SB 1523: water use; prohibition; landscaping - Arizona

Senate Engrossed Version → HOUSE - Amended by NREW - passed · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand restrictions on municipalities in initial active management areas by adding a ban on minimum turf requirements and prohibiting the installation of plants not on a specific drought-tolerant list. The amendments also clarify that these rules apply to subdivisions and include specific exceptions for stormwater drainage areas and public recreational spaces.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include subdivisions and to prohibit the installation of non-drought-tolerant plants, in addition to existing restrictions on trees and turf.

REQUIREMENT

Added a prohibition on municipalities adopting minimum turf requirements within initial active management areas.

Added a prohibition on installing plants not listed on the Low-Water-Use and Drought-Tolerant Plant List.

SCOPE

Clarified that turf requirements bans apply to subdivisions, with a specific exception for stormwater drainage areas.

DEFINITION

Added a definition for 'subdivision' referencing section 32-2101 to clarify the scope of the new plant installation ban.

House Engrossed Version → Senate Engrossed Version · 4 edits · Mar 5, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add a new statewide preemption provision in Title 9 that restricts municipalities from enforcing landscaping requirements like minimum tree numbers, shrub sizes, or turf amounts in initial active management areas. The existing water management section (45-563.03) was also updated to clarify exceptions for functional turf in public spaces and correct references to the Plant List publication schedule. The act was designated as an emergency measure to take effect immediately.

Scope change

Expanded the bill's scope by adding a new statewide preemption provision (Section 9-500.52) that applies to municipalities within initial active management areas, in addition to the existing water management provisions.

SCOPE

New statewide preemption provision (Section 9-500.52) prohibits municipalities from adopting or enforcing minimum landscaping requirements in initial active management areas.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that the prohibition on minimum turf requirements does not apply to functional turf in public recreational spaces, but explicitly excludes subdivision drainage areas from this exception.

TECHNICAL

Updated reference from 'current Management Plan' to 'most current Management Plan' for the Plant List publication schedule.

TIMELINE

Added emergency clause designating the act as an emergency measure operative immediately.

Introduced Version → House Engrossed Version · 4 edits · Mar 5, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was reformatted from an introduced version to a house engrossed version, with substantive changes to the statute text. The most significant change is the addition of an explicit exclusion for stormwater drainage areas in subdivisions from the turf requirements prohibition, clarifying that municipalities can still enforce turf rules in those specific areas. The plant list requirement was also simplified by removing the reference to the 'most current' management plan and replacing it with 'current' management plan.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed slightly by adding an exception that allows municipalities to enforce minimum turf requirements in stormwater drainage areas within subdivisions, whereas the introduced version did not explicitly mention this exception.

REQUIREMENT

Added an explicit exception allowing municipalities to enforce minimum turf requirements in stormwater drainage areas located in subdivisions, which was not clearly stated in the introduced version.

DEFINITION

Changed the language regarding the plant list from 'most current management plan' to 'current management plan' for the initial Active Management Areas.

TECHNICAL

Added a formal definition of 'subdivision' by referencing section 32-2101 of Arizona Revised Statutes.

Removed the introductory sections referencing Title 9 and section 9-500.52, as the engrossed version only contains the Title 45 amendment.

water use; prohibition; landscaping

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors