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
SB 1370: Freshwater ecosystems; ecological water; survey
In Brief: Establishes statutory classification for ecological water, directs ADWR to survey the condition of Arizona watersheds.
Sponsor(s): Dalessandro and 11 others
Last Action: Assigned to committee 2/4/19
Description: This bill adds a statutory definition and provides for the appropriation of “ecological water.” Current statutes allow for the appropriation and beneficial use of water for fish and wildlife purposes, but not explicitly for the benefit of the watershed or ecosystem as a whole. SB 1370 would also require the Director of ADWR to perform a one-time survey of Arizona’s watersheds, identifying any ecological water needs, and recommending any necessary environmental or policy improvements.
HB 2591: Appropriation; WQARF
In Brief: Appropriates $20 million from the general fund to the Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF).
Sponsor(s): Gabaldon
Last Action: Failed in Appropriations Committee 2/25/19
Description: This bill appropriates $20 million from the general fund to the Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF) in fiscal year 2019-20. WQARF is a state-sponsored program established by the Legislature and administered by the Department of Environmental Quality to clean up hazardous soil and groundwater contamination.
SB 1440: Appropriation; employees; water resources - Striker
In Brief: Appropriates $740,000 for the Department of Water Resources to hire new staff.
Sponsor(s): Pratt
Last Action: Held in House
Description: This bill declares the Legislature’s intent to appropriate $740,000 to ADWR for the purpose of hiring hydrologists, geographic information system professionals, and other support staff. ADWR has stated that it faces challenges in competing with California for the hiring of technical hydrologic staff.
HB 2595: Adequate water supply; designation; standards
In Brief: Modifies the criteria for analysis of the physical and legal availability of water when ADWR prepares an Adequate Water Supply determination.
Sponsor(s): Gabaldon
Last Action: Held in the House.
Description: On August 8, 2018, the Arizona Supreme Court held that ADWR is not required to consider unquantified federal reserved water rights as part of the legal or physical availability analysis in its determination of an adequate water supply. This decision addressed ongoing litigation over a large development near Sierra Vista. The Court’s opinion was predicated on its interpretation of the adequate water supply statutes, reasoning that, (1) ADWR is not required to consider the impacts of an applicant’s groundwater withdrawals on existing uses, but rather that the agency must consider existing groundwater uses on the supply of the applicant, (2) the legislature did not specify that unquantified federal reserved water rights must be considered in the determination of legally available water supplies, and that (3) a private water company’s possession of a Certificate of Convenience & Necessity is, in effect, consumer protection for the legal availability of water. HB 2595 attempts to alter adequate water supply statute to address these considerations. AMWUA staff have identified technical issues with the bill and do not anticipate its movement through the legislature.
HB 2609: Harquahala non-expansion area; groundwater transfer
In Brief: Expands statutory list of entities eligible to pump groundwater in the Harquahala INA for transport to an AMA.
Sponsor(s): Peterson & Cook
Last Action: Held in House
Description: This bill adds a provision to statute allowing private water companies to withdraw groundwater from purchased land in the Harquahala irrigation non-expansion area (INA) and transport that water to an initial Active Management Area (AMA). Previously, only political subdivisions of the state could purchase land and transfer the groundwater to AMAs. HB 2609 also deepens the acceptable level of the water table for groundwater pumping, from 1,000 feet below ground surface to 1,500 feet.
HB 2630: Freshwater ecosystems; ecological water; survey
In Brief: Establishes statutory classification for ecological water, directs ADWR to survey the condition of Arizona watersheds.
Sponsor(s): Engel and seven others
Last Action: Held in House
Description: This bill adds a statutory definition and provides for the appropriation of “ecological water.” Current statutes allow for the appropriation and beneficial use of water for fish and wildlife purposes, but not explicitly for the benefit of the watershed or ecosystem as a whole. SB 1370 would also require the Director of ADWR to perform a one-time survey of Arizona’s watersheds, identifying any ecological water needs, and recommending any necessary environmental or policy improvements.
SB 1450: Invasive vegetation eradication; grants
In Brief: Appropriates $15 million for the removal of invasive vegetation for the purposes of fire and flood prevention and conservation of water and habitat.
Sponsor(s): Kerr and five others
Last Action: Held in House
Description: This bill would appropriate $15 million from the general fund for the Game and Fish Commission to provide grants to municipalities, counties, tribes and political subdivisions of the state for projects to eradicate invasive vegetation. The projects must assist in fire and flood prevention and conservation of water and wildlife habitat.
SB 1477: Appropriation; best land management practices
In Brief: Directs the State Forester to establish a best land management practice program for wildfire prevention. Appropriates $4 million.
Sponsor(s): Otondo and 16 others
Last Action: Held in House
Description: This bill directs the State Land Commissioner and State Forester to establish a program promoting best land management practices for the removal of hazardous vegetation on state land for the purposes of fire suppression and watershed management. SB 1477 outlines the program requirements to specifically include a plan for removal of hazardous vegetation from federal and tribal lands for the purposes of protecting infrastructure and municipal water supplies. The bill would appropriate $4 million from the general fund for the program.
SB 1478: Municipalities; counties; wildfire hazard removal
In Brief: Requires cities or towns containing Wildland-Urban Interfaces to adopt ordinances requiring property owners to remove wildfire hazards.
Sponsor(s): Otondo and 13 others
Last Action: Held in Senate
Description: The Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) is a federal land classification for areas where communities are located in and around forests. SB 1478 would require that cities or towns that contain a WUI must adopt an ordinance requiring private property within the WUI to remove any vegetation, natural fuels, or trash which constitute a wildfire hazard. This bill appropriates $1 million for cities or towns to use in matching programs for the wildfire fuel removal.
SB 1544: Water conservation; landscaping; rent; notice
In Brief: Forbids property owners and HOAs from prohibiting water conservation devices or practices.
Sponsor(s): Mendez and three others
Last Action: Held in Senate
Description: This bill would forbid the owner of a property or Homeowners Association from prohibiting the use of a water saving device or water conservation practice as part of a property contract or rental agreement.