Budget & Taxes

HB 2008, the "Library Freedom Act," prohibits Arizona public schools from using taxpayer funds to pay dues or membership fees to professional associations that advocate for libraries and librarians. This directly affects public school libraries and their governing bodies, preventing them from financially supporting such associations with public money. The bill includes an exception allowing county free libraries, municipal libraries, or other contracted entities to still join these associations using their own funds. The law clarifies that "school library" encompasses the school's library, all sites it serves, and the school governing body.

HB 2091 establishes a "financial surveillance fund" to cover costs for examining Arizona insurers. It requires most domestic insurers (excluding specific reinsurers and service companies) to pay annual fees based on their total admitted assets, ranging from $250 to $22,500 per year. The fund, administered by the state insurance department, will pay for financial analysts to conduct surveillance on insurers. Fees are adjusted annually starting in 2027 based on inflation, with minimums tied to asset size categories.