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AFCCA Updates
The Department of Health Services rules for the Funeral Board Incorporation have been officially posted on the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council website, officially marking the beginning of their review process. This process can last between five and nine weeks. We will be monitoring closely and keep you informed as the rules continue to move through the review and approval process.
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. This bill has yet to be third read in the Senate.
SB1668 (disposition; remains; authorization; legal decision making) moved through caucus since 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 went through Committee of the Whole this week and now awaits its final vote out of the House.
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 Thirteen
You can find your live interactive tracking link here –Skywolf AI– this link will automatically update as the bills move through the process.
The Legislature reconvened this week as budget negotiations remain stalled, with leadership preparing a likely “skinny” majority budget ahead of updated revenue projections from the FAC. Ongoing revenue shortfalls and tax conformity uncertainty continue to constrain the state’s fiscal outlook. The deadline for candidate signature challenges passed, and the Governor’s Energy Taskforce released recommendations to address growing energy demand and modernize infrastructure.
After taking the day off for Easter Monday, the Legislature returned for a shortened work week. The Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on the Department of Child Safety held a hearing on Tuesday to discuss a package of child-safety bills nearing the Governor’s desk; the committee has only met seven times since its formation in 2017.
The Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) will meet next week to provide updated fiscal and economic outlooks. Following the FAC presentations, legislative leaders in both the House and Senate are preparing for a “skinny” budget based on those projected revenues, likely defined by department cuts and sweeps of various professional board funds to account for lower revenue and tax conformity. This budget is expected to be fast-tracked through the legislature, and vetoed by the Governor. This “majority budget plan” has become a common tactic used by Republican legislative leaders to try and start more substantive budget negotiations with the Democratic executive.
While the FAC previously announced in late January that projected cash balances remain positive, signaling improved revenue forecasts, the JLBC still forecasts a relatively tight framework. According to the latest Monthly Fiscal Highlight, February General Fund revenues totaled $819 million, which was $26 million below the Baseline forecast. Year-to-date, the state has generated a cumulative forecast loss of $41 million.
Challenge Deadline
The deadline to challenge candidates who filed their signatures to appear on the ballot was Monday. Twenty-four challenges were filed, with one already being dismissed, two being withdrawn, and three being consolidated with other challenges of the same candidates. Challenges were filed against Representative Alma Hernandez (D), Representative Consuelo Hernandez (D), and Gubernatorial candidates Hugh Lytle (No Labels Party) and Risa Lombardo (Green Party) among many others. Read more here for a comprehensive breakdown of who is running for what elected position in Arizona in 2026, and here’s a breakdown of who wants to represent you locally in metro Phoenix.
Key Election Dates / Dealines:
- Candidate Filling Period: February 21 – March 23, 2026
- Voter Registration Deadline: June 22, 2026
- Early Voting Begins/Ballots Mailed: June 24, 2026
- Primary Election: July 21, 2026
- Voter Registration Deadline: October 5, 2026
- General Election Early Voting Begins/Ballots Mailed: October 7, 2026
- Election Day: November 3, 2026
Governor’s Actions
So far this session, 48 bills have been sent to the Governors desk. While 26 have been signed into law, 22 were vetoed. Here is everything new that the Governor has signed:
HB2861; postnuptial agreements (Representative Quang Nguyen – R, Prescott)
HB2857; inmate medical records; electronic storage (Representative Walt Blackman – R, Snowflake)
HB2264; mining; mineral; museum; state history (Representative Gail Griffin – R, Wilcox)
HB2223; name change petitions; sex offenders (Representative Quang Nguyen – R, Prescott)
HB2255; teachers academy; community college students (Representative Jeff Weninger – R, Chandler)
HB2057; special plate; centennial; fleet discount (Representative Gail Griffin – R, Wilcox)
HB2131; trafficking weapons or explosives (Representative Quang Nguyen – R, Prescott)
SB1473; assisted living homes; occupancy; zoning (Senator John Kavanagh – R, Fountain Hills)
SB1216; traumatic event counseling (Senator Kevin Payne – R, Peoria)
SB1181; certified public accountants; certification; alternative (Senator JD Mesnard – R, Chandler)
SB1166; accommodation schools; high schools equivalency (Senator Hildy Angius – R, Bull Head City)
SB1097; appropriation; named claimants (Senator John Kavanagh – R, Fountain Hills)
SB1247; assisted living; occupants (Senator Warren Petersen – R, Queen Creek)
SB1020; special plate; Arizona Space Commission (Senator Janae Shamp – R, Wickenburg)
HB2307; dangerous incompetent defendants; out-of-state facilities (Representative Leo Biasiucci – R, Lake Havasu City)
SB1415; insurance adjuster license; eligibility (Senator Shawnna Bolick – R, North Phoenix)
HB2072; Cesar Chavez Day; repeal (Representative Lisa Fink – R, Peoria)
SB1125; DCS; memorandum of understanding; tribes (Senator Carine Werner – R, Scottsdale)
SB1023; optometrists; eye exams; prescriptions (Senator John Kavanagh – R, Fountain Hills)
SB1029; candidate committees; posthumous closure (Senator John Kavanagh – R, Fountain Hills)
SB1211; aggravated harassment; lifetime injunctions (Senator Shawnna Bolick – R, North Phoenix)
Governor Hobbs and her team release legislative action updates as she signs or vetoes bills. You can find all of these updates and more here!
Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce Releases Final Recommendations
Last Friday, Governor Hobbs announced the final report recommendations of the Arizona Energy Promise Taskforce, a 36 member group established last year to tackle the state’s rapidly growing energy demands.
As Arizona faces a projected 40% increase in peak energy demand over the next 15 years, driven by extreme heat and a surge in industrial development, the Taskforce delivered a roadmap consisting of 31 consensus-driven recommendations aimed at ensuring grid reliability and cost affordability.
The report, led by the Governor’s Office of Resiliency, focuses heavily on modernizing the state’s energy infrastructure and mitigating the impact of “large load” users. Key recommendations include streamlining permitting for energy and transmission projects, expanding energy generation and infrastructure, increasing deployment of distributed energy resources like solar, and ensuring large-scale energy users (such as data centers) do not shift costs onto residential consumers.
The report is intended to serve as a long-term framework to support economic growth while mitigating rising energy costs for Arizona families and businesses. Implementation of these recommendations will likely require significant coordination with the Arizona Corporate Commission (ACC).
By the Numbers:
Days of Session: 89
Bills Introduced: 1966
Bills Passed: 48
Bills Signed: 26
Bills Vetoed: 22
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