HB 2357 gradually reduces the property tax assessment ratio for Arizona's "class one property" (primarily primary residences) over time. It lowers the percentage of a home's full cash value used to calculate property taxes, starting at 25% through 2005 and decreasing step-by-step to 15.2% by 2027. The bill directly affects residential property owners by reducing their taxable value year-by-year as specified in the amended statute. This change is a concrete policy adjustment to property tax calculations, not an immediate tax cut.
HB 2711 modifies how Arizona allocates unclaimed property funds, such as abandoned bank accounts and stocks, that would otherwise go to the state general fund. It directs 55% of these funds to the housing trust fund, with 40% of that portion (22% of total funds) specifically reserved for rural housing development. The bill also specifies that $2 million goes to a trust fund for housing the seriously mentally ill, $2.5 million to the general housing trust fund, and $24.5 million to the department of revenue's administrative fund. This policy change affects state fund distribution without directly altering individual rights or services.
HB 2295 raises Arizona's minimum wage to $18 per hour by January 1, 2027, with scheduled increases from $10 in 2017 up to $12 in 2020. After 2020, the wage will automatically adjust annually based on the Consumer Price Index (measuring cost-of-living changes) to maintain its value. The bill also allows employers to pay tipped workers a base wage up to $3 less per hour, provided total tips plus wages meet the minimum wage requirement. This applies to most hourly workers in Arizona covered by state minimum wage law, including those in restaurants and service industries. The bill requires a three-fourths legislative vote to take effect.
HB 2571 allows individuals previously barred from possessing firearms (due to mental health findings or federal restrictions like 18 U.S.C. §922(d)(4)) to petition Arizona courts to restore their gun rights. To qualify, petitioners must provide psychological evidence, prove they pose no danger to public safety, and demonstrate their circumstances have changed. If approved, courts update state and national databases (including the FBI’s background check system) to remove the restriction. This directly affects people classified as "prohibited possessors" under Arizona Revised Statutes §13-3101(A)(7)(a) or federal law, enabling them to legally own firearms again after a court review. The bill does not change gun ownership rules but creates a legal process for restoring rights.
HB 2301 prohibits businesses from charging more than 10% above pre-emergency prices for essential goods (like food, water, medical supplies, and rent) during a declared state of emergency. It classifies violations as felonies: selling over $500 worth of such goods in 24 hours during an emergency is a class 5 felony, while under $500 is a class 6 felony. The Arizona Attorney General is authorized to investigate and enforce these rules under existing consumer protection laws. This bill directly affects businesses selling essential commodities during emergencies, not the general public.
HB 2462 requires Arizona state governmental units to mandate that contractors and subcontractors on specific "covered contracts" submit certified payroll records. These records must accurately show hours worked, job classifications, wages paid, and include a signed compliance statement. The bill also ensures worker retention during contract transitions by requiring successor contractors to offer jobs to qualified previous employees and prohibiting unjustified terminations or hour cuts during the transition period. It explicitly states the bill does not create new wage requirements beyond existing law and excludes commodity contracts, fixed-delivery contracts, and contracts below a dollar threshold.
HB 2626 creates a state-funded scholarship program for child care workers in Arizona earning below 85% of the state median income. It directly affects teachers, educators, and support staff at department-contracted child care providers, preschools, kindergartens, and K-12 schools. The program provides $200 million in state funding for fiscal year 2026-2027, with scholarship money paid directly to child care providers (not individual workers) on a first-come, first-served basis. This aims to support workforce retention by covering costs for eligible providers.
HB 2529 requires Arizona prisons to provide free medical care to pregnant inmates, exempting them from fees for medical visits, prescriptions, and medical devices under Section 1(I)(5) of the bill. This directly affects pregnant individuals incarcerated in Arizona state facilities, ensuring they cannot be denied treatment or charged for care related to pregnancy. The bill also mandates that prisons honor a prisoner’s refusal of non-life-threatening treatment after documenting consequences (Section 31-202), while prohibiting denial of care due to inability to pay (Section 1(J)). These provisions specifically address pregnancy-related healthcare access and financial barriers within correctional medical services.
Arizona's HB 2801 allows individuals convicted of specific low-level marijuana offenses occurring before November 30, 2020, to petition courts for expungement of their records. It directly affects people arrested or convicted for possessing ≤2.5 ounces of marijuana, growing ≤6 plants at home for personal use, or possessing related paraphernalia. The bill requires courts to grant expungement unless prosecutors prove ineligibility with clear evidence, sealing records and restoring civil rights like firearm possession. Agencies must remove expunged records from public access and cannot use them in future cases. This policy change takes effect July 12, 2021, for eligible cases.
HB 2774 requires Arizona medical examiners to report deaths potentially linked to vaccine side effects to the Department of Health Services. Specifically, if a medical examiner or forensic pathologist determines a death was caused by a vaccine-related condition, they must submit a copy of the autopsy report to the health department. This adds a new reporting requirement to existing autopsy procedures, focusing on collecting data about possible vaccine-related fatalities. The bill does not change vaccine policies or requirements - it only establishes a formal process for reporting such cases to public health officials.
This bill prevents Arizona cities and towns from banning short-term rentals (like Airbnb properties). Instead, it allows local governments to regulate these rentals only for specific reasons: protecting public health/safety (e.g., fire codes), enforcing zoning rules equally applied to all housing, or preventing illegal activities. Key requirements include: owners must provide business license details and emergency contacts, obtain a permit with a $500 maximum fee, notify nearby neighbors before renting, and maintain $500,000 in liability insurance. The bill directly affects short-term rental property owners and local governments seeking to regulate them.
HB 2708 limits late fees landlords can charge to $50 or 5% of rent, whichever is greater, and bans rental agreements that prevent tenants from calling emergency services or penalize them for doing so. It also requires a 5-day waiting period after an eviction judgment before a landlord can enforce a writ of restitution. Landlords cannot force tenants to waive legal rights or pay excessive fees, and tenants may recover damages if landlords knowingly include prohibited lease terms. The bill applies directly to all residential rental agreements in Arizona, affecting both landlords and tenants in housing disputes.
