Legislation Archive
Session Summaries
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2023 - Fifty-sixth Legislature - First Regular Session
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2022 - Fifty-fifth Legislature - Second Regular Session
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2021 - Fifty-fifth Legislature - First Regular Session
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2020 - Fifty-fourth Legislature - Second Regular Session
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2019 - Fifty-fourth Legislature - First Regular Session
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2018 - Fifty-third Legislature - Second Regular Session
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2017 – Fifty-third Legislature – First Regular Session
Bill Archive
HB 2030: Cities; towns; water service; audit
In Brief: Requires cities with more than 240,000 in population to conduct a full audit that focuses on various components of their water and sewer services.
Sponsor(s): Griffin
Last Action: This bill passed Senate NREW with a 4-2-1 vote on March 14th.
Description: This bill would require Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, and Scottsdale (cities with more than 240,000 in population) to hire an independent auditor to conduct a full rate audit and cost-of-service study that focuses on various components of their water and sewer services.
HB 2055: Underground water storage; permitting
In Brief: Changes the timeframe within which ADWR reviews and issues decisions on underground water storage permits.
Sponsor(s): Dunn
Last Action: This bill passed Senate Third Read with a 29-0-1-0-0 vote on March 27th and was signed by the Governor on April 2nd.
Description: This bill would lengthen the timeframe within which ADWR is required to review applications for underground water storage permits from within 100 days to within 180 days. This bill would also shorten the timeframe within which ADWR is required to issue a decision on the permit application from within 6 months of ADWR publishing a public notice of the application to within 100 days of the public notice.
HB 2056: Appropriation; on-farm efficiency fund
In Brief: Appropriate $30 million from the State General Fund for FY 25 to be used for the On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Fund.
Sponsor(s): Dunn
Last Action: This bill passed House NREW on January 16, 2024 with a vote of 9-0.
Description: This bill would appropriate $30 million from the State General Fund for FY 225 to be used for the On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Fund. The On-Farm Irrigation Efficiency Program was established in 2022 and is administered by the University of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension. The program provides grants and collects data for the purpose of reducing on-farm use of Colorado River water, surface water, and groundwater, while also seeking to reduce use of flood irrigation and instances of fallowing. Essentially, the program seeks to reduce water use through efficiency gains rather than reducing farmed acres.
HB 2057: Appropriation; long-term water augmentation fund
In Brief: Appropriates $143.8 million from the State General Fund for FY 2024 to WIFA.
Sponsor(s): Dunn
Last Action:
Description: This bill would appropriate $143.8 million from the State General Fund for FY 2024 for WIFA’s Long-Term Water Augmentation Fund. This appropriation would also be exempt from lapsing at the end of FY 2024.
HB 2058: Yuma water banking; study committee
In Brief: Establishes a committee that will develop legislation to establish a water banking authority for Yuma County.
Sponsor(s): Dunn
Last Action:
Description: This bill would establish the Yuma Area Water Banking Study Committee. This committee would consist of two Yuma-area senators and four Yuma-area representatives from the State Legislature, as well as seven members of the Yuma Area Agricultural Council, each of whom would represent one of the seven irrigation districts in Yuma County. The purpose of the committee would be to develop legislation to establish a water banking authority for the “Yuma County area” that would bank excess Colorado River water. The committee would submit a report of its findings to the Governor and State Legislature by 2025. This bill would also require ADWR to assign staff and provide services to the committee.
HB 2059: Contiguous real estate; definition
In Brief: Amends the definition of “contiguous” in reference to subdivisions to include lots separated by a private road, but not a public road.
Sponsor(s): Griffin
Last Action:
Description: This bill would amend the definition of “contiguous” in reference to subdivisions to include lots, parcels or fractional interests that are separated by a private road or street. This bill also clarifies that lots separated by a public road or street are not considered contiguous.
HB 2060: Irrigation non-expansion area; substitution; acres
In Brief: Allow a person who owns irrigated acres within an INA to transfer the irrigation right to equivalent acreage in the same INA.
Sponsor(s): Griffin
Last Action: This bill passed Senate NREW with a 4-2-1 vote on March 14th.
Description: This bill would allow a person who owns irrigated acres within an irrigation non-expansion area (INA) to permanently retire those acres and transfer the irrigation right to a piece of land that is the same acreage in the same INA and use the associated water for any purpose. The person must demonstrate to ADWR that the transfer of the irrigation right will not lead to a net increase in groundwater withdrawal within the INA. However, ADWR may not condition approval of the acreage substitution on groundwater withdrawal being decreased.
HB 2061: Subsequent active management area; removal
In Brief: Requires ADWR to periodically review areas included within subsequent AMAs and determine whether they still meet the criteria for an AMA.
Sponsor(s): Griffin
Last Action:
Description: This bill would require ADWR to periodically review all areas that are included within subsequent Active Management Areas (AMAs) and determine whether the areas still meet the criteria for inclusion within an AMA. This bill would also require voters to obtain their drinking water from within a groundwater basin before they can vote on whether that basin should be designated as a subsequent AMA. This bill would also allow a subsequent AMA designation to be removed if ten percent of voters within the AMA sign a petition calling for the removal and then a majority of voters approve this removal in a general election.
HB 2062: Assured water supply; certificate; model
In Brief: Requires ADWR to review undecided or denied applications for CAWS if the applicant requests such a review.
Sponsor(s): Griffin
Last Action: This bill passed Senate NREW with a 4-2-1 vote on March 14th.
Description: This bill would require ADWR to review undecided or denied applications for Certificates of Assured Water Supply (CAWS) if the applicant requests such a review. Only applications filed within the Phoenix AMA and between January 26, 2021 and May 31, 2023 are eligible for review. ADWR must notify all eligible applicants of the possible review within five days of the effective date of this bill, and the review must be requested within 90 days of the effective date of this bill. ADWR must issue a determination for these reviews within 15 days and must only use the 2006-2009 Salt River Valley Regional Model when conducting these reviews. The committee adopted an amendment that directed ADWR to use the 2006 Lower Hassayampa Sub-basin Model when appropriate.
HB 2063: Exempt wells; certificate; groundwater use
In Brief: Requires ADWR to issue owners of exempt wells with a “Certificate of Water Rights” that says that they are allowed to pump 35 gallons per minute.
Sponsor(s): Griffin
Last Action: This bill passed Senate NREW with a 3-2-2 vote on March 14th.
Description: This bill reiterates that owners of exempt wells are allowed to pump no more than 35 gallons per minute and requires ADWR to issue owners of exempt wells with a “Certificate of Water Rights” that says as much. This bill also clarifies that exempt well owners may not appropriate subflow or surface water out of priority and further specifies that withdrawn water is not exempt from a general stream adjudication.