Rep. Justin Olson

Maddy summaryHB 2635 amends Arizona's tax code to add new sales tax exemptions for specific items. It exempts sales of "cash equivalents" (like gift cards, stored-value cards, and prepaid digital payment tools) and "precious metal bullion" (refined gold, silver, etc.) from retail sales tax. The bill defines "cash equivalents" as pre-paid items denominated in money redeemable for goods/services, excluding telecom prepaids, and clarifies that "monetized bullion" (coins used as currency) is exempt. This directly affects retailers selling these items, removing tax liability on such transactions. The bill focuses solely on tax policy, with no provisions related to firearm storage devices as inaccurately suggested in the title.

Maddy summaryHB 2516 creates a new "State Treasurer Administrative Fund" to hold unclaimed property funds previously managed by the Department of Revenue. The bill transfers all remaining money from the old Department of Revenue Administrative Fund into this new fund, which the State Treasurer will use solely for their office's administrative costs. It does not change how unclaimed property is handled for owners or alter the definition of unclaimed property (covered in other sections of the law). The bill primarily reorganizes fund management between state offices.

Maddy summaryHB 2738 (Electric utility customers; carbon reduction) would allow Arizona residential and business electricity customers to switch to a different provider within their current utility's service area if their current utility declares a goal to replace reliable power sources (like natural gas or nuclear) with intermittent ones (like solar or wind). The bill requires the state utility commission to create rules for customers to petition to switch providers and for alternative providers to offer safe, affordable, and reliable service in the same area. The bill failed to pass on March 5, 2025, after advancing through committee and chamber votes. It did not become law and would not have affected current utility operations.

Maddy summaryHB 2684 prohibits pedestrians from congregating or soliciting (e.g., asking for money) on traffic islands, medians, highway ramps, or unsafe locations without sidewalks. It directly affects pedestrians who gather in these specific high-risk areas, such as busy roadways or unprotected medians. The bill establishes a tiered enforcement approach: a first violation receives only a warning, a second violation is a civil traffic violation (likely involving a fine), and third or subsequent violations are classified as a class 1 misdemeanor. The law aims to improve pedestrian safety by restricting gathering in locations where pedestrians face significant traffic dangers.

Maddy summaryHB 2688 defines which version of the federal Internal Revenue Code Arizona will use for calculating state income tax each year. For tax years beginning in 2024-2025, Arizona adopts the federal tax code as it existed on January 1, 2025, including retroactive provisions from major federal laws like the Inflation Reduction Act. This applies to all Arizona taxpayers and the Department of Revenue when computing state tax liability. The bill ensures Arizona’s tax rules align with specific federal tax changes for each tax year, rather than automatically adopting all new federal provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 2869 allows property owners or their contractors to hire licensed independent providers (not affiliated with them) to review building permit applications or conduct inspections instead of using municipal staff. The bill requires these providers to carry professional liability insurance ($2 million/$4 million coverage for projects under $5 million) and mandates municipalities to reduce application/inspection fees by the amount they save. It sets a 5-business-day timeline for municipalities to approve applications reviewed by independent providers or provide written reasons for rejection, with automatic approval if deadlines pass. The law directly affects property developers, contractors, and municipalities in Arizona, streamlining permitting while ensuring provider accountability and cost savings for applicants.

Maddy summaryHB 2703 would have amended Arizona election law to update rules for polling places and early voting. It required counties to adjust precinct boundaries if early voting ballots might reduce in-person turnout at specific locations, allowed voting centers (where voters can cast ballots at any location in the county), and established procedures for emergency voting centers during elections. The bill also updated school polling place requirements, mandated voter notification for polling place changes, and addressed ballot tabulation deadlines for early voting. Passed by the legislature in February 2025, the bill was vetoed by the governor the same month.

Maddy summaryHCM 2016 is a symbolic resolution (not a binding bill) passed by the Arizona House of Representatives. It urges the U.S. Congress to support the Palo Verde Generating Station, Arizona's largest nuclear power plant, highlighting its role as a major clean energy source (supplying 70% of Arizona's carbon-free energy), economic contributor ($2.3 billion annual impact), and employer (2,000+ full-time workers). The resolution cites the plant's use of recycled water, lower costs compared to solar, and public support for nuclear energy (56% in a 2024 survey) to make its case. It does not create new policy but requests congressional recognition and support for the facility.

Maddy summarySB 1686 clarifies that the county recorder is the "officer in charge of elections" for Arizona counties, directly affecting county election officials. It updates rules for establishing election precinct boundaries and designating polling places, requiring county recorders to set boundaries by October 1 before elections and follow specific guidelines for combining precincts or using voting centers. The bill also mandates that public schools must provide space for polling places unless principals deny requests with written reasons like lack of space or safety concerns. These changes aim to standardize election administration procedures for county recorders managing polling locations.

Maddy summaryHB 2729 creates a regulated marketplace for selling or leasing groundwater rights within Arizona’s Phoenix, Tucson, and Pinal active management areas. It allows owners of grandfathered groundwater rights to sell or lease portions of those rights (while reserving 35% of their original right), requiring detailed transaction notices to the Department of Water Resources. Buyers receive 65% of the groundwater forgone by sellers, and forgiven water is split 50/50 between aquifer recharge and reserved for future water supply applications. The bill mandates an online public exchange platform for these transactions and exempts conveyed groundwater from replenishment obligations and city water use calculations.