HB 2617 prohibits health insurers in Arizona from requiring cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles) for diagnostic prostate cancer screenings for specific high-risk men starting January 1, 2027. It directly affects men who are 55 or older, carry BRCA1/BRCA2 genetic mutations, have a family history of prostate cancer (including first-degree relatives diagnosed or deceased from it), or are military veterans exposed to Agent Orange. The bill applies to hospital service corporations, health care organizations, disability insurers, and group disability insurers. Key provisions define "high-risk" categories and mandate coverage without cost-sharing for screenings, aiming to improve early detection access for these groups. The law does not change screening guidelines but removes financial barriers for covered services.
HB 2827 establishes annual groundwater withdrawal fees up to $5 per acre-foot for users in Arizona's Prescott, Santa Cruz, Tucson, Phoenix, and Pinal active management areas. The fees fund specific purposes: administration ($0.50-$1/acre-ft), water supply augmentation ($2/acre-ft), Arizona water banking ($2.50/acre-ft in Tucson/Phoenix), and purchasing grandfathered rights ($2/acre-ft). Notably, the Pinal area will collect a $2.50/acre-ft fee specifically for irrigation efficiency projects from 2020 through 2030. The bill exempts small irrigators (≤10 acres) with grandfathered rights from fees unless part of an integrated farm operation.
HB 2933 establishes a tiered annual fee for entities transporting groundwater out of a county where it was withdrawn. The fee ranges from $3 to $30 per acre-foot based on total volume transported (e.g., $3 for 0-1 million acre-feet, $30 for over 5 million), adjusted yearly using GDP inflation. Collected fees become general county funds deposited into the county’s general fund. The bill also allows credits against fees for property tax increases from remote municipal land, donated land with groundwater restrictions, or intergovernmental agreements. This primarily affects agricultural or municipal entities moving groundwater across county lines.
HB 2351 amends Arizona law to clarify when the state land commissioner may initiate sales of state-owned land without waiting for public applications. It requires the commissioner to establish clear rules for deciding when to start sales themselves, while ensuring timber on land must be sold separately if valuable. The bill also adds that applicants who don’t secure leases or purchases after paying initial costs must reimburse the state for expenses, and successful buyers must repay original applicants who advanced funds. This directly affects land applicants, the state land department, and potential purchasers of state-owned property. The changes focus on streamlining sales processes and protecting state funds.
SB 1330 gives parents with less than 35% parenting time or no legal decision-making authority the right to request a jury trial in family court cases involving custody or parenting time. The jury must make specific findings about the child's best interests based on existing legal factors and explain their decision. This right takes priority over other civil cases. The bill directly affects parents in contested custody disputes where parenting time or decision-making is limited, creating a new procedural option for those specific situations.
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.
This bill amends Arizona law to protect agricultural property owners who win an appeal against a county assessor's disapproval of their property's agricultural classification. If an owner prevails in an appeal under Chapter 16, Article 5 of the statutes, the county assessor cannot reclassify the property or conduct a new on-site inspection for four years. The four-year protection period ends only if the property owner changes the property's use, splits the property, or changes ownership or lease terms. This directly affects agricultural property owners who successfully challenge their classification and seek stability in their tax status.
HB 2266 requires Arizona school districts and charter schools to adopt written policies allowing student absences for religious purposes, including parental consent and off-school-site religious instruction. It also mandates that schools seek state approval before closing due to widespread illness, severe weather, student walkouts, or safety threats like violence or natural disasters. The bill directly affects all public and charter schools in Arizona, their students, and parents seeking religious exemptions. These changes would modify how schools handle religious absences and emergency closures under state law.
SB 1122 prohibits the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) from requiring prior authorization for behavioral health services for members enrolled in the American Indian Health Plan (AIHP) starting January 1, 2027. The exception allows prior authorization only if AHCCCS implements a corrective action plan after meeting with a provider and the provider fails to comply within 90 days. This law directly affects AIHP members and behavioral health providers by reducing administrative barriers to accessing mental health and substance use disorder care. The bill aims to streamline service access without altering coverage or funding.
SB 1535 requires courts to collect a $200 assessment from individuals convicted of specific prostitution offenses under Arizona law (ARS 13-3214), with no waiver allowed. The funds collected flow directly to Arizona’s Anti-Human Trafficking Grant Fund, established under ARS 41-1736. This fund supports programs that assist trafficking victims, provide law enforcement support, or offer public education on preventing and identifying human trafficking. The bill does not change prostitution prohibitions but directs penalties toward funding anti-trafficking initiatives.
This constitutional amendment proposal (SCR 1029) would establish the office of Mine Inspector in Arizona's constitution, requiring future inspectors to be elected every four years starting in 1994. It sets a term limit of two consecutive terms for the position, with a mandatory one-term waiting period after serving the maximum terms. The amendment also repeals an existing constitutional provision (Proposition 107) related to the Mine Inspector role. This proposal requires voter approval at the next general election to take effect.
HB 2171, a proposed Arizona bill, prohibits the sale, lease, or transfer of real property in Arizona to entities owned or controlled by China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia, including their affiliates, subsidiaries, or military personnel. Existing owners must sell or dispose of property within one year of the law's effective date, while new owners must do so within one year of acquisition. Non-compliant owners forfeit property to the state, which sells it at public auction and deposits proceeds into the state general fund. The Department of Public Safety will maintain a public list of violators and investigate violations, with penalties including a class 4 felony for knowingly violating the law. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (prefiled, 2026).
