Criminal Justice

signed · Arizona · House Jun 4, 2026

HB 2198: criminal records sealed; petty offense

HB 2198 allows individuals convicted of petty offenses in Arizona to immediately apply to seal their criminal records after completing all sentence terms, including fines. This changes prior rules by eliminating waiting periods for petty offenses (which previously required a 3-year wait for misdemeanors), while maintaining longer waiting periods (3-10 years) for other offenses like felonies. The bill requires payment of all fines and restitution before sealing, and mandates courts to inform defendants of this option at sentencing. It directly affects people with petty offense convictions who meet eligibility criteria, enabling them to clear these records without delay.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEliminates 3-year waiting period for sealing petty offense records, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism barriers per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing Victims' Rights

passed · Arizona · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 2136: civil terrorism; disorderly conduct; subversion

HB 2136 is a definitional bill that amends Arizona law to clarify terms related to terrorism, extortion, and animal-related offenses. It explicitly defines "civil terrorism" as non-violent civil disobedience (e.g., protests) and excludes it from the legal definition of "terrorism," ensuring peaceful activities aren’t criminalized. Key provisions define "animal or ecological terrorism" as felony acts targeting animal facilities (like farms or research labs) involving property damage over $10,000, violence, or serious injury, and clarify terms like "extortionate credit" (threats of violence to collect debts). This bill directly affects operators of animal facilities, law enforcement, and legal proceedings involving these defined offenses, but does not create new crimes - only refines existing statutory language.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExcludes non-violent protests from 'terrorism' definition, protecting civil rights and preventing overcriminalization of peaceful activities per bill's core provision.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement

Track

signed · Arizona · House Jun 4, 2026

HB 2440: prisoners; transition program

HB 2440 establishes a 90-day community transition program for eligible Arizona inmates, requiring the Department of Corrections to partner with private or nonprofit entities to provide services like job placement, substance abuse treatment, and family reunification counseling. To qualify, inmates must meet specific criteria (e.g., no recent violent convictions or felony detainers) and agree to provide information for a department report, while victims must receive notice before release. The bill mandates annual reporting on recidivism rates, program participation, and service types, with special provisions allowing eligibility for some inmates convicted of certain drug offenses. It also allows a one-time 90-day extension for inmates needing additional support to address specific risk factors.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEstablishes rehabilitation-focused transition program with job placement and treatment services to reduce recidivism, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncludes substance abuse treatment as required service, supporting mental health access for inmates transitioning to community85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole Substance Abuse

introduced · Arizona · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SB 1323: peace officer violence victims' rights

SB 1323 establishes specific rights for victims of police violence and their families in Arizona. It mandates that victims and families receive unredacted bodycam footage and incident reports within 72 hours, free access to involved officers' disciplinary records, and the right to delay interviews for 24 hours after an incident. The bill requires municipalities to create independent victim advocates who connect families with support services and ensures victims are informed before public information releases. It also prohibits police from labeling victims as "suspects" and mandates permanent removal of officers involved in shootings or in-custody deaths, with withheld pensions. These provisions directly affect individuals injured or killed during police interactions and their families.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates transparency for police violence victims, requiring bodycam access and disciplinary records, enhancing accountability in law enforcement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Victims' Rights

Track

signed · Arizona · House Jun 19, 2026

HB 2404: authorized transporters

HB 2404 allows courts, mental health agencies, or authorized individuals to request non-police "authorized transporters" (trained staff) to safely transport individuals needing mental health evaluation, instead of using police officers. This applies when there are reasonable grounds to believe the transport can occur without police assistance, and it provides legal immunity from civil liability for all involved parties (except in cases of gross negligence). The bill does not require cities or counties to use authorized transporters instead of police, but if they contract with them, the local government pays for the service. It directly affects mental health evaluation agencies, courts, authorized transporters, and individuals receiving involuntary mental health evaluations.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReduces police involvement in non-crisis mental health transports, aligning with criminal justice reform goals to de-escalate situations and prevent unnecessary criminalization.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates non-police mental health transport option, improving access to mental health services and reducing law enforcement involvement in crises, directly supporting mental health care delivery.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Mental Health

passed · Arizona · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 2418: appropriation; major incident task forces

HB 2418 allocates $600,000 from Arizona's state general fund for fiscal year 2026-2027 to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission. The commission must distribute this funding evenly to the five existing major incident task forces as of the bill's effective date. This funding supports these task forces' operations but does not create new policies or change eligibility for assistance.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $600k from state general fund to fund existing task forces' operations, directly supporting government spending on essential programs without policy changes.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAllocates $600k to fund existing major incident task forces, supporting operational capacity without policy changes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

Track

introduced · Arizona · House Jan 22, 2026

HB 2770: home confinement; eligibility; electronic monitoring

HB 2770 establishes a home confinement program for eligible Arizona inmates, allowing them to serve sentences at home under electronic monitoring instead of in prison. It applies to inmates who have served at least one year of their sentence, committed specific non-violent felonies (like certain class 4-6 offenses), and meet other criteria like no violent history or active warrants. Key provisions require electronic monitoring, victim notification and feedback before approval, a monthly supervision fee (with ability to waive based on inability to pay), and a 1:50 officer-to-participant ratio. The program phases in starting December 2026 based on remaining sentence time, directly affecting qualifying inmates, victims, and corrections staff managing the program.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill establishes home confinement for non-violent offenders, reducing prison reliance and promoting community-based sentencing - key criminal justice reform measure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole Victims' Rights

Track

introduced · Arizona · House Jan 20, 2026

HB 2235: juvenile detention centers; education programs

HB 2235 requires Arizona counties operating juvenile detention centers to provide education programs for all school-age youth in custody, coordinated with school superintendents and juvenile courts. It also mandates similar education programs for youth under 21 without high school diplomas in county jails. Funding for these programs includes a fixed annual base amount (adjusted for inflation) plus a variable amount based on the number of instructional days provided, with additional support for students with disabilities. The bill ensures programs align with public school standards and facilitate reintegration into regular school districts upon release.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates education programs in juvenile detention and county jails, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism - key criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates education programs in juvenile detention/jails with funding, expanding access for incarcerated youth and coordinating with school systems.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice K-12 Education

Track

passed · Arizona · House Mar 25, 2026

HB 2825: fines; fees; assessments; restitution; nonpayment

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.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticePrevents jail time for inability to pay fines/fees, protecting defendants from poverty-based incarceration - a core criminal justice reform.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Courts Victims' Rights

Track

introduced · Arizona · House Jan 20, 2026

HB 2319: sealing arrest records; misdemeanor designation

HB 2319 amends Arizona statutes to clarify that lifetime injunctions protecting victims from offenders remain valid even if the offender's criminal records are later sealed or reclassified as misdemeanors. Specifically, it ensures that injunctions issued under Section 13-719 (which prohibit contact after certain felony convictions) do not expire due to record sealing under Section 13-911, and that misdemeanor designations or expungements do not invalidate these injunctions. The bill directly affects victims who can maintain these protections and individuals seeking to seal their records, as it prevents record sealing from overriding existing court-ordered injunctions. Key provisions require courts to maintain injunctions for life unless the victim dies, the conviction is overturned, or the victim requests termination.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnsures victim protective orders remain valid despite record sealing, strengthening victim safety protections under criminal justice system.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

Track