REFERENCE TITLE: Barbara Leff; death resolution

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HCR 2064

Introduced by

Representatives Griffin: Aguilar, Austin, Biasiucci, Blackman, Bliss, Carbone, Carter N, Carter P, Cavero, Chaplik, Connolly, Contreras L, Contreras P, Crews, De Los Santos, Diaz, Fink, Garcia, Gillette, Gress, Gutierrez, Heap, Hendrix, Hernandez A, Hernandez C, Hernandez L, Keshel, Kolodin, Liguori, Lopez, Luna-Nájera, Márquez, Marshall, Martinez, Mathis, Montenegro, Nguyen, Olson, Peña, Pingerelli, Powell, Rivero, Sandoval, Stahl Hamilton, Taylor, Travers, Tsosie, Villegas, Volk, Way, Weninger, Willoughby, Wilmeth;  Senators Alston, Angius, Bolick, Bravo, Carroll, Diaz, Dunn, Epstein, Farnsworth, Fernandez, Finchem, Gabaldón, Gowan, Hoffman, Kavanagh, Kuby, Leach, Mesnard, Ortiz, Payne, Petersen, Rogers, Sears, Shamp, Shope, Werner

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

On the death of the honorable Barbara Leff.

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The honorable Barbara Leff, former state legislator and community leader, passed away at the age of 78.

Born in New York, Barbara Leff graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor's degree from Boston University and earned her master's degree in social work from Simmons College.

Barbara moved to Arizona later in life where she found her calling in public service.  Her work experience included being a medical and psychiatric social worker for the Veteran's Administration, a certified community college instructor for the Maricopa County Community College System and the owner of a small retail sporting goods business in Scottsdale. She served as chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee on Arizona's Business Climate, served on the governor's Arizona Partnership for the New Economy and was appointed to the governor's Leadership Council, which was charged with evaluating Arizona's economy.

Barbara also had years of experience in the volunteer sector, including running a program that resettles Russian refugees in the valley. Her focus was to establish and operate a program to help the refugees become successfully employed and self-sufficient. Barbara's work and volunteer experiences led her to the world of politics.  She volunteered on Jon Kyl's first campaign for United States Senate, spending many hours working on his behalf.

First elected to the Arizona Legislature in 1996, Barbara Leff served in both the House of Representatives and the Senate representing Paradise Valley.  She was known for her work with HMO reform and on economic development issues and for her staunch conservative values.  Her sponsorship of sweeping HMO reform legislation enabled Arizonans to receive the health care they needed.  She also sponsored legislation that contributed to Arizona becoming a leader in cancer drug research and sped up the time it takes to get drugs to patients who need them.

Outside of the health care world, Barbara also worked diligently to make meaningful changes to the voting system in Arizona.  Laws passed through her sponsored legislation required the state to mail informational pamphlets on ballot initiatives directly to voters' homes, which allowed voters to receive the information they need to cast informed votes.

Barbara took a strong interest in legislation that would increase Arizona's economic strength and vitality.  In 2000, Barbara received "Legislator of the Year" award from the National Republican Legislators Association for her work on this and other critical issues in this state.

A loving wife, mother and grandmother, Barbara Leff is survived by her husband, Dr. Edmund Leff, her children, Carolyn and Robert, and her grandchildren, Josh and Ryan.  She will be greatly missed by her family and many friends.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:

That the Members of the Legislature express sincere regret at the passing of the Honorable Barbara Leff and extend their deepest sympathies to her family and many friends.