SB 1501 Arizona Senate · 57th Legislature - Second Regular Session

agencies; statutory authority

SB 1501 establishes a "Small Business Bill of Rights" in Arizona, directly affecting small businesses interacting with state agencies. It requires agencies to provide clear notice of license denials, reimburse small businesses for fees if they win court cases against agencies, and allow access to all rulemaking documents and the ability to participate in the process. The bill mandates agencies to post a written "small business bill of rights" on their websites detailing these specific rights, including the right to review agency practices and file complaints. Key mechanisms include standardized complaint procedures for rulemaking issues and requirements for agencies to avoid duplicative regulations or unauthorized fee charges. This bill focuses on increasing transparency and fairness in regulatory interactions for small businesses.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 29, 2026 Last action Mar 25, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version Senate Engrossed Version (03/03/2026) · 5 edits · Mar 3, 2026
MODERATE
The bill was reformatted from an introduced draft to a Senate engrossed version, adding specific language to require agencies to post a 'small business bill of rights' on their websites. It also expanded the committee's authority to review agency actions that exceed statutory limits and clarified rules regarding administrative hearings for specific state codes.
Scope change
The scope of agency oversight was expanded to include a mandatory requirement for agencies to publicly post a summary of small business rights and to report on issues where agencies act beyond their legal authority.
REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement for state agencies to create and post a 'small business bill of rights' on their websites, which must include contact information for designated complaint employees and instructions on contacting the ombudsman.

Modified the text regarding agency duplication of laws to explicitly require agencies to avoid 'dual permitting' to the extent practicable.

Added a new provision granting individuals the right to have administrative hearings for specific state codes (Title 23) heard by an independent administrative law judge.

Added a new right allowing individuals to correct deficiencies identified during inspections unless otherwise prohibited by law.

ENFORCEMENT

Modified the committee review section to explicitly allow comments and recommendations regarding agency actions that are 'beyond an agency's statutory authority'.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
8
Key actions
3
Committee
1
Amendments
1
Mar 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
DPA/SE
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
PASSED
upper
Feb 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
DP
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of David Gowan
David Gowan
RRepublican
AZ
19