Sen. Mark Finchem

Maddy summarySB 1510 requires Arizona state agencies (budget units) to report vacant full-time equivalent positions that have been unfilled for over 150 days each year, with reports due October 1. Agencies must eliminate these vacant positions annually and adjust their allocated staffing levels accordingly. The bill excludes certain entities like the Department of Corrections, Department of Public Safety, and university systems from these requirements. The bill passed the legislature in April 2025 but was vetoed by the governor on May 2, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1443 establishes a "parental bill of rights" in Arizona law, directly affecting parents of minor children and government entities like schools, healthcare providers, and child welfare agencies. It codifies specific parental rights - including control over education, health care decisions, access to medical records, and notification of suspected child-related incidents - and prohibits government interference without meeting a strict legal standard. The bill adds a new provision allowing parents to sue for compensatory damages of at least $2,500 per violation if government entities unlawfully interfere with these rights. Despite passing the legislature in April 2025, it was vetoed by the Governor on May 2, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 1509 appropriates $500,000 from Arizona's general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to fund a pilot program for a backup satellite communication system at the Yavapai County Sheriff's Department. The bill directly provides resources to establish a redundant high-speed communication network as a backup to existing systems. This funding supports the Sheriff's Department in enhancing its communication infrastructure reliability without altering broader policy or affecting other entities.

Maddy summarySB 1066 prohibits the transfer of land in Arizona to foreign entities identified as hostile to the United States by U.S. intelligence assessments (specifically, countries listed in the three most recent annual threat assessments by the U.S. Director of National Intelligence). It requires real estate professionals and land sellers to collect and submit valid identification for buyers, including business names and addresses for non-individual entities. The bill defines "foreign entity that is hostile" as foreign governments, state-controlled enterprises, or their agents, and specifies valid identification as government-issued IDs, driver’s licenses, or tribal identification. The measure was passed by the Arizona legislature in April 2025 but vetoed by the governor.

Maddy summarySB 1584, now vetoed by the Governor, requires Arizona state and local government agencies to hire public employees based solely on merit - defined as objective qualifications like skills, experience, and job performance - rather than factors like race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin. The bill prohibits policies that manipulate workforce composition based on protected characteristics, except to maintain color-blind, race-neutral hiring compliant with existing antidiscrimination laws. It allows legal action for violations, with prevailing parties entitled to attorney fees and costs. The bill would have directly affected all state and local government hiring practices in Arizona.

Maddy summarySB 1123, titled "watermark; paper ballots," requires ballot paper vendors in Arizona to hold specific ISO certifications (27001, 17025, or 9001:2015) and include at least three of ten specified security features - such as unique watermarks, holographic foils, specialized inks, or voter-tracked barcodes - in paper ballots. The bill directly affects ballot vendors and election officials responsible for ballot procurement, aiming to enhance ballot security through standardized anti-fraud measures. It repeals an existing statute and adds new requirements to Arizona Revised Statutes § 16-504. The bill passed the legislature in April 2025 but was vetoed by the Governor on April 18, 2025, preventing it from becoming law.

Maddy summaryHB 2733 grants legal immunity to Arizona government agencies and employees (like law enforcement) who intercept, disable, or destroy unmanned aircraft (drones) within 30 miles of the state's international border. It protects them from liability for injuries caused during these actions unless they intentionally harmed someone or were grossly negligent. The law specifically applies to drone operators (defined as anyone controlling a drone, including owners or groups acting together) and covers contractors working for government entities. This bill directly affects border enforcement practices and drone operators operating near Arizona's international border.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 1278) is a technical correction that updates definitions in Arizona’s state land laws. It amends Arizona Revised Statutes Section 37-101 to clarify terms like "agricultural lands," "commercial lands," "urban lands," and "infrastructure," and adds a new Article 8 defining the Department of Natural Resources. The changes only adjust existing terminology - no new policies, fees, or requirements are created. It does not directly affect residents, businesses, or landowners, as it solely refines legal definitions for administrative clarity. This is a procedural update, not a substantive policy change.

Maddy summaryArizona's SB 1495 requires the state's National Guard to stay within Arizona unless Congress formally declares war or takes specific action under the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 15) to call the Guard for specific purposes like enforcing federal law or repelling invasion. The bill defines "active duty combat" as participating in armed conflict, performing hazardous duties related to conflict abroad, or using "instrumentality of war." It mandates the governor to ensure compliance with these requirements before deploying the Guard. This bill directly affects Arizona's National Guard deployment decisions and the governor's authority to release troops. The measure is procedural, focusing on constitutional requirements for Guard mobilization.

Maddy summarySB 1733 renames the regulatory body from "oil and gas commission" to "oil and gas conservation commission" and updates key definitions in Arizona's oil and gas laws to explicitly include helium within the definition of "gas." The bill also clarifies the commission's structure, placing it under the Department of Environmental Quality and specifying appointment procedures for its members. This procedural update ensures regulatory terminology aligns with current practices without introducing new operational requirements.