Sen. David Gowan

Maddy summaryHB 2085 clarifies rules for transporting groundwater between water management areas in Arizona. It affects cities, towns, and private water companies that have signed Central Arizona Project (CAP) water delivery contracts. The bill requires these entities to first prove they have 95% system capacity to handle CAP water and have accepted 80% of their CAP entitlement for at least one of the past three years before using transported groundwater. It also includes a technical exception for groundwater from the Big Chino sub-basin. The bill makes no new policy changes but corrects existing statutory language.

Maddy summaryArizona's SB 1284 clarifies and updates regulations for fireworks sales and use in the state. It defines "permissible consumer fireworks" as ground-level devices like sparklers, fountains, and cylindrical devices (excluding aerial items like bottle rockets or skyrockets), while banning prohibited aerial fireworks. The bill requires retailers to maintain detailed records for out-of-state shipments and specifies permitted uses, such as for farmers with agricultural licenses or railroads for signaling. It directly affects fireworks retailers, manufacturers, and consumers purchasing or using fireworks in Arizona.

Maddy summaryArizona's SB 1223 sets a termination date for the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC), ending its operations on July 1, 2033. The bill repeals certain existing provisions (including Section 41-3025.01) and specifies that Sections 41-2404, 41-2405, and the new termination section will be repealed on January 1, 2034. This bill directly affects the ACJC and the agencies it coordinates with, ensuring a formal end to the commission's role in facilitating criminal justice information exchange. The legislation is procedural, establishing a clear timeline for the commission's termination without creating new policies or funding changes.

Maddy summarySB 1283 requires Arizona school districts and charter schools to train all school officers (including resource officers, probation officers, and safety officers) on recognizing and interacting with children with disabilities. The bill also establishes detailed requirements for school safety program proposals, mandating specific plans for funding school resource officers, counselors, or safety technology. Proposals must include descriptions of safety needs, implementation strategies for law-related education or counseling programs, and plans for officer training on privacy laws and mental health. Schools unable to place officers as planned may submit alternative proposals for safety technology or infrastructure improvements instead. The program is administered by the Arizona Department of Education with input from law enforcement and mental health professionals.

Maddy summaryHB 2102 establishes a dedicated anti-racketeering revolving fund in Arizona to manage money recovered from racketeering prosecutions. It requires all recovered funds - such as attorney fees from civil/criminal cases under AZ statutes 13-2301 or 13-2312, forfeiture proceeds, or federal/state cooperative investigation funds - to be deposited into this fund, prohibiting transfers to the general state fund. The fund may finance gang/victim prevention programs, racketeering investigations, officer relocation costs, and administrative reporting, but bans using it for Attorney General’s office salaries after August 2025. All agencies receiving fund monies must submit quarterly reports on sources and expenditures to the Attorney General and Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, with strict deadlines and penalties for noncompliance.

Maddy summarySB 1158 expands property tax exemptions in Arizona for specific groups. It provides full tax exemption for widows/widowers of first responders killed in line of duty, and a $4,188 partial exemption (capped at $28,459 property value) for other widows/widowers, veterans with disabilities, and people with total permanent disabilities. Eligibility requires meeting annual income limits ($34,901-$41,870 depending on dependents) and filing annual affidavits with county assessors. The exemption amounts adjust annually based on inflation, and unused exemption amounts can apply to personal property taxes.

Maddy summarySCR 1007 proposes amending Arizona's constitution to require 60% voter approval for tax-related initiatives or referendums, instead of the current majority standard. This would apply specifically to measures that approve new taxes or tax increases, while non-tax measures would still require only a simple majority. The amendment also prohibits the governor from vetoing tax measures approved by 60% of voters and prevents the legislature from repealing or amending such tax measures without a three-fourths vote in both chambers. It directly affects citizens proposing tax measures through initiative or referendum and the legislature's ability to modify or overturn those measures. This is a procedural constitutional change, not a direct policy affecting municipal zoning or other specific regulations.

Maddy summarySB 1149 appropriates $6.5 million from Arizona's state general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to fund fire incident management grants for municipal fire departments and fire districts. The grants cover the full cost of secure incident management systems meeting federal emergency management standards, including features like standardized terminology, real-time resource tracking, secure messaging, and offline functionality. The system must enable clear command structures, safety monitoring, and collaboration between agencies during incidents, including mass casualty events. Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and fully fund the systems for three years.

Maddy summaryHB 2453 establishes fees for defensive driving courses used to avoid traffic fines in Arizona. It requires courts to charge a $45 surcharge for attending such courses (replacing traffic fines), with $10.4 million annually directed to the public safety forensics fund and remaining funds to the state general fund. A separate $15 fee, set by the Supreme Court, funds a new defensive driving school fund managed by the Supreme Court. This directly affects drivers who choose defensive driving to resolve traffic violations instead of paying penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 2276 requires Arizona state agencies to submit proposed rules expected to increase regulatory costs for businesses by more than $100,000 within five years for review by the Office of Economic Opportunity. If the cost exceeds $500,000, the rule cannot take effect until the legislature passes separate legislation approving it. Agencies cannot finalize such rules without this legislative approval, and if the legislature doesn't act during the session, the proposed rule must be terminated. This directly affects state agencies creating new rules and businesses subject to those rules, adding a legislative review step for high-cost regulations.