groundwater model; receipt; written findings

SB 1116 requires Arizona's groundwater department director to notify submitters within five days of receiving an alternative groundwater model and provide a detailed written response within 60 days. The response must specify whether the department accepts or rejects each finding in the model, along with the rationale for any rejections. This bill directly affects developers, environmental groups, or others submitting alternative groundwater models for review. The bill passed the legislature but was vetoed by the governor on May 12, 2025, so it did not become law.