Rep. Janeen Connolly

Maddy summaryArizona's SB 1595 requires all Arizona public schools to provide full-time certificated teachers (including those contracted through third parties) with a daily 30-minute lunch break that is separate from planning time and scheduled during their regular workday. The bill prohibits schools from increasing teachers' work hours to accommodate these breaks or assigning any official duties during lunch periods. Schools may only temporarily assign duties during lunch breaks for up to one day per week during emergency personnel shortages. This law directly affects public school teachers by guaranteeing uninterrupted lunch time as a standard work requirement.

Maddy summarySB 1597 modifies Arizona's child care assistance program to clarify income eligibility and waiting list rules. It directly affects low-income families needing child care to work, pursue education, or manage crises like domestic violence or homelessness. Key changes include setting a cap at 165% of the federal poverty level (with assistance ending if income exceeds 85% of state median income), establishing a priority waiting list starting at 100% poverty level and increasing by 10% increments, and adding specific categories for special circumstances. The bill also updates requirements for teen parents and education-focused child care support.

Maddy summarySB 1605 allocates $5 million in state funds for home and community-based services and $5 million for senior housing assistance to area agencies on aging in Arizona. These funds, distributed through the Department of Economic Security, directly support services for seniors in the state, including in-home care and housing support. The bill provides specific funding amounts for existing programs without creating new eligibility rules or altering service requirements. It is a straightforward appropriations measure focused on financing current senior services.

Maddy summarySB 1591 appropriates $200 million from Arizona's state general fund for the fiscal year 2026-2027 to the Housing Trust Fund established under Arizona law. This funding directly supports existing state housing programs that assist low-income residents with affordable housing initiatives. The bill does not create new policies but allocates specific state funds to an existing trust fund, which is used to administer housing assistance programs across the state.

Maddy summaryHB 2945 establishes Arizona's first state-administered family and medical leave insurance program, effective January 1, 2029. It provides wage replacement benefits for eligible workers needing time off for reasons including childbirth/adoption, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, pregnancy recovery, military family needs, or safe leave due to domestic violence, sexual violence, abuse, or stalking. The program guarantees up to 26 weeks of benefits for pregnancy or inpatient health conditions and up to 24 weeks for other qualifying reasons, with employers required to provide at least 12 weeks of leave. Benefit payments must begin within two weeks of a claim and continue every two weeks, applying to both employees and self-employed individuals who meet the defined eligibility criteria.

Maddy summaryHB 2947 prohibits charter schools from suspending students for unexcused absences and updates school discipline rules for all public schools in Arizona. It specifically bans suspension as a penalty for absenteeism (except for students absent due to illness certified by a licensed healthcare provider) and requires school districts to establish clear procedures for discipline, including written parental notice for confinement and annual reporting of suspensions/expulsions involving illegal substances. The bill mandates that school boards hold hearings for suspensions over ten days, include specific appeal processes, and post aggregated suspension data online without personally identifiable information. These changes directly affect students, school districts, and charter schools by altering disciplinary practices and increasing transparency around school discipline outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 2948 requires large food and garden seed suppliers (those selling over $6 billion annually) to offer identical pricing terms to all retailers purchasing the same quantity of "covered goods" (food for home use and garden plants, excluding gasoline, drugs, tobacco, or alcohol). It mandates that suppliers provide anonymized sales data to retailers upon request and prohibits charging different prices based on retailer type or location. The law also restricts dominant retailers (with over $18 billion in annual sales) from forcing suppliers to violate these pricing rules. Exceptions apply for perishable goods, seasonal items, or business closures.

Maddy summaryHB 2962 prohibits landlords in Arizona from discriminating against tenants based on their source of income, such as government housing vouchers (e.g., Section 8), social security, veterans benefits, or other rental assistance programs. It specifically bans landlords from refusing to rent, evicting, charging more, or imposing different terms because a tenant relies on these income sources. Landlords must count rental assistance toward income requirements when evaluating applicants, ensuring subsidies like housing vouchers are treated equally with other income. Violations are addressed under existing anti-discrimination laws, with enforcement handled by the attorney general. This directly affects renters using public assistance and landlords who screen applicants.

Maddy summaryHB 2936 repeals Arizona's requirement that construction projects subject to environmental review must include labor agreements (like neutrality agreements) as a condition for approval. This directly affects construction companies and developers seeking environmental permits for facilities like power plants or transmission lines. The bill removes a provision that previously forced applicants to negotiate or comply with certain labor agreements before receiving approval. It does not change environmental review standards or requirements for pollution control. The repeal simplifies the approval process for construction projects by eliminating this labor-related condition.

Maddy summaryHB 2928 establishes heat illness prevention standards for employers in high-risk industries like agriculture, construction, landscaping, oil and gas, airport work, and delivery services. It requires employers to provide free drinking water with ice (and electrolytes for work over an hour above 80°F), shade or climate-controlled rest areas within 400 feet of work zones when temperatures exceed 80°F, and paid rest periods (15-45 minutes per hour) based on heat levels. Employers must also monitor workers for heat symptoms, implement emergency response protocols, and hold pre-shift safety meetings for agricultural workers. These rules, to be adopted by Arizona’s Industrial Commission, apply to all indoor and outdoor workplaces in covered industries to protect workers from heat-related health risks.