Rep. Alex Kolodin

Maddy summaryHB 2670 requires Arizona public schools to include specific fetal development instruction in health education for students in grades 7 and 8, covering human reproduction, pregnancy, infertility, and trimester-by-trimester growth of an unborn child. School districts may also offer age-appropriate fetal development lessons in grades 1-6 or 9-12. Parents can opt their child out of this instruction, and schools must notify parents about the curriculum and withdrawal options. The bill passed the legislature in April 2025 but was vetoed by the governor on April 18, 2025, so it did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 2165 requires Arizona's Department of Economic Security to seek a federal waiver from the USDA to prohibit SNAP (food stamp) benefits from being used to purchase candy, soft drinks, or similar sugary items. If approved, SNAP recipients in Arizona would be barred from buying these items with their benefits; if denied, the state must reapply annually until granted. The bill defines "candy" as sugar-based treats and "soft drinks" as non-alcoholic sweetened beverages (excluding milk-based drinks or those with over 50% juice). This legislation aims to modify Arizona's SNAP program participation under federal rules without changing current federal policy.

Maddy summaryHB 2153 (voting locations; political party observers) regulates the presence of political party representatives at Arizona polling places. It allows county party chairs to appoint registered Arizona voters as party representatives (or "challengers") for precincts and early voting locations, with a limit of one representative per party present at any time unless parties agree otherwise. The bill requires representatives to be Arizona residents and prohibits them from entering voting booths except to mark their own ballot. The bill passed the legislature in April 2025 but was vetoed by the governor on April 15, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2045 requires Arizona election officials to rotate candidate names on ballots so each candidate appears equally often at the top, middle, and bottom of ballot lists for elections with multiple candidates (except precinct committeemen). It mandates this rotation for all offices where more candidates run than positions to fill, using alphabetical order only when candidate numbers match or are fewer than positions. The bill applies directly to ballot design procedures for election administrators and aims to prevent any positional bias in voter selection. (Note: This is a procedural ballot design bill, not a substantive policy change.)

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic resolution (not a law) passed by Arizona lawmakers expressing support for the Palo Verde Generating Station nuclear power plant and nuclear energy. It highlights Palo Verde's role as Arizona's largest clean energy source, economic contributor ($2.3 billion impact), and employer (3,000+ jobs), while noting public support for nuclear power. The resolution has no legal effect but formally endorses continued nuclear energy use and directs the Secretary of State to send copies to federal officials. It does not create new policies, funding, or regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 2855 declares that drug cartels operating in Arizona are terrorist organizations under state law. It defines "drug cartel" to include groups involved in human smuggling, drug trafficking, or terrorism, and requires the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to address the threat they pose. The bill explicitly states this definition does not affect individuals' claims for asylum under federal law. This legislation aims to empower state agencies to combat border-related criminal activity, based on voter-approved findings about public safety concerns linked to transnational cartels.

Maddy summaryHB 2633 creates a new legal tool allowing individuals to seek dismissal of lawsuits they believe were filed to retaliate against their exercise of constitutional rights, such as free speech, peaceful assembly, or political advocacy. To use this tool, the person must first provide evidence showing the lawsuit was substantially motivated by a desire to deter or punish such protected activities (a "prima facie" showing). State government entities (like agencies or officials) face additional requirements to defend against such motions, including proving they were unaware of the person's protected activity or had consistent practices for similar cases. If successful, the moving party can recover attorney fees and costs, while courts must stay discovery proceedings during the motion. This bill directly affects individuals facing civil lawsuits they claim are retaliatory, not state actors.

Maddy summaryHB 2630 modifies Arizona's process for appointing state agency officials nominated by the governor. It requires written nominations including the nominee's residence, mandates fingerprint-based criminal background checks, and limits nominees to one year in office without senate confirmation. The bill also prohibits nominees rejected by the senate from being considered for the same agency position. This directly affects governors, state agency nominees, and the legislature during confirmation votes. The changes clarify timing rules for nominations during legislative sessions and establish new eligibility requirements for appointees.

Maddy summaryHB 2632 requires Arizona agencies to submit proposed rules likely to cost over $100,000 annually for review by the Office of Economic Opportunity. Rules estimated to cost more than $500,000 annually cannot take effect until the legislature approves them through a separate bill. The legislature can also eliminate rules costing over $1 million yearly via a simple resolution. Affected businesses or citizens can request cost assessments of rules impacting them.

Maddy summaryHB 2702 terminates Arizona's Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) on December 31, 2025, and repeals its statutory authority on July 1, 2026. The bill states that the ACJC engaged in activities like lobbying for surveillance data collection on law-abiding citizens and targeting concealed carry permit holders, which the legislature deemed harmful to civil liberties and a misuse of taxpayer funds. It also cites the commission's creation of a disinformation task force as part of a censorship apparatus. This legislation, which passed the House and is under Senate consideration, ends the ACJC's operations and requires legislative changes to state law for the next session.