SB 1160 prohibits operating civil drones within 400 feet above or below ticketed entertainment events (like concerts or sports venues) without specific authorization. It directly affects drone operators, event venues, and media companies that might use drones near such events. The bill allows exceptions for venue employees, utility workers conducting official business, and personal drone use on private property under federal rules. Local governments cannot create their own drone regulations for these events, preempting city or county ordinances on drone operations near entertainment venues. Violations of the entertainment event restriction are classified as class 1 misdemeanors.
HB 2134 prohibits Arizona governmental entities and critical infrastructure providers (like power grids, water systems, telecom networks, and school bus safety systems) from using technology made by Chinese companies in critical infrastructure. The bill requires annual certifications about prohibited equipment, mandates the Corporation Commission to publish a list of banned technologies (including wifi routers, school bus cameras, and smart meters from Chinese firms), and allows removal of banned tech without additional state permits. Providers must certify by March 31, 2027, that they’ve removed prohibited tech and update this annually. Exceptions exist only if no reasonable alternatives exist, use is preapproved, and the risk of removal exceeds the risk of using the banned technology.
SB 1037 establishes new security requirements for voting equipment used in Arizona elections. It prohibits voting machines from having internet connectivity or remote access capabilities, mandates configuration to U.S. Department of Homeland Security cybersecurity standards, requires user tracking with unique credentials, and demands logging of all ballot changes while retaining election data for 22 months. The bill directly affects counties, cities, and voting machine vendors that operate or supply electronic voting systems for federal, state, or local elections. These provisions apply to all certified voting equipment used in Arizona’s election processes.
SB 1046, the "Secure Telecommunications Act of 2026," prohibits Arizona telecommunications providers from using equipment manufactured by China or entities tied to China in critical broadband infrastructure. This affects all telecom companies operating in Arizona that manage networks meeting the bill's definition of "critical telecommunications infrastructure" (broadband systems enabling user communication with microchips). The law requires providers to remove and replace prohibited equipment by 2026, certify compliance annually to the Corporation Commission, and face daily civil penalties up to $100,000 or loss of state/federal funding for noncompliance. The bill aims to secure Arizona's telecom grid by eliminating hardware and software from designated foreign adversaries.
SB 1058 prohibits payment networks (like credit card companies) from requiring or incentivizing special merchant codes that identify firearm retailers. It also bans businesses from assigning such distinguishing codes to firearm retailers. The law aims to prevent financial data from being used to track firearm transactions, requiring payment systems to treat gun sales the same as other retail transactions. Violations can result in civil penalties of up to $1,000 per offense, enforced exclusively by attorneys general or county attorneys.
This bill, known as the 2026-2027 General Appropriations Act, allocates state funds to various Arizona agencies and departments for the upcoming fiscal year. It directly affects government entities such as the Department of Administration, the State Board of Accountancy, and the Acupuncture Board of Examiners by authorizing specific lump-sum payments and staffing levels. The legislation details how money from different state funds will be used for operations, risk management, technology projects, and assistance to smaller counties for retirement contributions and essential services. Additionally, the bill includes reporting requirements that mandate government officials submit financial and project status updates to legislative committees and the governor by specific deadlines. Although the bill passed the legislature, it was vetoed by the Governor, preventing these specific appropriations from becoming law.
HB 2805 creates a secure online portal for collecting signatures on nomination petitions for candidates running for local district offices in Arizona, including school districts, community colleges, hospital districts, and water conservation districts. It requires the secretary of state to provide this system with identity verification, allowing qualified electors to sign petitions electronically and enabling candidates to collect all signatures online. The bill mandates equal access to this system for all candidates (regardless of political party, affiliation, or nomination method) and prohibits discrimination or disparate treatment based on those factors. This policy change modernizes the petition process for local elections while ensuring consistent application across all candidates for these specific offices.
HB 2033 requires Arizona's state board of education to implement uniform statewide assessments in reading, writing, and math for at least four grades annually, while prohibiting assessments that promote sectarian or partisan views. It mandates collecting specific nontest data (like graduation/dropout rates by ethnicity) through surveys of school staff, with strict privacy protections under FERPA. The bill allows students to opt out of district assessments if they provide scores from nationally recognized tests (e.g., SAT, ACT) before testing begins. Additionally, it permits written tests for students with IEPs/504 plans, religious accommodations, or parent requests. This directly affects public schools, students, and educators by standardizing testing requirements and data collection.
SB 1126 requires Arizona school districts to share student school records with specific entities under defined circumstances. Schools must provide juvenile court records before a juvenile is adjudicated, release records to the Department of Child Safety (DCS) caseworkers investigating abuse/neglect within 10 days, and share records with law enforcement via approved intergovernmental agreements for juvenile justice programs. The bill mandates strict compliance with federal privacy laws (FERPA) when sharing records and prohibits schools from blocking staff from cooperating with DCS investigations. This directly affects school districts, juvenile courts, DCS caseworkers, and law enforcement agencies coordinating on youth safety and education.
HB 2903 prohibits Arizona state agencies from requiring banks or financial institutions to use social credit scores when evaluating loan applications. The bill directly affects lenders operating in Arizona by preventing state mandates that would compel them to consider these scores. Its key provision, added to Arizona law, explicitly states the state cannot require such use during lending decisions. This is a straightforward policy change limiting state influence on financial institutions' evaluation methods.