Rep. Stephanie Simacek

Maddy summaryHB 2715 prohibits charter schools from suspending students for unexcused absences and amends school discipline rules for all Arizona school districts. The bill specifically states that penalties for excessive absenteeism (including failure to pass a course or expulsion) cannot include suspension, with an exception for absences due to illness certified by a licensed medical professional. School districts must also annually report suspension/expulsion data related to illegal substances to the state education department, with aggregated data posted online. This directly affects students facing discipline for absenteeism, school staff implementing discipline policies, and school boards managing disciplinary procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 2709 allocates $5,000,000 from Arizona's state general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to the Navajo Division of Transportation. The funding specifically supports the installation of a box culvert at the Pueblo Colorado Wash crossing in the Cornfields Chapter area. This bill directly affects the Navajo Division of Transportation and the local community by providing resources for a specific infrastructure project. As a funding measure, it does not create new policy but enables a defined construction activity.

Maddy summaryHB 2690 repeals Arizona Revised Statutes §15-120.02, which previously addressed team designations in relation to biological sex. The bill directly affects how athletic teams or similar groups in Arizona may be designated based on biological sex, removing the existing statutory requirement. Key provisions involve eliminating this specific legal provision without creating new rules or requirements. As a procedural repeal bill, it does not establish new policy but removes an existing statute, with the bill currently in early legislative stages (House First/Second Reading, January 2025).

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 2002) declares gun violence a public health crisis in Arizona. It cites Arizona's 2020 firearm death toll of 1,265, 2022 data showing firearms as the top cause of death for teens aged 15-17, and statistics linking gun access to increased suicides and homicides. The resolution makes no new laws or funding provisions - it is a symbolic declaration by Arizona's House of Representatives. It focuses on acknowledging the severity of gun violence as a public health issue, based on state-specific data.

Maddy summaryHB 2686 creates a new specialty license plate program for sororities and fraternities in Arizona. To qualify, an organization must pay a $32,000 fee to the state department to implement the program, after which the department will issue custom plates designed by the group (subject to state approval). Owners of vehicles displaying these plates pay a $25 annual fee, with $17 of that amount designated as a donation. The bill does not affect individual students but requires organizations to fund the program upfront and comply with design standards. This is a procedural change to license plate regulations, not a broad policy shift.

Maddy summaryHB 2496 modifies Arizona's licensing rules by prohibiting state agencies from requiring applicants to provide citizenship or alien status documentation when applying for a professional license. It also mandates that agencies accept a federal tax identification number in place of a Social Security number for licensing purposes. This applies to all licenses issued by state or local agencies for businesses or services (like CPAs, contractors, or healthcare providers). The bill directly affects individuals seeking professional licenses who may lack traditional citizenship documentation, such as immigrants or non-citizens. The key change replaces prior requirements in Section 41-1080 with these new documentation standards.

Maddy summaryHB 2591 appropriates $500,000 from Arizona's state general fund for the Arizona Commission of African-American Affairs' operating expenses during fiscal year 2025-2026. This procedural bill provides direct funding to the commission for its administrative costs. It does not establish new policies or affect specific groups beyond the commission's operational needs. The bill is currently in early legislative stages, having undergone House first and second readings.

Maddy summaryHB 2459 amends Arizona law to establish new procedures for strip searches and pat searches of prisoners in state correctional facilities. The bill requires that strip searches be conducted only by an officer of the same gender in a designated room (with limited exceptions for immediate needs), prohibits touching body parts except during hair inspections, and mandates documentation for cross-gender pat searches in emergencies. Pat searches must generally be performed by an officer of the same gender, but opposite-gender searches are permitted in emergencies if documented with officer details, prisoner information, and the reason, and conducted with a witness when possible. The law directly affects prisoners and correctional officers in Arizona Department of Corrections facilities by standardizing search protocols to address privacy concerns.

Maddy summaryHB 2461 establishes Arizona's state-run family and medical leave insurance program, providing wage replacement benefits to eligible workers. It directly affects employees who meet specific wage requirements (based on past earnings) or self-employed individuals who elect coverage, allowing them to take paid leave for qualifying reasons like childbirth, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, personal medical needs requiring hospitalization, military family exigencies, or safe leave related to domestic violence or stalking. Benefits cover up to 26 weeks for personal medical needs (e.g., childbirth recovery) or 24 weeks for other qualifying reasons, with payments starting within two weeks of a claim filing. The program, effective January 1, 2028, is administered by Arizona's Industrial Commission.

Maddy summaryHB 2458 requires Arizona prisons to provide free medical care and feminine hygiene products to female inmates, with specific exemptions for pregnant inmates from paying medical fees, prescriptions, or hygiene costs. The bill mandates that prison staff explain the consequences of refusing non-life-threatening medical treatment and document any refusal in writing, while prohibiting denial of care due to financial reasons. It explicitly exempts pregnant inmates from all medical and health service fees (including prescriptions) and ensures they receive necessary feminine hygiene products at no cost. These provisions directly affect incarcerated women in Arizona, particularly pregnant inmates, by improving access to essential healthcare services.