Sen. Flavio Bravo

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 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 1706 establishes standards for Arizona's online instruction programs. It requires online schools to meet specific criteria for curriculum, student safety, and teacher qualifications before approval, and places new online schools on probation for up to three years until they demonstrate academic improvement. The bill mandates annual reporting to the state education department on student performance and daily attendance logs, and sets funding rules: full-time online students receive 95% of standard funding, while part-time students receive 85%. It directly affects online schools, students enrolled in virtual programs, and school districts managing hybrid enrollment. The bill does not relate to full-day kindergarten as implied by its title, but instead focuses on online education accountability and funding.

Maddy summarySB 1708 prohibits Arizona cities, counties, and state-owned property from being used for civil immigration enforcement without a valid judicial warrant. It bans local and state governments from allowing immigration officers to use parking lots, garages, or vacant lots as staging areas, processing sites, or bases for enforcement operations. Within 30 days of the law taking effect, all affected government entities must post clear signage at public entrances stating the property cannot host immigration enforcement without a warrant. The law also requires immigration officers to show a warrant before questioning, detaining, or arresting anyone on government property. This directly affects local governments and their property management practices regarding immigration enforcement activities.

Maddy summarySB 1797 prohibits manufacturers and distributors from engaging in "price gouging" on specific essential off-patent or generic drugs, defined as drugs without patent protection, listed by WHO or the U.S. as essential, and sold by few manufacturers. It directly affects drug companies selling these medications in Arizona, requiring them to justify price increases exceeding 50% within a year or exceeding $80 for basic treatment (e.g., 30-day supply). The state’s Medicaid program can trigger investigations for such increases, prompting manufacturers to submit cost breakdowns within 45 days. If violations are confirmed, the attorney general can seek court orders for restitution, injunctions, or civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation. The bill focuses on transparency and accountability for price hikes impacting affordability, not on altering drug approval or insurance coverage.

Maddy summarySCR 1046, if approved by Arizona voters, would require public schools to identify students needing English language support, assess their proficiency, and provide structured English immersion programs with specific daily time requirements (120 minutes for K-5, 100 minutes for grades 6-12). It directly affects school districts, charter schools, and English learners (students whose primary language is not English). Key provisions include mandating high-quality language programs, allowing parents to sue schools for noncompliance, and requiring the state board to adopt research-based teaching models. The bill would replace existing laws on English learner education and needs voter approval to become law.

Maddy summarySCR 1042 proposes to repeal the constitutional requirement that Arizona school districts must adhere to spending limits based on 1979-80 expenditure levels adjusted for student population and cost of living. This would remove the existing framework where school districts' local revenue spending was capped by a formula calculated annually by the economic estimates commission. The bill specifically targets Section 21 of Article IX in Arizona's constitution, which currently governs these expenditure limitations for both school districts and community college districts. If passed, this repeal would eliminate the need for districts to calculate or comply with these historical spending caps, though it does not create new spending rules. The bill is a constitutional amendment proposal requiring voter approval, not a direct legislative change to current spending policies.

Maddy summarySCR 1044 is a proposed constitutional amendment (not yet law) that would establish annual spending limits for Arizona school and community college districts. It requires the Economic Estimates Commission to calculate each year's spending cap based on 1979-80 local revenue spending, adjusted for student population and cost of living. The amendment defines "local revenues" broadly (excluding bonds, federal grants, tuition, and certain other funds) and would prohibit districts from exceeding these caps without a legislative exception approved by a two-thirds vote. This would directly affect all Arizona public school and community college districts by limiting their annual spending on local funds.

Maddy summarySB 1660, the "Immigration Safe Zones Act," requires Arizona's Attorney General to create policies within 60 days that limit state agency cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. These policies must protect specific public facilities - including public schools, community colleges, universities, libraries, courts, and publicly funded healthcare centers - from being used for immigration enforcement actions. The bill also mandates that state agencies remove all questions about immigration status from applications, questionnaires, or forms related to public services or education within 60 days. It defines "immigration enforcement" broadly to include federal efforts targeting individuals' presence, entry, or employment in the U.S. The law directly affects state agencies, public institutions, and residents seeking services at protected facilities.

Maddy summarySB 1604 requires health insurance plans in Arizona to cover autologous breast reconstruction (using the patient's own tissue) following mastectomy, along with related services like revisions and imaging. It mandates that this coverage must be as favorable as other reconstruction options, without additional out-of-pocket costs (like copays or deductibles) beyond what applies to in-network care. The bill also requires insurers to maintain sufficient provider networks for timely access and to reimburse out-of-network providers at rates comparable to in-network rates. This directly affects women undergoing mastectomies who need reconstruction, ensuring their insurance covers this specific procedure under defined standards.