Sen. Mark Finchem

Maddy summarySB 1647 prohibits foreign corporations, persons, or foreign nongovernmental sources from contributing money or goods/services to influence Arizona ballot measures, including initiatives and referendums. It requires campaign committees filing financial reports to certify under penalty of perjury that they haven’t accepted such foreign contributions. Federally recognized tribal nations are exempt from this restriction. The bill directly affects entities funding or opposing ballot measures by banning foreign influence in these specific election activities.

Maddy summarySB 1072 appropriates $46 million from the state general fund and $84.2 million in Medicaid funds for fiscal years 2026-2027 through 2030-2031 to increase reimbursement rates for home and community-based services (HCBS) and room and board provided to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The Department of Economic Security must engage community stakeholders before implementing rate changes and report updated rates to the legislature by September 1, with changes taking effect by October 1 each year. Additionally, the department must conduct a workforce survey on direct support professionals in HCBS and report findings after three years, allowing the legislature to withhold funding for 2029-2030 and 2030-2031 if workforce improvements (like reduced turnover) are not observed.

Maddy summarySB 1648 requires guardians, conservators, attorneys, and guardians ad litem seeking payment from an elderly person's estate to provide written notice of their compensation basis before court proceedings begin. The bill mandates that courts approve compensation only if it is "reasonable and necessary," specifically requiring judges to consider the ward's best interests and factors like customary fees, estate size, and whether services were cost-effective. This directly affects guardianship professionals and the estates of elderly individuals under legal protection. The law shifts the burden to the person seeking payment to prove reasonableness, adding transparency to compensation reviews in court.

Maddy summarySB 1653 updates Arizona's child support enforcement rules. It requires courts to base support calculations only on documented income (not "assumed" income) and mandates that parents pay by cash, check, or money order if electronic payments are dishonored, with fees collected for failed payments. The bill also establishes automatic, mandatory reviews of child support orders every three years in state enforcement cases (without needing to prove changed circumstances), and allows termination of support if paternity was established through fraud or mistake. These changes directly affect parents obligated to pay child support, child support enforcement agencies, and families receiving support.

Maddy summarySB 1658 allows parents in Arizona custody cases to request a jury trial if they have been awarded less than 35% parenting time or not granted joint legal decision-making under a temporary order. The bill requires courts to schedule the jury trial within 120 days or appoint a licensed attorney as an arbitrator if the trial cannot be set in time. Juries would then make specific findings about the child's best interests based on existing factors like domestic violence, the child's wishes, and parental cooperation. This change applies only to legal decision-making and parenting time disputes, not to all family law matters.

Maddy summarySB 1644 expands Arizona's mandatory child abuse reporting law to require family court staff - including judges' aides, clerks, reporters, and deputies - to report suspected abuse they witness during court proceedings. It adds these roles to the existing list of mandated reporters (like doctors, teachers, and social workers) under Arizona Revised Statutes §13-3620. The bill specifies that these court personnel must report immediately if they reasonably believe a minor is abused, neglected, or denied medical care, while preserving existing exemptions for clergy confessions and medical treatment contexts. This change ensures abuse observed in family court settings is reported consistently with other mandated reporter requirements.

Maddy summarySB 1657 limits attorney fee awards in Arizona family court cases. It requires courts to pay fees first from shared marital assets, and if those aren’t available, caps fees at 15% of a party’s income after basic expenses or $8,000 - whichever is greater. This directly affects individuals involved in divorce or domestic relations proceedings who face court-ordered legal fees. The law prevents excessive fee assessments by setting a clear financial limit on what can be charged.

Maddy summarySB 1329 allows parents in Arizona family court cases involving custody or parenting time decisions to file a civil lawsuit against licensed professionals (like therapists or custody evaluators) appointed by the court if those professionals violate their professional ethics standards. The bill establishes a four-year statute of limitations, requiring parents to file such lawsuits within four years of when the issue occurred. It directly affects parents seeking redress for alleged professional misconduct by court-appointed personnel and the licensed professionals themselves. The law does not change court procedures or create new duties for professionals, only providing a legal remedy for specific ethics violations.

Maddy summarySB 1328 amends Arizona law to establish that courts must presume it is in a child's best interest to have substantial, frequent, meaningful, and continuing parenting time with both parents and for both parents to participate in major decisions about the child - unless evidence shows otherwise. The bill directly affects family courts handling custody cases by requiring this presumption under Section 25-103. It mandates that courts apply this policy while promoting "parents' rights" as defined in Sections 1-601 and 1-602 of Arizona law. The change focuses on procedural requirements for custody rulings, not altering existing parental rights or obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 2443 requires new applicants for Arizona Class A, B, or C commercial driver licenses (CDLs) to pass an English proficiency test covering reading, speaking, writing, and listening skills. This applies specifically to new applicants, not existing license holders. The test is mandated as part of the knowledge examination process for CDL applicants under amended Arizona Revised Statutes § 28-3223. The bill does not change existing renewal requirements or affect current CDL holders.