A major mission of the Arizona People’s Lobbyist group is to pay attention to what happens with a selected number of legislative bills at the state capitol. We watch, issue alerts about upcoming activity, encourage citizens to participate in the process, and report on the results. We are now at the final stage, which is reporting on the results.
It should be pointed out that this year our state legislators introduced 1,827 bills, which is probably either a record or very close to being a record. A significant portion of those bills were either feel-good bills, or making-a-statement bills, never intended to be passed.
We also had our share of housekeeping bills. We at the AZ People’s Lobbyist group, tracked 220 of the more important and/or controversial bills. The way we chose what bills to track was via input from activists and the general public. We are not single-issue advocates. The bills that we tracked were the kinds of bills important enough to be the subject of discussions around the office water cooler.
BILL # AND SHORT TITLE (*) | VOTE | SPONSOR AND/OR WHAT THE BILL DOES |
RESULTS (*) P = PASSED F = FAILED |
FINAL DISPOSITION | COMMENTS |
HB2039 – elections; hand counts; five percent | House 3rd Reading | GRIFFIN – Increases from 2% to 5% the portion of precincts to be used in a hand count. Similar to SB1010, which failed in the house
|
P-31-29-0 | Held in Senate | |
HB2054 – voter registration database; death records | House 3rd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading |
KAISER – Requires removal of voter registration of those who should no longer be registered, including people who died. Same as SB1793 | P-58-1-1
P-30-0-0 |
Signed by
governor |
|
HB2302 – election lawsuits; settlements; approvals | House 3rd Reading | BLACKMAN – if a proposed settlement of an election-related civil action by the secretary of state materially affects a county recorder, the secretary of state may not settle or otherwise compromise that civil action without consulting the county recorders of this state | P-31-29-0 | Held in Senate | |
HB2307 – voting equipment; overvote notice | House 3rd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading |
KAVANAGH – Requires that voters be informed that if they override the ballot rejection because of overvote, the vote for that office will not be counted. | P-52-0-8
P-28-1-1 |
Signed by Governor | |
HB2308 – recall petitions and elections; revisions | House 3rd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading |
KAVANAGH – Modifies the requirements for recall petitions and elections. Increases the requirements for paid or out-of-state circulators. Makes quite a few other changes. |
P-31-28-1
P-16-14-0 |
Signed by Governor | |
HB2378 – ranked choice voting; presidential preference | House Government & Elections | DUNN – This is not a good bill. It makes the simple act of marking your preferred candidate a very cumbersome and complicated matter | HELD | Killed in House committee
Good! |
This was a very bad bill introduced by Dunn (LD13) |
HB2529 – (NOW: address; return; early ballots) | House Third Reading | DUNN – Stipulates that the officer in charge of preparing ballots at any election must ensure that the early ballot is sent in an envelope that states the following: If the addressee does not reside at this address, mark the unopened envelope “return to sender” and deposit it in the United States mail. | P-57-2-1 | Died in Senate Committee | |
HB2569 – elections; private funding; prohibition | House 3rd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading |
HOFFMAN – Notwithstanding any other law, this state and a city, town, county, school district or other public body that conducts or administers elections may not receive or expend private monies for preparing for, administering or conducting an election, including registering voters. | P-31-29-0
P-16-14-0 |
Signed by Governor | Aimed at reducing undue influence of big out of state interference with our elections |
HB2693 – ranked choice voting; municipalities | House Government & Elections | BLACKMAN – This is not a good bill. It makes the simple act of marking your preferred candidate a very cumbersome and complicated matter | HELD | Killed in House Committee
Good! |
This was a very bad bill introduced by Blackman (LD6) |
HB2792 – early ballots; request required | House 3rd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading |
