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 2731: Local groundwater stewardship areas
In Brief: Creates a new rural water management framework.
Sponsor(s): Biasiucci
Last Action: Was never heard in committee.
Description: HB 2731 creates a new water management framework titled “Local Groundwater Stewardship Areas” (LGSA) that can be established via designation by a County Board of Supervisors, the Director of ADWR, or petition of residents within a groundwater basin if certain conditions related to groundwater depletion are met. For any LGSA that is formed, the Governor shall appoint persons to an LGSA Council that represents water users in the area. The Council is charged with establishing a Management Plan and Goal(s) for the LGSA and recommending best management practices designed to reduce groundwater withdrawals in the area. SB 1306 also establishes the Department of Water Resources Local Groundwater Stewardship Fund consisting of monies deposited from State Lottery, to support ADWR’s administration of the LGSA.
HB 2793: Water efficient plumbing fixtures
In Brief: Updates Arizona’s water-efficiency plumbing standards to align with criteria established by the WaterSense Program
Sponsor(s): Mathis & 6 others
Last Action: Was never heard in committee.
Description: Arizona adopted water-efficiency standards for indoor plumbing fixtures in 1992 which have since been superseded by various federal laws and requirements. This bill would update Arizona’s water-efficiency standards to align with criteria established by the WaterSense Program, a public-private partnership between industry, utilities, and regulators. AMWUA drafted this legislation in 2019 and has supported it in subsequent legislative sessions.
SB 1358: Homeowners’ associations; solar, water devices
In Brief: Disallows an HOA from prohibiting homeowner water conservation practices
Sponsor(s): Mendez & 5 others
Last Action: Was never heard in committee.
Description: Homeowners Associations (HOA) cannot prohibit the installation of a water saving device or indoor or outdoor water conservation practice. The HOA may adopt reasonable rules governing proposed water conservation practices. This bill could empower individual homeowners to convert their landscapes to desert-appropriate landscapes and make positive reductions in outdoor water use. AMWUA supported this legislation in 2022.
SB 1390: Water infrastructure finance authority; amendments
In Brief: Technical amendments to the WIFA statutes
Sponsor(s): Kerr
Last Action: Passed House RULES March 20th.
Description: This bill makes various technical and conforming changes to the WIFA legislation that was passed in 2022. Clean up amendments include clarification that WIFA is not a public service corporation, the WIFA Board is authorized to adopt policies and guidelines regarding employee compensation, and conforming changes to align the definition of “eligible entity” for the Conservation Grant Fund with existing WIFA statutes.
SB 1391: S/e use of monies in state lottery fund; report
In Brief: Strike everything directs $9.06 million from state lottery fund to ADEQ water quality fee fund.
Sponsor(s): Griffin
Last Action: The budget included a one-time appropriation of $9.5 million from the state General Fund into the Water Quality Fee Fund. The Water Quality Fee Fund's structural deficit remains.
Description: This bill would direct $9,060,000 left over from the state lottery fund to ADEQ’s water quality fee fund, which has been underfunded for many years. ADEQ worked with Representative Griffin to develop this legislation as a permanent fix to the water quality fee fund’s structural deficit. This bill would allow ADEQ to fix that deficit without having to raise fees for water providers or rely on annual funding from the State General Fund.
SB 1432: Assured water; small residential developments
In Brief: Requires anyone seeking a building permit for six or more residences within an unincorporated area of an AMA to secure an Assured Water Supply.
Sponsor(s): Wadsack, Jones
Last Action: Passed House RULES on April 4th.
Description: This is another piece of legislation that is intended to close the “build-to-rent loophole” in the Assured Water Supply Program. This bill accomplishes this by requiring that anyone seeking a building permit for six or more residences within an unincorporated area of an AMA must obtain a Certificate of Assured Water Supply or a commitment of service from a Designated provider. This applies to all developments, regardless of any proposed lease term.
SB 1438: Active management; non-expansion area; fees
In Brief: Allows ADWR to reduce fees for certification of grandfathered rights in new AMAs and INAs
Sponsor(s): Sundareshan
Last Action: Was never heard in committee.
Description: Allows ADWR to reduce fees for the certification of grandfathered rights in Active Management Areas and Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas established after January 1, 2022 without having to pursue a Rulemaking. This would apply to the newly formed Douglas AMA and Hualapai INA.
SB 1439: State lands; leases; groundwater use
In Brief: Requires ASLD to collect groundwater withdrawal fees and pumping data from lessees.
Sponsor(s): Sundareshan, Bennett, Mendez
Last Action: Was never heard in committee.
Description: Requires the Arizona State Land Department to collect annual withdrawal fees and groundwater pumping data from any lessees of ASLD agricultural lands located outside of an AMA or INA.
SB 1448: Subsequent active management area; designation
In Brief: Requires ADWR to designate groundwater basins as AMAs if certain conditions are met.
Sponsor(s): Sundareshan & 7 others
Last Action: Was never heard in committee.
Description: Requires the ADWR Director to designate a groundwater basin as an AMA if it is determined that AMA practices are needed to preserve the existing supply of groundwater, land subsidence is occurring, or groundwater withdrawals are threatening water quality degradation. Previously the ADWR had the discretion to designate subsequent AMAs for these reasons, not a mandate.
SB 1660: Water; effluent; credits
In Brief: Expands legal definition of effluent to allow industrial facilities to generate LTSC
Sponsor(s): Kerr, Kaiser, Dunn
Last Action: Passed House RULES on April 10th.
Description: Expands the legal definition of effluent to include wastewater generated by industrial facilities that is treated at the site of use. SB 1660 allows an industrial facility to treat and recharge its wastewater to earn effluent LTSC. The bill stipulates that LTSC earned by the industrial effluent can only be “used” at the site of storage. The AMWUA cities have serious concerns with the proposed statutory amendments, particularly the potential for this bill to incentivize industrial users to extract fossil groundwater and expand their pumping rights through the generation of LTSC. The bill also sets a precedent of allowing groundwater-dependent industrial users to proliferate and remove themselves from centralized water management, threatening the aquifers that municipal water providers rely upon. AMWUA opposed previous iterations of this legislation in 2022. A floor amendment was adopted for SB 1660 that includes a 25% cut to the aquifer and limits the legislation to only companies that apply for long-term storage credits through 2025 – none of which changes our opposition but reinforces that this is special interest legislation for companies that already do not have to demonstrate an assured water supply.