Sen. Sally Gonzales

Maddy summarySB 1730 designates Leupp Road in Arizona as "Kachina Point Road" for all official state purposes. The bill requires all state records, documents, and official acts related to the road to use this new name after the law takes effect. This is a procedural renaming bill with no substantive policy changes, affecting only the road's official designation. It is currently in early Senate stages (first and second readings).

Maddy summarySB 1768 creates a tuition waiver scholarship program for Arizona students who were in foster care or adopted from foster care after age 14. It directly affects eligible foster youth (including those who are tribal members or children of tribal members) aged 14-22 who meet residency, citizenship, asset, and enrollment requirements. Key provisions include waiving tuition and mandatory fees at public universities and community colleges, requiring 30 hours of annual volunteer service after the first year, and excluding Arizona's education voucher program from reducing the scholarship amount. The scholarship continues until age 23 or degree completion, provided all eligibility criteria are maintained.

Maddy summarySB 1775 prohibits Arizona's Department of Corrections from entering inmate telephone service contracts that allow revenue exceeding reasonable operating costs. It bans specific terms like commissions, profit sharing, signing bonuses, inflated rent payments, or unrelated technology supplies. The bill directly affects the state department managing inmate phone services by restricting how it can contract with providers. This change aims to prevent excessive charges for phone services used by incarcerated individuals and their families.

Maddy summaryThis Arizona bill requires health insurers to cover clozapine medication for patients with psychiatric disorders without denying, discontinuing, or rationing it. Insurers must also provide access to alternative blood monitoring methods - like mobile services or in-home testing - upon patient request, without denying coverage based on cost or location. Patients can legally waive or modify routine blood tests after receiving risk counseling and written consent, and providers cannot withhold clozapine for this reason unless an immediate medical risk exists. The bill applies to both private health insurance and county jails/state prisons, ensuring consistent access for inmates prescribed clozapine.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits price gouging on essential goods and services during a declared state of emergency in Arizona. It makes it unlawful to sell items like food, water, electricity, medical supplies, or rent at prices 10% higher than the highest price charged 30 days before the emergency was declared. Violations are classified as felonies: selling for $500+ in 24 hours is a class 5 felony, while smaller amounts are class 6 felonies. The attorney general enforces these rules under existing consumer protection laws. The bill directly affects businesses selling essential items during emergencies.

Maddy summaryArizona's SB 1772 requires all state agencies to hire a tribal liaison from a federally recognized Arizona tribe to represent tribal communities and improve communication between agencies and tribes. The bill directly affects state agencies by mandating this role, ensuring tribal voices are included in state decision-making. Key provisions include the governor setting this requirement, with liaisons serving as official points of contact for tribal engagement. This policy change creates a formal structure for tribal-state collaboration without altering existing tribal sovereignty or funding.

Maddy summarySB 1766 sets minimum wage standards for prisoners working in Arizona state prisons or contracted private prisons under the prison industries program. It requires at least $1.50 per hour for most prison labor and $2 per hour for private prison contracts, with compensation based on work quality and skill. The bill mandates deductions from prisoner earnings for court fees, dependent care, a transition program, and room and board, with remaining funds placed in a retention account accessible upon release. Prisoners are explicitly not considered employees and do not qualify for workers' compensation benefits. This law directly affects incarcerated individuals participating in Arizona's prison work programs.

Maddy summarySB 1802 allows courts to reduce prison sentences for individuals sentenced to over 25 years for crimes committed before age 18. It requires a hearing where courts must consider factors like the defendant's age at the crime, rehabilitation efforts (e.g., completing education programs), family trauma history, and diminished juvenile culpability. The bill creates a presumption of sentence reduction unless the court finds the person poses a public safety threat, and mandates written reasoning for any denial. It also requires courts to appoint attorneys for defendants at hearings and allows for community supervision upon release. The bill does not affect eligibility for other sentence relief options.

Maddy summarySB 1699 establishes Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (AESA) to provide public funds for K-12 education outside public schools. It directly affects parents of qualifying students who choose to withdraw from public school districts or charter schools and use AESA funds. The bill specifies that account monies can cover tuition at qualified schools, textbooks, educational therapies (for students meeting specific disability criteria), tutoring, approved curricula, and other education-related expenses like transportation and assistive technology. Parents must agree not to enroll students in public schools, accept concurrent private scholarships, or homeschool while using AESA funds.

Maddy summarySB 1731 allocates $2 million from Arizona's state general fund for the Office of Indian Education within the Department of Education during fiscal year 2026-2027. This funding is specifically designated for the office's personnel and operations as outlined in Arizona law (A.R.S. §15-244). The bill exempts this appropriation from standard rules requiring annual re-approval, ensuring the funds remain available for the office's ongoing work. This is a procedural funding measure that directly supports the existing Office of Indian Education.