Immigration

SB 1426 amends Arizona law to clarify and expedite eviction procedures for unauthorized occupants in residential properties. It defines "forcible detainer" when someone unlawfully occupies a home without prior agreement, family ties, or legal rights, and requires landlords to provide written demand before seeking eviction. The bill mandates courts to issue immediate writs of restitution (eviction orders) after judgment in these cases, skipping standard wait periods. It directly affects landlords and unauthorized occupants in residential dwellings, excluding current/family tenants or those with existing agreements. The key change is creating a faster legal process for removing unlawful occupants through written demand and expedited court action.

HB 2689 requires Arizona hospitals to add a question on patient admission forms asking whether a patient is a U.S. citizen, lawfully present, not lawfully present, or declines to answer. Hospitals must submit quarterly reports to the state health department on admission numbers by these categories, without collecting personal identifying information. The department then compiles an annual report for the legislature detailing total admissions by status category and analyzing costs of uncompensated care for patients not lawfully present. The bill explicitly states that patient responses won't affect care or be shared with immigration authorities.