HB 2966 Arizona House · 57th Legislature - Second Regular Session

dangerous crimes against children; probation.

HB 2966 amends Arizona's probation statute to require a minimum $65 monthly fee for most probationers, with exceptions for those unable to pay. The fee funds adult probation services, collected by courts and deposited into a county probation fund. Crucially, the bill prohibits courts from ending probation early for individuals convicted of "dangerous crimes against children" (as defined in AZ Rev. Stat. § 13-705). It applies broadly to all probationers but includes a specific restriction for those convicted of severe child-related offenses. The changes clarify fee collection procedures and reinforce that early probation termination is not permitted for these cases.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Last action Mar 18, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version House Engrossed Version (02/23/2026) · 6 edits · Feb 23, 2026
MODERATE
This bill updates Arizona's probation laws to include specific provisions for dangerous crimes against children, introduces earned and work time credits for probationers, and establishes a formal process for transferring probation supervision between counties. It also clarifies reporting requirements and adds a mandate for courts to state their legal reasoning when sentencing.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of probation regulations to explicitly address dangerous crimes against children and adds new mechanisms for credit accumulation and inter-county transfers.
ELIGIBILITY

Added a prohibition on terminating probation early for defendants convicted of dangerous crimes against children, ensuring they serve the full original sentence duration.

REQUIREMENT

Mandated that courts must state the factual and legal reasons for each sentence at the time of sentencing.

Created a new process allowing probationers to request a courtesy transfer of supervision to another county if they have family, employment, or housing ties there.

Established earned time credit (20 days per 30 days) and work time credit (30 days per 30 days) for eligible probationers who meet specific behavioral and compliance standards.

Required courts to conduct annual probation review hearings for minors convicted of offenses committed as children who are required to register as sex offenders.

Updated reporting requirements to allow remote reporting and require probation officers to consider work schedules and medical needs when setting reporting times.

Floor votes · House Feb 23, 2026

How they voted

3126
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 60
Feb 23, 2026
D Democratic27
25 Nay 2
92% Nay
R Republican33
31 Yea 1 Nay 1
93% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
3
Committee
2
Mar 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
DP
upper
Feb 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
PASSED
lower
Feb 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
DP
lower
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors

Sponsors