Rep. Lorena Austin

Maddy summaryHB 2633 establishes the Arizona Commission on Latino Affairs to address the needs of Arizona's Latino community. The commission consists of nine voting members (seven appointed Latino residents and two non-Latino residents) appointed by the governor, plus non-voting advisors with expertise in education, health, civil rights, social services, and small business. Its key duties include advising the governor on policies affecting Latinos, assisting state agencies with Latino-focused programs, and hosting an annual Latino Legislative Day. The bill also creates a dedicated fund to support the commission's operations, with annual reporting requirements to the governor and legislature.

Maddy summaryHB 2595 appropriates $45 million from Arizona's state general fund for fiscal year 2026-2027 to Coconino County through the Attorney General. The funds will directly support constructing a new juvenile court services facility and converting the county's existing juvenile detention center into a detox, sobriety, and crisis recovery center. This bill provides concrete financial resources for physical infrastructure changes within Coconino County's juvenile services system. It does not alter eligibility or service standards but focuses on facility development and repurposing. The bill is currently in early legislative stages, having passed its first two readings.

Maddy summaryHB 2298 amends Arizona law to restrict how public universities can increase tuition and fees for in-state undergraduate students. It prohibits tuition hikes exceeding the Phoenix metropolitan area consumer price index (CPI) for resident students and freezes tuition for the first four consecutive years of enrollment. The bill requires universities to hold public hearings on proposed increases, disclose details 10 days in advance, and report enrollment data to the legislature. These changes directly affect Arizona public university students (especially in-state undergraduates) and the Arizona Board of Regents, which administers the new rules.

Maddy summaryHB 2317 amends Arizona law to prohibit cities and towns from banning "cruising," defined as repetitive driving past the same location without a destination within a specific time period. The bill directly affects local governments by preventing them from enacting or enforcing ordinances that target this type of driving behavior. It updates Section 28-626 of the Arizona Revised Statutes to explicitly state that local authorities "shall not enact or enforce an ordinance... that prohibits cruising." This change ensures uniform traffic laws statewide, allowing cities to create other non-conflicting traffic regulations but not to ban cruising through local ordinances. The bill does not create new penalties or alter other traffic enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 2888 clarifies eligible expenses for Arizona's Education Savings Account (ESA) program, which provides state-funded education options for students. It directly affects parents of enrolled students and participating schools by specifying allowable uses for ESA funds, including tuition, textbooks, therapies for students meeting special education criteria, vocational training, assistive technology, tutoring, and transportation. Key provisions expand permitted expenses to cover educational therapies (like speech or occupational therapy), vocational programs, and computer hardware for learning, while requiring annual evaluations for students nearing age 22 to continue eligibility. The bill prohibits using ESAs concurrently with school tuition organization scholarships and bans homeschooling affidavits for ESA-eligible students.

Maddy summaryHB 2463 repeals Section 36-3604 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which prohibited abortion services provided through telemedicine. This repeal removes a specific legal restriction that previously blocked telehealth providers from offering abortion care in Arizona. The bill does not create new abortion policies but eliminates an existing prohibition on telemedicine for abortion services. As a result, abortion providers could potentially offer telemedicine-based abortion care without violating this statute if the bill becomes law.

Maddy summaryHB 2884 requires educators, student teachers, charter school staff, and tutoring contractors in Arizona to submit identity-verified fingerprints for background checks. It standardizes the process: applicants must use a department-provided packet, provide photo ID for verification, and pay a fee, with fingerprints digitally stored for future renewals. The bill eliminates the need for new fingerprints when renewing clearance cards if existing prints are intact and usable. This applies directly to individuals seeking or maintaining teaching roles or tutoring contracts in Arizona schools or districts.

Maddy summaryHB 2743 repeals a requirement for healthcare providers in Arizona to report certain abortion-related data to the state. It directly affects healthcare facilities and providers who previously had to submit this information under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 36, chapter 20, article 2. The bill removes this specific reporting obligation by eliminating the referenced statute from state law. This is a straightforward repeal of an existing administrative requirement with no new provisions or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 2806 commits Arizona to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC), requiring the state to award its electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the nationwide popular vote. If enough states join the compact to control 270 electoral votes (a majority), Arizona would certify its electors based on the national popular vote winner, not the state's winner. The bill adds a new chapter to Arizona law outlining how member states would coordinate to implement this system, including requiring states to share vote totals and certify electors for the national popular vote winner. This affects Arizona's election process and its presidential electors, but only takes effect once the compact reaches the required threshold of electoral votes.

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.