Sen. Dave Farnsworth

Maddy summarySB 1500 requires Arizona courts to prioritize placing children in foster care with grandparents when determining permanent family placements. The law mandates that courts consider grandparents first for permanent placement before other extended family members or non-relatives. It specifically states that "the court shall give priority to permanent placement of the child with the child's grandparent" during permanency hearings. This change directly affects children in Arizona's child welfare system and their grandparents seeking permanent guardianship or adoption. The bill became law after passing the legislature and being signed by the governor in June 2025.

Maddy summarySB 1247 establishes Arizona's Teachers Academy, a scholarship program for students pursuing teaching careers at eligible community colleges and universities. It provides up to four years of tuition and fee coverage for undergraduate students (or two years for community college students) after other financial aid, in exchange for a commitment to teach one year in an Arizona public school for each year of scholarship received. The program prioritizes high-demand areas like special education, STEM, rural schools, and schools serving students with disabilities. Funds for the academy come from state appropriations and existing scholarship mechanisms, administered by the Arizona Board of Regents to support recruitment, scholarships, and teacher induction services.

Maddy summarySB 1470 amends Arizona's school accountability system to adjust how graduation rates are calculated for students with disabilities. Specifically, it requires that students with disabilities who graduate in their 5th, 6th, or 7th year (instead of the standard 4th year) be given the same weight in school accountability reports as students graduating on time. This change directly affects Arizona public schools and districts that report graduation rates under state accountability metrics. The bill modifies the existing data collection process but does not alter graduation requirements or timelines for students.

Maddy summarySB 1600, titled "Patient Rights; Health Care Services," defines core patient rights for anyone receiving healthcare in Arizona. It establishes that patients have the right to care prioritizing their best interest, avoiding harm, and requiring informed consent for medical decisions (except emergencies). The bill directly affects all patients receiving care from licensed health professionals in Arizona. However, the bill was passed by the legislature on May 7, 2025, but was vetoed by the governor on May 13, 2025, so it did not become law.

Maddy summaryThis law requires Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) caseworkers to show two forms of identification - DCS-issued ID and a valid driver's license or nonoperating ID - when visiting a child's school for an interview. Schools must verify the caseworker's identity and employment through DCS if the required ID isn't presented. The bill directly affects DCS caseworkers, school staff, and children involved in DCS cases during school visits.

Maddy summarySB 1591 modifies Arizona's concealed weapons permit process by exempting state residents from application fees while requiring non-residents to pay a reasonable fee. It outlines specific eligibility requirements, including age, residency, criminal history checks, and proof of firearm competency, and specifies that permits are valid for five years (with extensions for military members deployed overseas). The bill also details procedures for permit suspension upon arrest for qualifying offenses and civil penalties for failing to present a permit during a law enforcement stop. The legislation was passed by the Arizona legislature on May 6, 2025, but was vetoed by the Governor on May 12, 2025, preventing it from becoming law.

Maddy summarySB 1502 requires Arizona teachers providing literacy instruction in kindergarten through fifth grade - including those in special education programs for students with mild or moderate disabilities - to earn a literacy endorsement by 2025 (for new teachers) or 2028 (for current teachers). The endorsement mandates evidence-based science of reading training and a passing assessment covering foundational skills, materials, and interventions for reading deficiencies. Teachers may bypass formal coursework by demonstrating proficiency through classroom observations and student data verified by their school district. The bill also requires educator preparation programs in elementary, early childhood, and special education to include literacy endorsement coursework starting in 2022.

Maddy summarySB 1472 allows Arizona common school districts and high school districts with overlapping boundaries to form unified districts without requiring a public vote. It mandates that unified districts must maintain teacher base pay and combine teacher experience from previous districts, while requiring budget consolidation based on student counts from the original districts. The bill also preserves existing tax overrides and requires districts to provide detailed property tax estimates to households before unification. However, the bill was vetoed by the governor on May 2, 2025, so these provisions never took effect.

Maddy summarySB 1694 would have prohibited Arizona state funding for public universities and community colleges offering courses that include specific diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) topics in their materials or syllabi, such as discussions of systemic racism, white privilege, or race-based equity. The bill defined "course on diversity, equity and inclusion" to exclude historical topics like slavery or the Holocaust, but would have cut funding for any course meeting the listed criteria. This bill was passed by the legislature in April 2025 but vetoed by the governor on May 2, 2025, so it did not become law. It directly affected Arizona's public higher education institutions by threatening their state funding based on course content.

Maddy summarySB 1358 changes who can sponsor charter schools in Arizona, limiting sponsors to state boards, universities, or community colleges while preventing school districts from sponsoring new charters or converting district schools to charters. It requires applicants to submit detailed educational, business, and operational plans and mandates fingerprint checks for all staff with student contact. The bill also sets specific rules for schools reorganizing sites or grade configurations (e.g., moving grades between locations). This directly affects new charter school applicants and existing charter schools operating under these requirements.