state; local public benefits; eligibility
SB 1338 requires Arizona state and local agencies administering public benefits to verify applicants' lawful presence in the U.S. by providing one of 11 specific documents (e.g., driver's license, birth certificate, passport, or immigration documents). It directly affects individuals applying for state/local public benefits, mandating a sworn affidavit confirming document accuracy and imposing penalties for employees who fail to report immigration violations. The bill excludes commercial licenses, retirement benefits, and widely available public services from its requirements. Enforcement includes potential misdemeanor charges for non-compliance and allows residents to legally challenge agencies in court for violations.
Bill status
vetoed
4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
House Passage
Jun 2026
Vetoed
Jun 2026
Introduced Jan 28, 2026
Vetoed Jun 19, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced Version
→
Senate Engrossed Version (02/26/2026)
·
3 edits
·
Feb 26, 2026
MINOR
The bill was reformatted and renumbered during its passage to the Senate, but the core policy text was significantly altered. The original version required applicants to submit one of eleven documents proving lawful presence. The new version adds specific categories of people who are ineligible to receive benefits, including unauthorized immigrants, those paroled into the U.S., and individuals who have indicated an intention to apply for asylum but have not yet received a positive decision.
Scope change
The bill's scope of eligibility was narrowed by explicitly disqualifying specific groups of non-citizens who were previously only required to submit documentation rather than being barred from receiving benefits.
ELIGIBILITY
Added a new subsection explicitly stating that persons whose presence is not authorized by federal law, those paroled into the U.S., and foreign nationals who have indicated an intention to apply for asylum but have not been adjudicated are ineligible for benefits.
REQUIREMENT
Changed the structure of the bill from a list of acceptable documents to a list of ineligible persons, altering the primary focus of the eligibility section.
TECHNICAL
Updated the bill header to reflect the Senate Engrossed version and renumbered all subsections (A through I) to G through I, while inserting new content between the original subsections.
Floor votes · House Jun 11, 2026
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
15
Key actions
6
Committee
1
Amendments
2
Jun 19, 2026
Vetoed
Vetoed by Governor
executive
Jun 11, 2026
Lower · Passed
PASSED
lower
Apr 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
DP
lower
Mar 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
DP
lower
Feb 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
PASSED
upper
Feb 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
DPA
upper
Feb 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
DPA
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Wendy Rogers
RRepublican
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