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AFCCA Updates
HB2184 (fetal death; funeral homes) sponsored by Representative Julie Willoughby (R – Chandler) now extends the timeline for completing and registering death certificates from seven calendar days to 14 days, excluding weekends and holidays. Additionally, it mandates that funeral establishments obtain a disposition-transit permit for the transfer of unborn human remains from a hospital or clinic when specific gestational or weight criteria are met and the woman authorizes the transfer. Lastly, the order of authority for the remains of a deceased minor is modified to defer to any existing legal decision-making awards or parenting plans that assign final authority. The bill moved through caucus last week and now awaits floor consideration in the Senate.
This week, SB1668 (disposition; remains; authorization; legal decision making) was heard in the House Health and Human Services committee where it was amended with a Strike Everything Amendment that replaces its text with legislation that would clarify in statute who has decision making authority over a decedent minor in very specific instances. This bill was voted out of committee unanimously.
You can track the status of these bills on your live interactive tracking link found here –Skywolf AI– this link will automatically update as the bills move through the process. As always please do not hesitate to let me know if you would like to make any additions or removals from your bill tracking list.
Arizona Legislative Session Weekly Report – Week Eleven
This week, committees concluded as legislators attempted to revive “dead” bills through strike-everything amendments. Budget negotiations have stalled completely over school funding issues, and the state has retained a high-powered law firm to defend its Colorado River water allocations.
Today marks the final day for bills to be heard in committee in their opposite chamber, and with no committees scheduled today, that window effectively closes. Next week will have the usual additional House and Senate Appropriation Committees, where we can expect many strike-everything amendments as legislators make their final attempts to have their bills heard. Moving forward, legislative activity will narrow significantly, as budget negotiations become the legislature’s primary focus.
Budget negotiations have halted once again as the Governor has walked away from the negotiating table until Republican leadership in the House and Senate publicly release their budget plans. The Governor characterized the majority’s current budget framework as “unserious”, arguing that the proposal fails to address several key executive priorities and lacks the fiscal sustainability required for the upcoming fiscal year. Passing a budget by the July 1 deadline is the Arizona Legislature’s only statutory duty.
The Governor is pushing for an expanded renewal of Prop 123 that includes redirected funds for school safety, school facilities, and support staff, while the Legislative framework being proposed remains focused more strictly on teacher compensation and mirrors the original plan passed a decade ago. Some Legislative Republicans are even advocating for a plan that both renews Prop 123, and includes enshrining provisions related to school choice, which could limit any future changes to the state’s ESA program.
Prop. 123 has provided $300 million to K-12 public schools annually, and expired last year. It was narrowly passed by Arizona voters in 2016, and made up for the state’s failure to increase funding for public education to keep up with inflation. Its passage settled a lawsuit filed by public schools.
These negotiations are further complicated by the deadlock over tax conformity. The decision on whether to fully align with H.R.1 has been wrapped up in budget conversations, with Governor Hobbs twice vetoing legislation this session that would implement full tax conformity to H.R.1.
Beyond the differences between the Democratic governor and legislative Republicans, Republicans in the Arizona Senate and House of Representatives last year also had internal disagreements over the extent to which they should compromise with the governor and Democratic lawmakers.
Committee Deadlines & Strike-everything Amendments
Committee deadlines this week have once again significantly narrowed the number of bills still moving through the legislative process. A substantial number of bills were unable to receive committee hearings in their second chamber, reflecting both policy disagreements and the realities of the legislative calendar. In some cases, committee members introduced strike-everything amendments without the support of the original bill sponsor in an effort to keep certain policy proposals alive. These efforts were largely unsuccessful, as they did not receive the necessary support to move forward in committee.
Of the relatively small number of minority-sponsored bills that passed out of their chamber of origin, Only a handful have continued to advance in the opposite chamber. These include:
- HB2895 – Native American language; instruction; certification (Rep. Myron Tsosie- D, Chinle): Requires the State Board of Education, a school district or a charter school that includes a world language requirement in the minimum course of study for high school graduation to allow a student to satisfy that requirement by demonstrating proficiency in a Native American language.
- HB2641 – PFAS; firefighting foam; prohibition (Rep. Sarah Liguori- D, Phoenix): Expands the existing prohibition on the use of class B firefighting foam containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals by applying the restriction to all uses, instead of limiting it to training and testing.
- HB 2923 – court-ordered treatment; judicial review (Rep. Consuelo Hernandez- D, South Tucson): Establishes a formal judicial review process for patients to challenge continued court-ordered mental health treatment, mandating specific timelines for psychiatric reporting and court hearings. Places the burden of proof on the treatment agency to show by clear and convincing evidence why a patient should not be released.
Arizona Retains Law Firm Amid Colorado River Negotiations
Arizona is bracing for a potential legal battle over the Colorado River. This week, Governor Hobbs announced the retention of Sullivan & Cromwell, a high-powered global law firm with extensive experience before the United States Supreme Court, to represent the state’s interests in the expiring Colorado River Guidelines. The move signals that while Arizona remains at the negotiation table with the other basin states, it is now actively preparing for a potentially lengthy legal battle to protect the State’s water allocation. The Colorado River is a vital source of drinking water for 40 million people in the seven basin states.
The Upper Basin and Lower Basin states have struggled to reach any agreement on how to implement the massive water reductions necessary to stabilize the system, with the Upper Basin states refusing to mandate any cutbacks, and the Lower Basin states continuing to push for shared reductions across all states.
The Lower Basin states; Arizona, Nevada, and California, and the Upper Basin states; Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, have spent more than two years negotiating an updated Colorado River water usage agreement, but have yet to reach a resolution.
The states have already missed key deadlines in November and February and are now approaching October, when the current agreement is set to expire entirely. If no agreement is reached, the federal government is expected to implement one of its proposed plans, several of which could place a disproportionate burden on Arizona.
This risk is driven in part by the Central Arizona Project, which delivers Colorado River water to the Phoenix and Tucson areas holding relatively junior water rights, making Arizona more vulnerable to reductions.This could disproportionately impact the state’s economy, particularly its agricultural and semiconductor manufacturing sectors .
“Let me be very clear, this administration’s goals rely on Arizona receiving our fair share of Colorado River water,” Governor Katie Hobbs said. “It relies on Arizona-made missiles, Arizona-made semiconductors, and Arizona grown-agriculture … This administration must step in, show leadership and help the seven states come to a reasonable and fair agreement to ensure Arizona has the ability to defend our nation, feed our nation and build the high tech economy of our nation’s future.”
Should the matter go to court, the United States Supreme Court would have immediate jurisdiction over the proceedings. The Supreme Court would bring in a special master who would hear the case and make recommendations to the high court on how to deal with the case. .
By the Numbers:
Days of Session: 75
Bills Introduced: 1966
Bills Passed: 20
Bills Signed: 5
Bills Vetoed: 15
Key Dates:
Opening Day: January 12th, 2026
Senate Bill Introduction Deadline: February 2nd, 2026
House Bill Introduction Deadline: February 9th, 2026
Last week to hear bills in committee in chamber of origin: February 16th to February 20th
Final week of committees: March 23rd to March 27th
100th day of session: April 21st, 2026
Budget Deadline (constitutionally required): July 1st, 2026