Rep. Quantá Crews

Maddy summaryHB 2732 prohibits homeowners' associations (HOAs) in Arizona from banning backyard shade structures like umbrellas, pergolas, or canopies. It allows HOAs to set reasonable rules about size, placement, or appearance, but not rules that prevent installation, impair function, or increase costs. The bill requires courts to award attorney fees to homeowners who successfully sue an HOA for violating these rules. This law directly affects homeowners seeking shade solutions and HOAs managing community rules.

Maddy summarySB 1388 repeals a specific provision in Arizona law (Title 49, chapter 1, article 6) that previously prohibited certain greenhouse gas programs. This bill removes a legal restriction affecting how greenhouse gas programs can operate within Arizona. The repeal would allow state agencies or programs to implement greenhouse gas initiatives without the prior prohibition. The bill is currently in early legislative stages, having passed its first two readings in the Senate on February 3-4, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1391 amends Arizona's environmental statute to strengthen the Department of Environmental Quality's role in protecting water resources. It specifically adds a duty for the department to "promote and coordinate the protection and enhancement of the quality of water resources" as part of its core responsibilities. This procedural update clarifies the department's authority to develop policies and coordinate efforts for water quality, without establishing new pollutant limits or directly regulating specific entities. The bill focuses on the department's internal framework for addressing water protection, not on new standards or enforcement actions.

Maddy summarySB 1314 terminates the governing board of the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB) on July 1, 2033, and repeals related statutes on January 1, 2034. The bill directly affects the ASDB board of directors and its administrative structure, though it maintains the schools' purpose of providing educational services for sensory-impaired children. Key provisions include setting specific termination dates for the board and related legal sections, ensuring a transition period before full implementation. The legislature states this continuation aims to "promote and maintain educational opportunities of adequate scope and quality" for sensory-impaired students until the board's end date.

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 bill (HB 2348) requires Arizona health insurers - covering hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, health care services organizations, and disability insurers - to provide coverage for behavioral health services (including mental health and substance use disorder treatment) starting January 1, 2026. It mandates insurers to arrange out-of-network coverage with negotiated rates when in-network providers aren’t available within specific timeframes: 30 days for routine care, 7 days for residential care, and 24 hours for emergencies. Crucially, patients cannot pay more than their standard in-network copay, coinsurance, or deductible for these services. Insurers must also document and report out-of-network payments to the state within 20 days of request.

Maddy summaryHCR 2034 would require background checks for most private firearm transfers in Arizona by mandating that non-dealer sellers or buyers use a licensed firearms dealer to process the transaction. This applies to all private sales not covered by specific exceptions (like law enforcement transfers, gunsmith repairs, or family gifts). The dealer must conduct a background check under federal and state law before completing the sale or returning the firearm to the seller if prohibited. Violating this rule would be a class 5 felony. The bill requires voter approval to become law.

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 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.