Technology

HB 2809 requires Arizona state agencies to implement a statewide cybersecurity system using post-quantum encryption - which protects against future quantum computing threats - for all agencies handling sensitive data like personal information, election systems, public safety records, and infrastructure data. The bill mandates that the system must meet or exceed U.S. Department of Defense’s CMMC 2.0 standards, with all vendors required to be U.S.-based, have no foreign dependencies, and avoid foreign-owned technology. The Auditor General will independently manage encryption keys, conduct regular audits, and report noncompliance to the Governor and Legislature, with agencies facing corrective plans or IT budget restrictions for failing to adhere to requirements.

Arizona's HB 2451 establishes the Arizona Space Commission to advance the state's space industry. The commission's board of directors - appointed by the governor, senate president, and house speaker - must include members with aerospace experience, advanced degrees in space-related fields, or startup backgrounds. The board is required to create an annual strategic plan detailing specific projects, their estimated costs, and available funding sources to strengthen Arizona's civil, commercial, and military space sectors. This plan must be updated yearly and submitted to state leaders by December 31 of even-numbered years, starting in 2026.

HB 4009 requires Arizona's state land department to create a map identifying state lands suitable for data center development within two years of the law's effective date. The department must consult with the data center industry when developing the map, which will guide future land use planning under Section 37-331.03. The map must be submitted to the governor, Senate President, House Speaker, and Secretary of State. This procedural bill, which failed to pass in February 2026, does not change existing laws but establishes a framework for future data center siting decisions.

HB 2410 would make communications with artificial intelligence protected (privileged) if those same communications would have been protected had they been made to a human professional, such as a lawyer or doctor. It directly affects people seeking advice from AI tools in contexts where human professional advice would normally be confidential. The bill establishes that AI interactions would be treated identically to human professional communications under existing privilege rules. This bill is currently pending in Arizona's legislature after its first two readings and has not yet become law.

HB 2452 requires counties in Arizona with over 125,000 residents to include specific land use designations for data centers and small modular reactors in their comprehensive plans. The bill mandates counties to identify sufficient land locations and extents for data center construction and operation, and for larger counties (over 200,000 residents) to designate land for small modular reactors. It also adds provisions for energy planning, including incentives for renewable energy use and policies to support efficient energy consumption. This bill directly affects county planning processes by requiring new land-use considerations for data centers and nuclear energy infrastructure within existing planning frameworks.

HB 2791 prohibits the sale of cell-cultured protein (lab-grown meat) for human consumption within Arizona. It directly affects food producers, retailers, and restaurants selling these products in the state. Violating the ban is classified as a class 5 felony, carrying potential criminal penalties. The bill defines "cell-cultured protein" as food derived from animal cells artificially replicated in a growth medium to create tissue.