Maddy summarySB 1451 establishes Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts to provide funding for eligible students' education. Parents must agree to use funds only for specific education-related expenses - including tuition at qualifying schools, textbooks, tutoring, vocational training, college tuition, and approved assistive technologies - while agreeing not to enroll in public schools or accept concurrent scholarships. The bill explicitly allows funds to cover postsecondary education costs at eligible colleges and universities, expanding previous uses beyond K-12. It requires parental agreements outlining permitted expenses and prohibits homeschooling filings while ensuring funds cannot cover non-educational items like entertainment devices.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 1484 allocates $3,000,000 and 43 full-time staff positions from the state general fund for Arizona's Department of Economic Security to support its adult protective services program during fiscal year 2025-2026. This funding directly supports the department's efforts to investigate and respond to reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults. The bill does not change program rules or eligibility but provides specific financial resources to maintain or expand existing services. It is a procedural funding measure with no substantive policy changes.
Maddy summarySCR 1017 proposes adding a constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment for all Arizonans, including future generations. It declares natural resources like air, water, and ecosystems as common property belonging to all people. The state would be required to act as a trustee, conserving these resources for current and future residents. If approved by voters, this right would be enforceable under Arizona's Constitution without needing new laws.
Maddy summarySB 1468 amends Arizona's corporate tax rules to change how businesses apportion income for state taxation. It revises Section 43-1139 to provide multiple formulas for calculating taxable income, gradually shifting from weighted property/payroll/sales factors toward using only the sales factor for most businesses after 2016. Section 43-1147 updates rules for taxing service sales, requiring businesses to increasingly base taxation on where the market is located rather than where work is performed, fully transitioning to market-based rules after 2025. These changes directly affect corporations operating in Arizona, particularly service providers and air commerce businesses (which face specific apportionment rules under Section 43-1139B). The bill establishes a phased transition across multiple tax years, with the most significant shift occurring in 2016-2025 when businesses can choose the sales-factor-only method.
Maddy summaryThis bill makes it a felony for adults to negligently leave firearms accessible to minors under 17, requiring reasonable security measures like locked containers or trigger locks to prevent access. It directly affects parents, guardians, and others responsible for firearm storage around minors, with penalties ranging from a class 6 felony (standard violation) to a class 4 felony if the minor discharges the firearm causing death or serious injury. Key exceptions include supervised hunting, lawful self-defense, agricultural use, or activities covered under existing statutes. The law also delays arrests for family members for seven days after the incident.
Maddy summarySB 1469 requires Arizona's Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) staff to annually submit a report by November 1 to legislative leaders. The report summarizes the state's individual income tax rate brackets, adjustments to taxable income, and deductions/credits claimed by taxpayers from the prior year. This procedural bill affects legislative staff and provides data for future tax policy discussions but does not change tax rates or laws. It mandates an annual review of existing tax structures without altering taxpayer obligations.
Maddy summarySB 1485 appropriates $7 million from Arizona's state general fund for fiscal year 2025-2026 to provide housing assistance to Arizonans aged 60 or older. The funds will be distributed by the Department of Economic Security to existing area agencies on aging (operating under the Older Americans Act of 1965). This bill establishes ongoing funding for this program beyond the current fiscal year and exempts the appropriation from standard state rules requiring annual re-approval. It directly affects elderly Arizonans seeking housing support through designated community agencies.
Maddy summarySCR 1023 proposes to repeal Article XXX, section 1 of the Arizona Constitution, which currently defines marriage as between one man and one woman. If approved by voters, this constitutional change would remove the existing definition of marriage from Arizona's fundamental law. The bill requires submission to voters at the next general election, as mandated by Arizona's constitution. This is a procedural measure seeking voter approval to amend the state constitution, not a new law affecting current marriage regulations.
Maddy summarySB 1452 expands Arizona's antidiscrimination law to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression in public accommodations (such as restaurants, hotels, and retail stores), employment, and housing. The bill requires public buildings undergoing new construction or major renovation to install gender-neutral restrooms and accessible changing stations for both babies and adults. It bans businesses and public entities from denying services based on these characteristics, with exceptions for safety concerns or compliance with federal law. The law applies directly to businesses serving the public and government facilities.
Maddy summaryArizona's SCR 1021 formally ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a 1972 congressional proposal that would prohibit sex-based discrimination in the U.S. Constitution. The bill directs Arizona's legislature to approve the ERA and transmit its resolution to federal officials, joining other states that have ratified the amendment. This action does not create new laws but advances Arizona's role in the national ratification process required for the ERA to become part of the Constitution. The measure directly affects Arizona's standing in the constitutional amendment process, as state ratifications are necessary for the ERA's adoption.