Rep. Lupe Diaz

Maddy summaryHB 2950 establishes a framework for Arizona municipalities and counties to create "tourism improvement areas" (TIAs) to fund tourism promotion. It requires a petition signed by lodging business owners representing at least 67% of rooms in the proposed area, including specific boundaries, assessment rates (based on property size or room count), and a detailed plan for how funds will be used. Lodging businesses within a TIA must pay an assessment on room rentals, which can be a fixed fee per night or a percentage of sales, with funds strictly limited to advertising, promotion, and business recruitment directly benefiting lodging businesses. The bill prohibits using these funds for physical infrastructure and sets a 30-day deadline to legally challenge the assessment. This directly affects hotels and resorts in designated areas by requiring them to pay a new, locally determined fee.

Maddy summaryHB 2321 requires Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) caseworkers to place a security freeze on the credit report of any child entering state care within 30 days. This freeze prevents consumer reporting agencies from sharing the child's credit information without permission, protecting them from identity theft and fraud. The freeze remains in effect until the child (or their representative) requests removal, and agencies cannot charge fees for placing or removing it. The bill defines "protected person" to include children in DCS care and outlines specific steps for caseworkers and agencies to follow.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Arizona's Department of Child Safety (DCS) to record all interviews with children during abuse or neglect investigations via audio or video, unless equipment fails or unforeseen circumstances prevent it. It mandates specific investigator training on child safety assessments, legal rights, and evidence-informed protocols, while banning covert voice stress analysis and limiting overt use to cases with informed consent. DCS must submit written investigation reports to case management systems within 45 days and to courts 48 hours before dependency hearings. These changes directly affect DCS investigators, children in abuse/neglect cases, and families involved in child welfare proceedings.

Maddy summaryHB 2170 prohibits Arizona state agencies from contracting with companies based in China for goods or services, requiring all bidders to certify they are not Chinese-based. Violations trigger a $100,000 civil penalty, contract termination, and a 60-month bidding ban. Exceptions allow contracts only if no reasonable alternatives exist and the risk of not procuring the goods is greater than the threat from Chinese manufacturing. The law excludes the Department of Public Safety from its requirements.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative resolution (HCR 2063), not a substantive bill. It honors Yvonne Glee Lime Fedderson, founder of Childhelp and a global humanitarian dedicated to child welfare, following her death on January 23, 2026. The resolution expresses the Arizona Legislature's sympathy to her family and admirers, and directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the resolution to her family and Childhelp. It has no policy provisions or impact on legislation.

Maddy summaryHB 2788 corrects a technical error in Arizona law to ensure that benefits from the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS) are not reduced due to Social Security payments. The bill removes an outdated reference to April 29, 1973, from the statute, clarifying that PSPRS benefits remain unaffected by federal Social Security payments for current and future retirees. This directly affects Arizona state employees and retirees covered by PSPRS who receive Social Security benefits. The correction does not change existing policy but fixes a clerical mistake in the legal text.

Maddy summaryHB 2839 (Arizona) requires cities and towns to apply municipal sales taxes uniformly to all food items, prohibiting extra charges for specific foods. It exempts food manufacturing, distribution, and packaging containers from these taxes, and removes taxes on food purchased with SNAP benefits (food stamps) or low-cost food sold to eligible elderly, homeless, or disabled individuals through approved programs. The law affects local governments imposing food taxes, food businesses, and SNAP recipients by standardizing tax treatment and expanding certain exemptions. It applies retroactively to taxable periods after its effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 2320 requires Arizona school districts to hire an independent, SEC-registered financial advisor before any bond election. The advisor must help the school board with bond issuance details like repayment structure, credit ratings, and hiring other professionals, while preparing required informational materials for voters. The bill prohibits these advisors from colluding on hiring other professionals or underwriting bonds they advised on. This directly affects all Arizona school districts seeking to issue bonds, mandating neutral financial guidance to ensure cost-effective borrowing. The law aims to standardize bond election processes with independent oversight.

Maddy summaryThis proposed constitutional amendment (HCR 2044) would prohibit Arizona state and local governments from granting preferential treatment or discrimination based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, education, or contracting. It specifically bans requiring individuals to endorse race-based policies, spending public funds on offices promoting such policies, or implementing disciplinary actions based on race/ethnicity. The amendment directly affects public schools, universities, government agencies, and contractors operating under state authority. If approved by voters, it would become part of Arizona's Constitution, replacing existing antidiscrimination laws in these specific areas.

Maddy summaryHB 2676 allows individuals adjudicated delinquent as juveniles in Arizona to petition a court for restored firearm rights after meeting specific conditions. It directly affects people who were minors when convicted of certain offenses but not adults. The bill establishes two waiting periods: 25 years for those convicted of serious offenses like burglary or arson, or a two-year wait for other felonies after completing probation or court-ordered conditions. The process requires a court application with no filing fee, served to the county attorney, and is handled by juvenile court judges. This changes the legal pathway for juvenile offenders to regain firearm rights under defined circumstances.