is throw our kids under the bus,” he said. “It sends our kids to jail for a very long time, for a very serious felony, for getting into a fight at school that does not cause serious physical injury to anyone.”
But Powell, said lawmakers had to act, calling Lord’s death “absolutely unforgiveable.”
“Without regret, I stand and vote ‘yes’ on this bill, not because I want to take away liberty or life or constrain kids or adolescents, but to say, ‘Enough is enough,’” he said.
HB 2611 now moves on to the Arizona Senate for consideration.
