Maddy summarySB 1698 expands Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program to cover specific educational services for students with disabilities. It allows ESA funds to pay for educational therapies, psychological evaluations, assistive technology, and vocational training when a student meets disability criteria under the law. The bill also requires annual education plans for students aged 21-22 to continue receiving funds, with reviews conducted by independent evaluation teams. This directly affects students with disabilities enrolled in the ESA program who qualify under the specified criteria. The policy change modifies allowable expenses under the existing ESA framework to include these disability-related services and extends eligibility through age 22.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 1738 provides $20 million in state funding for Coconino County to build a new juvenile court services facility and convert its existing juvenile detention center into a detox, sobriety, and crisis recovery center. The funds come from the state general fund for fiscal year 2026-2027 and are exempt from standard appropriation lapse rules. This bill directly affects Coconino County's juvenile services system by enabling facility upgrades focused on both court support and crisis care. It is a straightforward funding measure with no additional policy changes beyond the specified facility uses.
Maddy summarySB 1721 requires state construction contracts to pay prevailing wages and fringe benefits based on local collective agreements, directly affecting contractors and subcontractors working on state-financed projects. It mandates that contractors post wage rates at job sites, maintain payroll records, and prohibits retaliation against workers reporting violations. The Arizona Department of Administration determines prevailing rates, and violations carry a $5,000 civil penalty or liability for lost wages. The bill ensures workers on state projects receive locally negotiated compensation standards while providing enforcement mechanisms for compliance.
Maddy summarySB 1695 repeals Section 15-911 and amends Section 15-1285 to exempt school districts and career technical education districts from Arizona's budgetary and spending limits on certain state funds. Specifically, funds received by these districts under a designated chapter are no longer subject to the state's usual expenditure caps, allowing them to use these resources without being constrained by typical budget restrictions. This change directly affects school districts across Arizona by increasing their financial flexibility in managing state funding. The bill also includes minor amendments to unrelated statutes but focuses primarily on easing budgetary constraints for school districts.
Maddy summarySB 1734 allocates $5.9 million from Arizona's state general fund for fiscal year 2026-2027 to fund a pedestrian path in Dennehotso along U.S. Route 160. The funds will be distributed by the Department of Administration to the Navajo Nation to cover surveying, designing, constructing, and lighting the path. This bill directly affects the Navajo Nation (as the recipient of funds) and residents of Dennehotso (as future users of the path). It is a straightforward funding measure with no policy changes beyond providing capital for infrastructure.
Maddy summarySB 1715 is a definitional amendment to Arizona's real estate statutes, updating terms like "acting in concert," "address of record," "advertising," and "common promotional plan" within Section 32-2101. It clarifies terminology used by real estate professionals, including brokers, salespersons, developers, and cemetery brokers, to standardize regulatory language. The bill does not introduce new policy requirements or alter substantive rules but ensures consistent application of existing regulations. It directly affects real estate licensees and entities operating under Arizona's real estate chapter by defining key concepts for compliance purposes. This is a procedural clarification, not a substantive policy change, as shown by its focus on statutory definitions.
Maddy summaryThis bill updates Arizona's formula for calculating annual spending limits for school districts and other local governments subject to constitutional expenditure restrictions. It requires the state commission to determine each district's limit based on 1979-1980 spending levels, adjusted for population changes (including annexed areas) and inflation using GDP price deflators. The key mechanism calculates a new limit each year by comparing current population to 1978 population and applying inflation adjustments to the baseline spending. This directly affects all Arizona school districts and municipalities operating under the state's expenditure limitation rules.
Maddy summarySB 1781 establishes Arizona's "Turquoise Alert" system to quickly notify the public about missing persons under age 65 with suspicious circumstances or immediate danger. It requires law enforcement agencies to meet specific criteria (e.g., using all local resources, confirming peril) before activating the alert, which must be issued immediately without administrative delays. The bill mandates regular training for all officers handling missing persons cases on the alert system's legal requirements and procedures, including biannual sessions for relevant staff. It also requires all law enforcement agencies (state, tribal, local) to synchronize their alert systems, including Turquoise Alerts and Amber Alerts, for coordinated public notifications.
Maddy summarySB 1704 expands Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program to specifically allow funds to cover education-related expenses for children with disabilities meeting certain criteria. It directly affects qualifying students with disabilities by permitting ESA funds to pay for services like licensed educational therapies, paraprofessionals, assistive technology, vocational training, and specialized evaluations. Key provisions include defining eligible expenses (such as therapy costs, assistive devices, and vocational education) and requiring annual education plans for students nearing age 22 to continue receiving funds. The bill does not change general ESA rules but adds targeted support for disability-related educational needs.
Maddy summarySB 1737 allocates $800,000 from Arizona's state general fund for fiscal year 2026-2027 to improve Navajo Route 8009. The funds will be distributed to the Navajo Division of Transportation for road maintenance work including grading, draining, graveling, and stabilizing the roadway. This bill directly affects the Navajo Nation's transportation infrastructure by providing dedicated funding for specific road repairs on Route 8009. The appropriation is exempt from standard state rules about unused funds expiring.