Rep. Seth Blattman

Maddy summaryHB 2495 amends Arizona law to establish standards for online schools and instruction. It requires new online schools to operate under probationary status for three years, demonstrating improved student academic performance before becoming permanent. The bill mandates daily time tracking for online students, sets specific curriculum and safety standards for online programs, and adjusts funding to 95% of base support for full-time online students (compared to traditional schools). These provisions directly affect Arizona online schools, their students, and school districts managing online enrollment. The bill does not relate to full-day kindergarten as the title suggests.

Maddy summaryArizona's HB 2647 requires landlords to offer tenants the optional chance to have their rental payments reported to credit bureaus. Landlords must provide a written offer at lease start and annually, disclosing that reporting is optional, including all payments (on time or late), any fee ($10 max or actual cost), and how to opt in or out. Tenants can stop reporting at any time but cannot restart for six months. Landlords may charge a fee for reporting, but nonpayment of this fee cannot be treated as rent nonpayment or affect security deposits.

Maddy summaryHB 2586 creates a mobile communications platform for Arizona election workers, including poll workers, drivers, warehouse staff, and voter registration personnel. The bill requires the Secretary of State to establish this platform and deploy it in a pilot program across one or more counties, with counties potentially using it at reduced or no cost. It appropriates $200,000 from the state general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to support the pilot, which expires on December 31, 2026. The legislation directly affects election workers and local election offices participating in the pilot.

Maddy summaryHB 2593 requires Arizona school districts to offer preschool educational programs for children with specific disabilities (including hearing, visual, developmental delays, or speech impairments) who reside within the district. Charter schools may choose to provide these programs. The bill mandates that districts evaluate children before admission and specifies that these preschoolers count as half a full-time student for funding purposes. It also directs the state board to distribute 10% of federal funds for preschool disability programs to school districts and charters that choose to participate. This bill directly affects preschool children with disabilities and school districts managing their educational services.

Maddy summaryHB 2504 amends Arizona statutes to standardize terminology and restrict immigration-related activities. It changes "legal resident alien" to "legal resident alien immigrant" in liquor licensing (Section 1), prohibits adoption of undocumented immigrants under age 21 (Section 2), and bans cities/counties from building work centers facilitating employment of undocumented immigrants (Sections 3-4). The bill also mandates state agencies to enforce federal immigration laws "to the full extent permitted" (Section 5). These changes directly affect liquor license applicants, adoption petitioners, and local governments constructing work centers.

Maddy summaryHB 2615 creates an election worker harassment task force within Arizona's Secretary of State's office to address harassment against election workers and officers. The task force, composed of criminal/civil attorneys, law enforcement, and balanced political representation from election workers and officers, will investigate harassment complaints, coordinate prosecutions, and refer cases for legal action. It must submit annual reports starting in 2027 detailing reports received and actions taken to state leaders and post findings online. The bill directly affects election workers (including volunteers and part-time staff) and election officers across Arizona's cities, counties, and school districts who administer elections.

Maddy summaryHB 2494 establishes an advisory task force to study employee misclassification and payroll tax fraud specifically in Arizona's construction industry. The task force, composed of agency directors (industrial commission, insurance, contractor registrar) and advisory members, will examine issues like revenue losses, enforcement effectiveness, and public awareness. It must submit annual reports to legislative committees by February 1, starting in 2027, detailing findings on misclassification frequency, economic impacts, and potential policy improvements. The bill does not change existing laws but creates a process to evaluate whether new regulations or enforcement strategies are needed.

Maddy summaryHB 2096, titled "permanent early voting list," amends Arizona election laws to adjust procedures for sample ballots and polling places based on the permanent early voting list. It prohibits mailing sample ballots for presidential preference elections to households containing registered voters on the permanent early voting list (a list of voters who consistently vote by mail). The bill also permits county election boards to consolidate polling places for specific elections if they determine that permanent early voters (who won’t vote in person) are expected to significantly reduce turnout at certain locations. These changes aim to streamline election operations by aligning polling place management with actual voter patterns, referencing an existing list established under section 16-544.

Maddy summaryHB 2466 clarifies that candidate committees in Arizona may legally use campaign funds to cover direct caregiving expenses for a candidate’s child or other dependent they personally care for, such as childcare costs. This specifically affects candidates with caregiving responsibilities who use committee funds for these essential needs. The bill amends Arizona’s campaign finance law (ARS § 16-921) to explicitly list caregiver expenses as an exempt expenditure, aligning with existing rules. The legislature states this is a clarifying change, not a substantive policy shift. It does not expand exemptions beyond this specific provision.

Maddy summaryHB 2643 allocates $120 million from Arizona's state general fund and $91 million from federal child care development funds for the Department of Economic Security's child care assistance program in fiscal year 2025-2026. The bill directs these funds specifically for child care assistance services, exempting them from standard appropriation expiration rules. This funding supports low-income families seeking child care, ensuring continued program operations without automatic budget lapse. The bill does not change eligibility rules or create new benefits, only securing existing funding streams.