Criminal Justice

HB 2223 modifies Arizona's name change law to specifically address individuals required to register as sex offenders. The bill requires applicants to disclose their sex offender registration status and mandates that if approved, they must register under their new name while using their old name as an alias. Applicants must also serve the prosecuting agency with their application, and victims or prosecutors can contest the change for up to one year after court approval. This directly affects sex offenders seeking name changes, ensuring their registration obligations remain active without interruption.

HB 2825 amends Arizona law to change how courts handle cases where defendants fail to pay court-ordered fines, fees, restitution, or incarceration costs. It requires courts to hold hearings to determine if nonpayment is willful (intentional refusal to pay) before imposing penalties like jail time, explicitly prohibiting incarceration solely due to inability to pay. The bill mandates clear written notices in plain language for defendants about their hearing rights and financial hardship evidence, and allows courts to enter a civil default judgment if defendants skip hearings without valid reason. This directly affects individuals owing court-ordered payments, prosecutors, victims seeking restitution, and courts managing these cases.

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.

HB 2205 amends Arizona law to increase penalties for damaging specific protected locations, directly affecting property owners and individuals who damage these sites. It classifies aggravated criminal damage when property is defaced, damaged, or tampered with at places of worship, schools, cemeteries, or utility/infrastructure sites (e.g., for metal theft), with penalties escalating based on damage amount ($1,500-$10,000+) and location type. For instance, damaging a school with $10,000+ in damage becomes a class 4 felony, while similar damage to utility infrastructure is a class 3 felony. The bill defines "damage" to include repair costs, lost services, and abatement expenses, making it a criminal offense with felony classifications.

HB 2045 amends Arizona law to define "drive by shooting" as intentionally discharging a weapon from a motor vehicle (or the immediate area used to transport the shooter) at a person, occupied vehicle, or structure. It classifies this offense as a class 2 felony and requires judges to revoke the convicted person’s driver’s license for one to five years upon conviction, forwarding the order to the Department of Transportation. The bill also mandates forfeiture of vehicles used in the offense under existing chapter 39 procedures. These provisions directly affect individuals convicted of drive-by shootings, increasing penalties through license suspension and vehicle seizure.