Sen. Priya Sundareshan

Maddy summaryHB 2470 adjusts Arizona legislators' daily subsistence payments during legislative sessions. It replaces a fixed $35 rate for Maricopa County residents with a new system where all legislators receive 100% of the federal per diem rate (including lodging) for non-Maricopa residents, and Maricopa residents get $35 for the first 120 session days. After 120 days, Maricopa residents receive $10 daily, while non-Maricopa residents get 50% of the annual federal rate. The annual rate is set by the Department of Administration using U.S. General Services Administration data, and legislators may opt out of these payments.

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 summarySB 1383 requires Arizona public school districts and charter schools to provide parents or guardians with two specific pieces of information upon request: (1) the health care credentials (like licenses or certifications) of staff providing routine health care services, and (2) details about required emergency response training (such as CPR) for school employees. The law directly affects parents seeking transparency about school health staff qualifications and the schools that must comply with these disclosure requests. It explicitly excludes sharing personal employee details like addresses, salaries, or social security numbers. This bill, signed into law on May 13, 2025, aims to increase parental awareness of school health services without compromising employee privacy.

Maddy summarySB 1671 adds traditional healing services as a covered benefit under Arizona's Medicaid program (AHCCCS). This coverage applies only to AHCCCS members who qualify under federal regulations (42 CFR § 136.12) and receive services delivered by or through the Indian Health Service or a tribal facility. The bill explicitly requires federal approval for this coverage and is subject to available funding. It does not alter other existing covered services listed in the statute.

Maddy summaryHB 2289 would increase Arizona's minimum wage in phased steps, starting at $10 per hour in 2017 and rising to $18 per hour by 2025. After 2025, the wage would automatically adjust annually based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) to account for cost-of-living changes. The bill also allows employers to pay tipped workers a base wage up to $3 less per hour, provided total tips and wages meet the minimum wage requirement for all hours worked. This applies to most covered employees in Arizona, excluding certain agricultural or seasonal workers as defined by existing law. The bill requires a three-fourths vote in both legislative chambers to become effective.

Maddy summaryThis Arizona bill (SB 1697) sets security requirements for electronic voting equipment used in elections. It requires election officials to store voting machines in keycard-secured locations with maintained entry logs for 24 months, and to implement continuous video monitoring (with motion detection) that records for 24 months after capture - except when machines are deployed at polling sites. The bill also prohibits unauthorized access, tampering, or publishing passwords related to voting systems, classifying violations as class 1 misdemeanors, while allowing authorized security testing programs. These rules directly affect election officials and staff managing voting equipment, aiming to prevent tampering and ensure system integrity.

Maddy summarySB 1646 allocates $112.45 million from Arizona's general fund and $78.65 million in federal child care funds for the Department of Economic Security to provide child care assistance. The funding supports low-income families who qualify for state child care assistance programs. It directly affects eligible families by ensuring continued access to subsidized child care services. The bill specifies the exact funding amounts and sources for the 2025-2026 fiscal year without changing eligibility rules or program structure.

Maddy summarySB 1636 amends Arizona Revised Statutes § 41-563 to update how cities, counties, and other political subdivisions calculate their annual spending limits under the state constitution. It requires the Commission to determine each subdivision's base limit using 1979-80 revenue data and adjust it yearly based on population growth (using July 1 estimates) and changes in the GDP price deflator. The bill specifies exact formulas for calculating these adjustments, including special rules for annexations, new cities, and county divisions. This directly affects all Arizona local governments subject to constitutional expenditure limits by defining their annual spending caps.

Maddy summarySB 1634 exempts school building blueprints and floor plans from Arizona's public records laws. This means school districts would not be required to share these documents with the public under Title 39, Chapter 1 of state law. The bill directly affects school districts (who no longer must release these plans) and the public (who loses access to them). The key mechanism is creating a new exemption in state law specifically for school architectural plans.

Maddy summarySB 1633 requires Arizona charter schools to publicly post meeting notices, agendas, minutes, and records on their websites and the state board’s website. It also limits executive sessions to specific purposes like personnel decisions or legal advice. The bill bans charter school sponsors from contracting with for-profit organizations starting January 1, 2026, and updates application requirements for new charter schools. These changes directly affect charter schools, their sponsors (like universities or state boards), and future applicants seeking to establish charter schools. The law aims to increase transparency and restrict for-profit involvement in charter school management.