state land oversight board; establishment

HB 2943 establishes a five-member State Land Oversight Board elected by Arizona voters starting in 2028. The board reviews and must affirm key land management decisions made by the state land commissioner, including highest-and-best-use determinations, five-year disposition plans, enforcement actions, and policy statements. It also creates an alternative appeal process allowing individuals to challenge land-related decisions directly before the board instead of through administrative hearings. This directly affects the state land commissioner's authority, state land management practices, and the appeals process for businesses or individuals involved with state trust lands. The board cannot remove the commissioner without substantial cause and board approval, and its decisions require formal affirmation before becoming valid.