Rep. Justin Olson

Maddy summaryHCR 2013 is a proposed law requiring Arizona counties to verify voters' addresses before mailing early ballots and restricting foreign funding in election administration. It mandates that large counties (500,000+ population) require voters to confirm their address each election cycle via mail, phone, or online portal before receiving an early ballot, while smaller counties must do so every four years. The measure also prohibits government election administration from using funds from foreign governments or non-U.S. individuals, requiring vendors to certify annually they receive no such funds and imposing misdemeanor penalties for violations. This referendum failed to pass in June 2025 and would require voter approval to become law.

Maddy summaryHCR 2021 would require Arizona cities and towns to exempt most food for home or on-premises consumption from municipal sales taxes, prohibiting differential tax rates on specific food items. It sets a deadline of June 30, 2027, for cities to comply, limits tax increases to 2% without voter approval, and bans new food taxes or rate hikes in the 24 months before that date. This affects local governments (cities/towns), food retailers, restaurants, and residents purchasing food, as it standardizes food tax treatment and restricts local tax authority over food sales. The bill also exempts SNAP/food stamp purchases and food packaging from taxation. It requires voter approval for any new food tax or rate increase beyond 2% and applies retroactively to December 31, 2024.

Maddy summaryHB 2868 prohibits Arizona cities and counties from establishing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices, requiring DEI statements or training, or giving preference based on race, sex, color, or ethnicity in employment or programs. The bill directly affects local government entities by banning specific DEI-related policies and mandating disciplinary action for violations. Key provisions define "diversity, equity and inclusion" broadly to include concepts like systemic oppression and gender theory, while allowing limited compliance training approved by legal counsel. This bill was passed by the Arizona legislature in May 2025 but was vetoed by the governor on May 13, 2025, preventing it from becoming law.

Maddy summaryArizona's HB 2517 amends Arizona Revised Statutes Sections 44-315 and 44-327 to regulate agreements between property claimants and "property locators" (individuals or companies helping locate unclaimed property). The bill requires such agreements to be in writing (with specific details like account numbers and service descriptions), caps fees at 20-30% of recovered property value, and prohibits agreements that take a share of mineral proceeds. It directly affects claimants seeking to recover unclaimed property and property locators who assist them. The bill was passed by the legislature in May 2025 but was vetoed by the governor on May 12, 2025.

Maddy summaryHCR 2049 is a symbolic resolution passed by Arizona's legislature, not a binding law. It asserts Arizona's sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment by declaring the state will not use state personnel or funds to enforce federal laws or programs deemed unconstitutional by Arizona. The resolution demands the federal government cease "commandeering" state actions and prohibits Arizona from complying with federal mandates that courts have ruled unconstitutionally coercive. It serves as a formal statement sent to federal officials, emphasizing Arizona's position but having no legal effect on federal law or enforcement.

Maddy summaryHCM 2014 is a memorial (not a bill) passed by Arizona's legislature requesting the Arizona Corporation Commission take specific actions. It asks the Commission to prevent utilities from retiring coal plants (including planned 2025 closures) and to halt "Net Zero" commitments, instead prioritizing reliable, dispatchable energy sources like coal over intermittent renewables. The memorial cites concerns about grid reliability, affordability (referencing Arizona's current electricity costs), and aligns with President Trump's executive orders supporting coal. It does not create new law but urges the Commission to revise its energy policies.

Maddy summaryHB 2518 restricts employment ties between Arizona's Corporation Commission (which regulates utilities and other businesses) and the entities it oversees. It prohibits regulated entities from hiring individuals who served as a commission commissioner or worked for the commission within the past four years. Simultaneously, the commission itself cannot hire individuals who worked for a regulated entity within the past two years. These rules aim to prevent conflicts of interest by creating cooling-off periods for employment transitions. The bill was signed into law in May 2025 after passing the legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 2514 requires Arizona school districts to create and annually distribute a parental involvement policy detailing how parents can access information about their children's education and make choices regarding certain school activities. The policy must include procedures for parents to review learning materials, access lists of library books borrowed by their children, withdraw students from content deemed harmful (including materials questioning beliefs about sex, morality, or religion), and provide written consent for sex education. It also mandates schools to notify parents in advance and allow them to opt children into sexuality-related instruction outside formal sex education courses. The bill ensures parents are informed of specific rights - such as opting out of sex education, immunizations, or certain assignments - and requires school districts to respond to information requests within 10 days.

Maddy summaryHB 2788 requires Arizona electric utilities to submit comprehensive 15-year energy plans every three years, detailing projected demand, generation capacity, costs, and reliability. The bill mandates third-party reviews of these plans and requires analysis of carbon emissions across the full lifecycle of power plants, including manufacturing and decommissioning. Utilities must identify the lowest-cost option meeting reliability standards without prioritizing emissions goals, while analyzing both scenarios with and without available subsidies. It also prohibits utilities from basing employee compensation on metrics conflicting with providing safe, reliable, and affordable service.

Maddy summaryHB 2527 requires Arizona's Corporation Commission to block the retirement of existing electricity generation facilities (like coal or natural gas plants) unless a new facility with equal or greater capacity is already available on the grid. The bill prioritizes new "on-demand" power sources (such as natural gas plants) over intermittent sources like solar, and mandates a 5% increase in reliable, dispatchable power by 2030. Utilities must notify the Commission within 30 days of facing regulatory actions that could force a plant shutdown, triggering investigations to protect grid reliability and affordability. This directly affects electric utilities, the Corporation Commission, and Arizona's strategy to prevent power shortages amid rising demand.