Maddy summarySB 1066 prohibits the transfer of land in Arizona to foreign entities identified as hostile to the United States by U.S. intelligence assessments (specifically, countries listed in the three most recent annual threat assessments by the U.S. Director of National Intelligence). It requires real estate professionals and land sellers to collect and submit valid identification for buyers, including business names and addresses for non-individual entities. The bill defines "foreign entity that is hostile" as foreign governments, state-controlled enterprises, or their agents, and specifies valid identification as government-issued IDs, driver’s licenses, or tribal identification. The measure was passed by the Arizona legislature in April 2025 but vetoed by the governor.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 1584, now vetoed by the Governor, requires Arizona state and local government agencies to hire public employees based solely on merit - defined as objective qualifications like skills, experience, and job performance - rather than factors like race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin. The bill prohibits policies that manipulate workforce composition based on protected characteristics, except to maintain color-blind, race-neutral hiring compliant with existing antidiscrimination laws. It allows legal action for violations, with prevailing parties entitled to attorney fees and costs. The bill would have directly affected all state and local government hiring practices in Arizona.
Maddy summarySB 1441 would require school board elections in Arizona to be nonpartisan by removing political party designations from ballots for school district governing board candidates. The bill would amend election statutes to place school board candidates in a "Nonpartisan Ballot" section, listing their names without party labels or partisan titles. This change would directly affect all Arizona school districts and candidates running for school board positions by eliminating party affiliations from the ballot. The bill passed the legislature in April 2025 but was vetoed by the governor, so it did not become law.
Maddy summarySB 1123, titled "watermark; paper ballots," requires ballot paper vendors in Arizona to hold specific ISO certifications (27001, 17025, or 9001:2015) and include at least three of ten specified security features - such as unique watermarks, holographic foils, specialized inks, or voter-tracked barcodes - in paper ballots. The bill directly affects ballot vendors and election officials responsible for ballot procurement, aiming to enhance ballot security through standardized anti-fraud measures. It repeals an existing statute and adds new requirements to Arizona Revised Statutes § 16-504. The bill passed the legislature in April 2025 but was vetoed by the Governor on April 18, 2025, preventing it from becoming law.
Maddy summaryHB 2733 grants legal immunity to Arizona government agencies and employees (like law enforcement) who intercept, disable, or destroy unmanned aircraft (drones) within 30 miles of the state's international border. It protects them from liability for injuries caused during these actions unless they intentionally harmed someone or were grossly negligent. The law specifically applies to drone operators (defined as anyone controlling a drone, including owners or groups acting together) and covers contractors working for government entities. This bill directly affects border enforcement practices and drone operators operating near Arizona's international border.
Maddy summarySB 1309 requires Arizona's utility commission to ensure grid modifications can reliably meet summer and winter electricity demand while preventing non-weather-related outages and power quality issues. It mandates that the "generation resource mix" (the combination of energy sources like solar, gas, or nuclear) avoids service interruptions and power quality incidents. The bill also requires replacement power plants for retired facilities to provide equally "dispatchable load following generation" - meaning power sources that quickly adjust to changing electricity demand. The bill passed the legislature in April 2025 but was vetoed by the governor on April 18, 2025.
Maddy summaryArizona's SB 1219 requires outpatient behavioral health treatment centers to include a patient's sober living home details (such as license number or address) on intake forms, if the patient resides in such a facility. This applies directly to outpatient treatment providers and affects patients using sober living housing. The law mandates that the state department can verify compliance during surveys or investigations. The bill does not change housing standards but ensures treatment centers disclose housing information as part of patient intake. It became law after passing the legislature and being signed by the governor in April 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 2165 requires Arizona's Department of Economic Security to seek a federal waiver from the USDA to prohibit SNAP (food stamp) benefits from being used to purchase candy, soft drinks, or similar sugary items. If approved, SNAP recipients in Arizona would be barred from buying these items with their benefits; if denied, the state must reapply annually until granted. The bill defines "candy" as sugar-based treats and "soft drinks" as non-alcoholic sweetened beverages (excluding milk-based drinks or those with over 50% juice). This legislation aims to modify Arizona's SNAP program participation under federal rules without changing current federal policy.
Maddy summaryHB 2164 prohibits Arizona public schools from serving or selling ultraprocessed foods during the school day, directly affecting school meal programs and cafeteria operations. The law defines "ultraprocessed food" as any item containing specific synthetic additives like certain dyes (e.g., Yellow #5, Red #40) or preservatives (e.g., potassium bromate), excluding foods parents provide to their own children. The Arizona Department of Education may create implementing rules but is not required to mandate specific alternatives. Signed into law on April 14, 2025, this policy aims to improve school meal nutrition by limiting low-nutrient processed foods.
Maddy summaryHB 2145 requires all state and local government sanitarians in Arizona to register with the newly established Sanitarians Council. To qualify, applicants must have three years of relevant work experience, military service in environmental health, or 30 college credits in related sciences. Registrants must complete 10 hours of approved continuing education annually, pay $25 for initial registration and $10 for renewal, and may not use the title "registered sanitarian" without certification. The bill directly affects environmental health professionals working for Arizona government entities.