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AFCCA Updates
Last week, HB2184 (fetal death; funeral homes) sponsored by Representative Julie Willoughby (R – Chandler) was amended by a strike everything amendment. The new bill text is the same as SB1668 (disposition; remains; authorization; legal decision making), originally sponsored by Senator Shwanna Bolick. 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.
This week, the original SB1668 bill has been voted out of the Senate 17-13 and will be heard in the House Health and Human Services committee on Monday where it will be 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.
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 Ten
Final Committee Deadline: Friday, March 27
Next Friday, March 27, is the final day for a bill to be heard in committee in their second chamber, aside from the additional appropriation committees. Any bill that fails to secure a hearing in the opposite chamber after this deadline is effectively “dead,” barring procedural maneuvers. We can expect shorter floor agendas next week as the focus will be on lengthy committee agendas.
Notably, on appropriation bills, once they have passed their second appropriations committee, will stop moving altogether. This is because once making it this far, they are considered as larger budget negotiations in the “cage” between the Governor, The President of the Senate, The House Speaker, and both Appropriation Chairs. An appropriation bill will never fully make it through the process to be signed into law, instead they become a part of larger budget negotiations.
What Comes Next
Following the deadline, most legislative action will turn to floor work as budget negotiations begin and most likely lead into the summer months. Usually starting in April when budget negotiations are beginning we will see extended recesses and leadership will often hold back on advancing a significant number of bills in order to preserve leverage. If a bill is amended in its opposite chamber, it must go back to its chamber of origin for a final vote before making its way up to the Governor.
Budget Outlook
Budget discussions still have not begun in earnest between legislative leadership and the Governor, however we are hearing negotiations within the Governor’s caucus are beginning. House and Senate Leadership have largely continued to prioritize moving policy bills through the process. However, attention is soon expected to increasingly shift toward budget development. With a constitutional deadline of July 1 to pass a budget for FY’27 to avoid a government shutdown, ongoing and often contentious negotiations over key policy issues, including ESA funding, immigration, and federal tax conformity, and the added pressure of late-July primary elections, the timeline for reaching a final budget agreement remains highly uncertain.
Additionally, since a tax conformity agreement has not yet been reached, the likelihood that one-third of taxpayers may need to refile their state returns due to a mismatch between state forms and enacted law, grows everyday.
What’s Been Signed So Far
Governor Katie Hobbs has signed five measures into law so far this session. The first was a bi-partisan bill to change the date of the 2026 primary and permanently move Arizona primaries to the second to last Tuesday in July. Previously, the date of the primary was the first Tuesday in August. This year’s Primary Election will take place on July 21, 2026. The move was needed to allow elections officials more time to conduct election preparations for the general election, including ensuring that military and overseas voters have their ballots in time to participate in the General Election, according to the Maricopa County Website. All qualified voters who live in Maricopa County who are registered 29 days before the election are eligible to cast a ballot for the Primary.
In addition the following four measures have been signed into law:
- HB2792: property tax exemption; veterans: Provides a full property tax exemption for the primary residence of a veteran with a 100 percent service-connected disability and allows a surviving spouse to continue receiving the exemption for the surviving spouse’s primary residence if the surviving spouse does not remarry. Applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2026.
- HB2190; physician assistants; licensure compact: Arizona has officially become the 22nd state allowing PAs who have a license from a compact member state reciprocity to practice here.
- HB2938; mandatory rounding method; cash transactions: Mandates that businesses round to the nearest 5 cents if pennies are not available to complete a transaction.
- HB2312; patriotic youth groups; school access Gives public school principals the option to allow a list of pre-designated youth organizations to provide information about their groups to students during school hours. The only organizations allowed via HB2312 are those designated as patriotic youth groups in federal law. They are:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
- Boy Scouts of America
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- Civil Air Patrol
- National FFA Organization (Formerly Future Farmers of America)
- Girl Scouts of the United States of America
- Little League Baseball
- Marine Corps League
- Naval Sea Cadet Corps
LD3 Appointment – Representative Cody Reim
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors officially appointed Cody Reim to fill the House Vacancy in LD3, following the resignation of Representative Joseph Chaplik to focus on his campaign for the open seat in CD1. Representative Reim, a Rio Verde Foothills resident, will focus his priorities on water issues in the state while at the Legislature.
The recommendation to appoint Cody Reim was made by Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin. This was followed by a unanimous vote by the rest of the Board to appoint him. Representative Cody Reim was officially sworn in at 11:00am on Wednesday, March 18.
“I look forward to serving and representing my community and working to make Arizona a great place to live,” Reim said. “I am committed to listening to the people of our district, working hard on their behalf, and ensuring that our voices are heard at the State Capitol. Together, we can work to help build a stronger future for our community and for all of Arizona.”
Senate Committee on Director Nominations
Senate DINO Committee Advanced Governor’s Tourism Nominee – The Senate Committee on Director Nominations unanimously recommended the confirmation of Governor Hobbs’ nominee to lead the Office of Tourism. The nomination now awaits confirmation from the full Senate.
By the Numbers:
Days of Session: 68
Bills Introduced: 1,966
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