Rep. Brian Garcia

Maddy summaryHB 2891 requires Arizona wireless carriers to share a device's real-time location with law enforcement during emergencies involving risk of death or serious injury. Carriers must provide contact details to the state Department of Public Safety quarterly and notify the person whose location was shared within 48 hours, unless the request involves domestic violence or stalking restrictions. Law enforcement must obtain a court order confirming probable cause within 48 hours of requesting location data. The bill protects carriers from liability for sharing location in good faith during emergencies and prohibits sharing with individuals subject to certain restraining orders.

Maddy summaryHB 2854 creates a new Hopi Tribe special license plate program. It requires a one-time $32,000 payment to the Arizona Department of Transportation for implementation, after which the payer designs the plate (subject to department approval). The program includes a $25 annual fee per plate, with $17 designated as an annual donation to the Hopi Tribe. This special plate option can be combined with personalized plate requests, but only applies to vehicles registered under the Hopi Tribe's specific arrangement. The bill directly affects Hopi Tribe members and anyone funding the plate design.

Maddy summaryHB 2912, the "Wage Antidiscrimination Act," prohibits Arizona employers from asking about a job applicant’s past salary or using salary history to screen candidates before making a job offer. It also protects employees who discuss wages or raise concerns about pay discrimination from retaliation. Employers violating the law face civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation and may be sued for damages, including lost wages and attorney fees. The bill strengthens existing equal pay laws by banning employers from using prior salary as a defense in discrimination cases and requires employers to include wage rights in employee handbooks.

Maddy summaryHB 2937 renames Arizona's state holiday previously called "Columbus Indigenous Peoples' Day" to simply "Indigenous Peoples' Day" in the state's official holidays list. This change directly affects state employees and public institutions, which observe the holiday as a paid day off. The bill only modifies the holiday's name in Arizona Revised Statutes §1-301, leaving all other holiday dates and observance rules unchanged. It does not create new programs, funding, or requirements - only updates the designated name for the second Monday in October.

Maddy summaryHB 2848 requires corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), or their affiliates purchasing single-family homes in Arizona to register with the Corporation Commission before buying. County recorders cannot record deeds unless the buyer provides proof of registration and the deed states the property is not the owner’s primary residence. The bill limits corporate buyers to owning no more than 5% of a county’s single-family homes (or 100 units annually in counties with over 400,000 residents), with exceptions for entities owning fewer than ten homes statewide. These rules apply to commercial investors buying homes, aiming to limit large-scale corporate ownership in residential neighborhoods.

Maddy summaryArizona's HCR 2054 formally ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a constitutional proposal originally adopted by Congress in 1972. The bill directs Arizona's Secretary of State to transmit the state's approval to federal officials, supporting the ERA's goal of guaranteeing equality under the law regardless of sex. This resolution does not create new state laws but affirms Arizona's position in the process of achieving the required ratifications for the ERA to become part of the U.S. Constitution. The measure directly affects Arizona's role in the federal constitutional amendment process, not Arizona residents' rights.

Maddy summaryHB 2811 appropriates $2 million from Arizona's state general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to fund student success coaches in public schools. The Department of Education will award a grant to a nonprofit organization with at least 30 years of youth development experience to provide these coaches. The coaches will deliver academic, workforce, and interpersonal skills education directly to students in public schools. This funding is exempt from standard appropriation lapse rules under Arizona law.

Maddy summaryHB 2812 modifies Arizona law to expand in-state tuition eligibility for certain students. It allows individuals who attended Arizona high school (public, private, or homeschool) for at least two years and graduated in-state - regardless of immigration status - to qualify for in-state tuition at Arizona universities or community colleges. The bill specifically clarifies that people without lawful immigration status meet the residency requirements under this provision. It does not change requirements for nonimmigrant visa holders (e.g., students on F-1 visas). The amendment requires a three-fourths legislative vote for implementation.

Maddy summaryHCR 2052 proposes a constitutional amendment to repeal a provision requiring Arizona school districts and community college districts to follow annual spending limits. Currently, these limits are calculated by the Economic Estimates Commission based on 1979-1980 spending levels adjusted for student population and cost of living. The repeal would eliminate this requirement, removing the need for annual calculations and the spending cap for districts. This change would require voter approval and a governor's proclamation to take effect.

Maddy summaryHB 2816 appropriates $122,300,300 from Arizona's state general fund and $402,981,400 in Medicaid funding for the Department of Economic Security's developmental disabilities program during fiscal year 2024-2025. This bill provides specific supplemental funding to cover program expenses without altering eligibility or service requirements. The funding directly supports the state's developmental disabilities services, which assist individuals with disabilities and their families. As a funding measure, it does not change program rules or create new policy.