Sen. Wendy Rogers

Maddy summarySB 1020 (Arizona) prohibits public universities, colleges, and community colleges from banning concealed weapons for permit holders on campus, while allowing schools to maintain rules against weapons in classrooms or during events. It defines "disruption" as threatening injury/damage, entering campus to interfere with activities, or refusing lawful orders to leave. Violations of disruption rules are classified as a class 1 misdemeanor (for entry) or class 6 felony (for threats), with schools required to adopt safety rules but not barred from gun safety programs. The bill was passed by the legislature but vetoed by the governor in May 2025, so it did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 1235 amends Arizona statutes governing membership on three health regulatory boards (podiatry, chiropractic, and dental). It standardizes requirements including mandatory fingerprint-based criminal background checks for all members, specifies composition rules (e.g., requiring some members to be retired practitioners or laypersons), and sets term lengths and vacancy procedures. The bill directly affects the boards themselves by defining who can serve and how appointments are handled, with no changes to patient care standards or licensing requirements. Key mechanisms include requiring criminal checks via state/federal databases, limiting consecutive terms, and clarifying how vacancies are filled. The bill focuses solely on procedural governance of these boards, not on healthcare policy or patient outcomes.

Maddy summarySB 1280 requires Arizona county recorders to send unaltered electronic "cast vote records" (anonymized ballot data showing voter selections without identifying voters) to the secretary of state within 48 hours after county canvassing. For precincts with fewer than 25 registered voters, only voter counts - not individual records - must be transmitted. The bill designates these records as public records, ensuring transparency while preventing randomization or alteration of original files. The bill passed the legislature in April 2025 but was vetoed by the governor on May 2, 2025, so it is not currently law.

Maddy summarySB 1025, the "Arizona Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act," allows Arizona's state treasurer and retirement systems to invest up to 10% of public funds in virtual currency (like Bitcoin). It creates a mechanism for storing these holdings in a secure, segregated account within a federal "strategic bitcoin reserve" if one is established by the U.S. Treasury. The bill defines "public fund" as the state treasurer or retirement systems (as defined under Title 38) and clarifies "virtual currency" as digital value functioning as money. The bill passed the legislature but was vetoed by the governor on May 2, 2025, so it did not become law.

Maddy summarySB 1604 amends Arizona law to ensure time spent in a licensed secure health facility by defendants found incompetent to stand trial counts toward their criminal sentence for the original charges. It directly affects defendants in Arizona who are deemed incompetent and committed to such facilities under Section 13-4521. Key provisions require courts to credit all time served in these facilities against the sentence for the underlying offense (Section 13-712), limit commitment periods to the presumptive sentence for the original charge (Section 13-4521), and mandate specific hearings to determine dangerousness within 120 days (Section 13-4521). The bill streamlines how custody time is calculated for this population, ensuring it reduces the total prison time they would otherwise serve. This law was signed by the governor in May 2025.

Maddy summaryArizona's SB 1022 increases the monetary limit for small claims court cases from $3,500 to $7,500 for civil disputes involving money, property, or contract issues. This change directly affects Arizona residents filing or defending claims under $7,500, allowing them to use the simplified small claims process instead of higher courts. The bill modifies Arizona Revised Statutes Section 22-503 to expand the court's jurisdiction for these cases while maintaining exclusions for matters like defamation, class actions, or claims against the government.

Maddy summarySB 1597 sets new sentencing ranges for second-degree murder convictions in Arizona. For standard cases, it establishes a minimum sentence of 10 years, a presumptive (standard) sentence of 16-20 years, and a maximum of 25 years. Repeat offenders - those previously convicted of second-degree murder or a dangerous felony - face higher penalties: a minimum of 15 years, presumptive sentence of 20-25 years, and maximum of 29 years. The bill directly affects individuals convicted of second-degree murder and guides judges in determining sentences under Arizona law. It modifies statutory sentencing guidelines without creating new offenses or procedural changes.

Maddy summarySB 1282 creates a new offense called "aggravated unlawful flight" for drivers who recklessly endanger others while fleeing police. It classifies this as a class 4 felony generally, but elevates it to a class 2 felony if the driver causes serious injury, transports a minor under 15, or was already violating specific traffic laws (like driving under suspension). Convicted individuals in the class 2 felony scenario must serve at least four months in prison before becoming eligible for probation or early release. The bill directly affects drivers who flee law enforcement in a reckless manner, with stricter penalties for certain aggravating circumstances.

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 1021 amends Arizona law to grant immediate in-state tuition status to students enrolled in a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program within the state. This provision directly affects ROTC cadets who are contracted participants in Arizona, allowing them to qualify for in-state tuition rates without meeting the standard one-year domicile requirement. The key mechanism is a new subsection (K) added to the in-state student status statute, which automatically classifies ROTC cadets as in-state students upon enrollment. This change applies to all Arizona public universities and community colleges governed by the Arizona Board of Regents or community college districts. The bill became law after passing the legislature and receiving the governor's signature in April 2025.