Rep. Lydia Hernandez

Maddy summaryHB 2684 requires Arizona employers to implement heat and cold safety programs for workers. For heat (80°F+), it mandates written plans covering hydration (1 quart of water per hour), 10-minute cool-down breaks every 2 hours (more frequently during extreme heat), thermometer monitoring, shade access, and acclimatization for new workers. For cold (60°F-), it requires similar written programs with warm areas, cold-prevention training, and reduced exposure schedules. The bill directly affects all Arizona employers with indoor or outdoor workplaces, including construction, agriculture, and vehicle-based jobs (requiring vehicle AC below 80°F).

Maddy summaryHB 2678 adds a new exemption to Arizona's retail sales tax code, removing sales tax on diapers and feminine hygiene products. This directly affects consumers who purchase these essential items and retailers selling them. The bill amends Arizona Revised Statutes § 42-5061 to explicitly exempt "diapers and feminine hygiene products" from the state's retail sales tax, aligning with similar exemptions for items like food and medical supplies. The change applies to all qualifying products sold within Arizona, effective upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 2699 prohibits Arizona state and local government agencies from requiring contractors on public works projects to pay prevailing wages or enter specific labor agreements. It specifically blocks requirements for project labor agreements, neutrality agreements with unions, and participation in federally registered apprenticeship programs as conditions for public construction contracts. The law applies to contracts involving public building construction, repair, or improvement, affecting both contractors and government agencies awarding such projects. It does not impact private contracts or activities protected under federal labor law.

Maddy summaryHB 2744, titled the "Arizona Right to Contraception Act," establishes a legal right for Arizonans to access contraception and for health professionals to provide it. The bill prohibits any state or local law that singles out contraception services or makes access harder - such as requiring special permits for birth control or restricting where it can be distributed. It also mandates that patients must give voluntary, informed consent for sterilization procedures. This bill does not create new access to contraception but aims to protect existing access by preventing restrictive laws targeting contraceptive care.

Maddy summaryHB 2889 amends Arizona's ESA (Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account) program to clarify eligible uses of funds and enhance transparency. It expands allowable expenses to include therapies for students with special needs, vocational training, assistive technology, and transportation, while requiring parents to use funds only at qualified schools meeting specific safety standards. The bill mandates a new transparency portal for public reporting of ESA fund usage and adds requirements for annual education plans for students nearing age 22 to maintain eligibility. This directly affects Arizona parents and students enrolled in ESAs, ensuring funds are used for education-related expenses as defined by the state.

Maddy summaryHB 2360 restricts businesses from purchasing single-family homes in Arizona unless the property has been listed for sale for over 60 days or the asking price changes (which resets the clock). This law directly affects corporations or business entities seeking to buy residential properties. The key provision requires a mandatory 60-day market period before a business can purchase a single-family home, with price changes restarting the countdown. The bill aims to limit corporate buying in the residential housing market by creating a waiting period for such transactions.

Maddy summaryHB 2885 establishes Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts (ESAs) that provide state-funded education options for students. Parents can use these accounts to pay for tuition, textbooks, approved therapies, tutoring, online learning, educational technology, and other qualified educational expenses at participating schools. The bill requires parents to agree not to enroll their child in a public school while using the ESA (with limited exceptions) and prohibits combining ESAs with school tuition organization scholarships in the same year. It also mandates annual reviews for students with specific needs to continue receiving funds until age 22.

Maddy summaryHB 2493 requires private education providers that accept Arizona empowerment scholarship funds to follow the same financial reporting and audit rules as public schools. These providers must submit financial data using the state's standard system, comply with annual achievement profile reporting, and undergo performance audits conducted by the auditor general. The bill directly affects private schools, tutoring services, or other educational entities receiving scholarship funds, mandating transparency in their financial operations. Key provisions include standardized financial recordkeeping, inclusion in state achievement reports, and specific audit requirements tailored for private businesses. This bill focuses on oversight rather than changing scholarship eligibility or funding amounts.

Maddy summaryArizona's HCR 2041 is a state resolution requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V to propose term limits for U.S. House and Senate members. It asks other states with similar applications to combine their efforts to meet the two-thirds state requirement for such a convention. If Congress fails to act, Arizona and other participating states would proceed with their own convention to draft term limits. This resolution does not create new law but seeks to restart a state-led process for constitutional change, targeting federal congressional representation.

Maddy summaryHB 2928 requires Arizona cities with over 75,000 residents to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on single-family residential lots without special permits or public hearings. The bill mandates cities to permit at least one attached and one detached ADU per lot, with size limits of 75% of the main house’s floor area or 1,000 square feet (whichever is smaller), and requires one affordable ADU (rented to households earning ≤80% of area median income) on lots of one acre or more. It prohibits cities from imposing restrictions like requiring owner-occupant relationships, extra parking, matching architectural styles, or stricter setbacks for ADUs compared to main homes. If a city fails to adopt these rules by January 1, 2025, ADUs will be permitted without limits across all residential zones in that city.