HB 2298 Arizona House · 57th Legislature - First Regular Session

technical correction; management goals; AMAs

HB 2298 amends Arizona law to clarify water management goals for five Active Management Areas (AMAs), directly affecting water users in Tucson, Phoenix, Prescott, Pinal, and Santa Cruz regions. It sets a "safe-yield" target (balancing water use with natural replenishment) by January 1, 2025, for Tucson, Phoenix, and Prescott AMAs. For Pinal AMA, it prioritizes allowing non-irrigation development while preserving agricultural economies where feasible. Santa Cruz AMA must maintain safe-yield conditions and prevent long-term water table declines. The bill updates specific requirements for each AMA without changing broader water management frameworks.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

House Passage

Jun 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 11, 2025 Last action Jun 23, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version → House Engrossed Version · 6 edits · Jun 23, 2025

MODERATE

This bill replaces the original groundwater management goals with new provisions designed to encourage water conservation by allowing landowners to permanently give up irrigation rights in exchange for 'groundwater savings credits.' These credits can be used to satisfy water supply requirements for new subdivisions without proving the water is physically available nearby, effectively streamlining development in drought-prone areas. The legislation also restricts local governments from mandating excessive landscaping or turf in these zones and establishes a timeline to phase out the issuance of new credits by 2036.

Scope change

The bill significantly expands the scope of groundwater management by introducing a new credit system for relinquishing irrigation rights and modifying rules for subdivision approvals in active management areas, while removing previous specific management goals for the Tucson, Phoenix, and Prescott areas.

REQUIREMENT

Created a new 'groundwater savings credit' program allowing landowners to permanently relinquish irrigation rights in exchange for credits usable for future subdivision water supply applications.

Replaced specific management goals for Tucson, Phoenix, and Prescott with a general requirement for safe-yield and preservation of agricultural economies.

Prohibited municipalities from requiring minimum tree counts, turf, or specific plant types in subdivisions where groundwater savings credits are pledged.

Removed the specific management goal requiring the Tucson, Phoenix, and Prescott areas to achieve safe-yield by January 1, 2025.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified the physical availability exemption for groundwater savings credits to apply to withdrawals from wells within one mile of the original irrigation land, rather than just the land itself.

TIMELINE

Set a hard stop for issuing new groundwater savings credits on January 1, 2036, with a review process to potentially extend the program by ten years.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

DPA

lower

Jun 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

PASSED

lower

Jun 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

DPA

lower

Jun 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

PASSED

lower

Feb 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

DPA

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

DPA/SE

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors