Provided by Capitol Consulting, LLC
The oral proceedings for the final draft rules took place on Monday this week. Both the Association and the Department expressed gratitude for the robust stakeholder process, and the Department emphasized the importance of industry input, especially during the rulemaking process. Ultimately, the final version of the rules will go through the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council (GRRC) approval process. This process can be long and tedious, even in its expedited form, and we are unsure when the next proceeding will take place. We will let you know as soon as we have a concrete timeline from GRRC and the Department.
This week, HB2184 (fetal death; funeral homes) sponsored by Representative Julie Willoughby (R – Chandler) was amended by a strike everything amendment (an amendment where the original text of a bill is removed and replaced with new text). The new bill text is verbatim to HB2184. SB1668 (disposition; remains; authorization; legal decision making), originally sponsored by Senator Shwanna Bolick, now reflects the original bill language from HB2184. This legislation 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.
It is unclear if this bill will move any further in the Senate. Senate President Petersen has not indicated that his disapproval of funeral industry legislation has changed. It is possible that this legislation will not make its way out of the Senate. However, as conversations continue to develop around the bill, we will keep you updated should it continue to move forward.
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 Nine
You can find your live interactive tracking link here –Skywolf AI– this link will automatically update as the bills move through the process.
This week, we navigate the high-stakes “home stretch” of the committee phase as the March 27 deadline looms, forcing a surge in strike-everything amendments and “zombie” maneuvers to keep legislative priorities alive. We take a look at the record-breaking 2,118 bills filed this session and the Governor’s active veto stamp. Additionally, we cover the launch of the ACE Initiative and the selection of three nominees to fill the House vacancy in Legislative District 3.
As we approach the end of March, the legislature’s focus shifts towards the viability of remaining bills. Any bill that fails to receive its second hearing by the deadline of March 27, will effectively be considered dead, barring increasingly complex procedural maneuvers. For those whose priorities are still moving, this is also the last opportunity for public testimony and committee amendments before focus shifts to the floor for committee of the whole and third reads.
Nothing’s Dead Until Sine Die
Unlike many other states, in Arizona, a bill’s language can be revived even if it is not heard in the committee or committees to which it is originally assigned. These last few weeks before the final committee deadline often see strike-everything amendments in order to keep legislative priorities alive that may have stalled in its previous chamber. A strike everything amendment is an amendment that removes the original text of the bill and replaces it with something else entirely.
There are also procedural maneuvers that can be done after committee deadlines have passed to revive “dead” legislation, a.k.a “zombie bills.” This generally requires a deep understanding of legislative procedure and rules, as well as typically expends an immense amount of political capital to pull off. While incredibly difficult and technical, this can be a common last-ditch tactic to pass more controversial measures before the session adjourns for the year.
Shattering Records: Over 2,000 bills and memorials
The 2026 session sits in the record books for the sheer volume of legislation introduced. The unprecedented amount of bills introduced, triggered a historic 4000 series numbering for bills in the House, and created logistical challenges for staff and members alike.
However, the high volume of bills does not translate to a high volume of new laws. The Arizona Agenda pulled data from mid-February which shows that more than two-thirds of all filings originated from the Republican majority. The leader of bill introductions this session was Senate Majority Leader John Kavanagh (R, Fountain Hills) with 73 bills introduced. Representative Selina Bliss (R, Prescott) was not too far behind, with 70 bills filed. Democrats had the fewest bills filed, with some members only introducing one or two.
Several Democrats have successfully moved bills out of their chamber of origin, strategically navigating their way through the divided government in order to keep their legislation alive. Representatives Alma and Consuelo Hernandez are particularly successful at moving their legislation out of the House and over to the Senate. This feat can prove especially difficult for Democrats as every committee is chaired by a Republican and Republican leadership has control over what bills are heard on the floor.
Veto Updates
As with previous sessions, Governor Hobbs has signalled that she will be vetoing legislation that is voted out of the Legislature along party lines. She has held to this, vetoing 12 of the 15 bills that have been sent up to the 9th floor so far.
To date, these vetoes have primarily centered on two key areas: tax conformity and social program eligibility. The Governor has rejected full conformity, maintaining that such changes should be addressed within the context of a balanced, comprehensive budget rather than as standalone legislation. The administration has also vetoed several measures that proposed new, more strict verification requirements for public assistance programs, with the Governor citing concerns over potential administrative costs and impacts on program accessibility.
Executive Action: Governor Hobbs Unveils the ACE Initiative
In an effort to address ongoing fiscal constraints, Governor Katie Hobbs this week officially launched the Arizona Capacity and Efficiency (ACE) Initiative. Aimed at identifying up to $100 million in state savings over the next three years. To lead this effort, the Governor has appointed Amy Edward Holmes to lead this initiative. Holmes is a former US Treasury Department Official and a former executive director of the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University. She was also the director of the Task Force on Government Performance for the U.S. Senate Budget Committee.
This initiative is structured around leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to automate routine administrative tasks and consolidation efforts aimed at increasing purchasing power. During her announcement, the Governor stated that this plan is a direct response to the strained finances currently looming over the state budget.,
“Arizona families make daily sacrifices to stretch every dollar. The state government must do the same,” said Governor Hobbs, “To achieve the Arizona Promise, we need to strengthen the capacity of the state to administer programs more efficiently. Every dollar lost to redundant contracts or technology is a dollar taken away from schools, roads, public safety, and ultimately Arizona families. We are making government work better for the people of Arizona.”
The Race to Replace Representative Joseph Chaplik
As the legislative session continues to race by, the political landscape in LD3 is shifting following the resignation of Representative Joseph Chaplik. Chaplik, who stepped down this month to focus on his race for the open seat in Congressional District One,, leaves a vacancy in the heavily Republican district which.covers parts of Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and North Phoenix.
On Monday night, LD3 Republican precinct committeemen met to select a slate of three nominees to fill the remainder of the term. Under state law, this list will be transmitted to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which holds the final authority to appoint the successor within 10 days. Supervisor Thomas Galvin will ultimately select the nominee as LD3 falls within his district.
The Nominees:
- Michelle Ugenti-Rita: A former state legislator who is also currently running for Scottsdale City Council, positioned herself to the district as a veteran legislator capable of navigating complex budget negotiations.
- George Khalaf: A prominent pollster and political consultant, Khalaf highlighted his deep roots in Arizona politics. He emphasized a commitment to maintaining the district’s conservative voting record.
- Cody Reim: A Rio Verde Foothills resident known for his advocacy during the community’s high profile water crisis focused his pitch on water security, a top priority for the district as Colorado River negotiations remain a hot topic of the 2026 Session.
By the Numbers:
Days of Session: 61
Bills Introduced: 1,966
Bills Passed: 15
Bills Signed: 3
Bills Vetoed: 12
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