HOFFMAN – Prohibits a county recorder, city or town clerk or other election officer from delivering or mailing an early ballot to a person who has not requested an early ballot for that election, with certain exceptions. Classifies an election officer knowingly providing an early ballot to a person that did not request an early ballot for the election, with exceptions, as a class 6 felony. | P-31-28-1
P-16-14-0 |
Vetoed by Governor to thumb his nose at the Legislature | |
HB2793 – voter registration; request required | House Third Reading | HOFFMAN – States that an agency, division or department of this state may not register a person to vote unless the person affirmatively requests to register to vote | P-31-28-1 | Held in Senate | |
HB2794 – election deadlines; modifications prohibited | House 3rd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading
|
HOFFMAN – An officer or agent of this state, a political subdivision of this state or any other governmental entity in this state may not modify any deadline, filing date, submittal date or other election-related date that is provided for in statute |
P-31-29-0
P-16-13-1
|
Signed by Governor | |
HB2811 – same day registration; prohibition | House 3rd Reading | HOFFMAN – An agency, department or division of this state or any person acting on its behalf and any political subdivision of this state or any person acting on its behalf may not register a person to vote on an election day and deem that person eligible to vote in that election | P-31-28-1 | Held in Senate | Held by Ugenti-Rita in Senate Government Committee |
HCR2001 – initiatives; single subject; title | House 3rd Reading | KAVANAGH – Subject to voter approval, constitutional amendment. Truth in advertising – Helps people know what they are voting for. Prohibits the current practice of hiding provisions deep in the body of the initiative where very few voters would notice. | P-31-28-1 | Passed – Sent to SOS for voter approval | |
HCR2016 – initiatives; supermajority vote requirement | House 3rd Reading | DUNN – Increases the vote required to pass initiatives from simple majority to a supermajority of 60% | P-31-29-0 | Held in Senate | |
HCR2023 – elections; state authority; infringement; opposition | House 3rd Reading
Senate 3rd Reading |
HOFFMAN – Resolution without the power of law, stating the state of Arizona’s opposition to any federal action infringing on Arizona’s constitutional power to manage, control and administer elections. | P-31-29-0
P-16-14-0 |
Passed – Sent to SOS l | No Power. Only a statement of support, feel good legislation. |
SB1002 – early voting envelopes; party affiliation |
Senate 3rd Reading
House Third Reading
|
UGENTI-RITA – Ballot envelopes must be unable to show party affiliation | P-20-9-1
P-41-18-1 |
Signed by Governor | Makes it harder to cheat. |
SB1003 – early voting; signature required; notice | Senate Third Reading
House 3rd Reading |
UGENTI-RITA – Allows an early voter to add their signature to an early ballot returned without a signature on the return envelope no later than 7:00 p.m. on election day. | P-16-14-0
P-31-29-0 |
Signed by Governor | |
SB1020 – voting locations; electioneering | Senate Government | UGENTI-RITA – Removes “emergency” restrictions to otherwise lawful electioneering
|
P-5-3-0 | Killed in Senate COW | |
SB1023 – elections; county supervisors; ballots; markers | Senate Government Committee | TOWNSEND | HELD | Held in Committee | |
SB1025 – elections; polls; override notification |
Senate 3rd Reading
|
TOWNSEND – Requires election official to inform voter that overvote will result in the vote for that office to be not counted | P-16-14-0 | Abandoned in favor of house version HB2307 | |
SB1068 – (NOW: elections manual; legislative council) | Senate Third Reading | UGENTI-RITA – The instructions and procedures manual must be approved by legislative council. | P-16-14-0 |
Held in House Rules Committee
|
Killed by Nutt in House Rules |
SB1071 – voting irregularities; report; legislative review | Senate Government Committee | TOWNSEND | HELD | Held in Committee | |
SB1083 – elections; recount margin |
Senate 3rd Reading
House 3rd Reading
Senate Final Reading
|
UGENTI-RITA – Increases, from one-tenth of one percent or a set number of votes to one-half of one percent, the trigger for an automatic recount in a primary or general election. Removes the automatic recount exemption for certain elected offices. | P-16-14-0
P-31-29-0
F-14-15-1 |
Failed Senate Final Reading | Killed by Townsend |
SB1240 – hand counts; precincts; procedures manual | Senate 3rd Reading | TOWNSEND – Requires ballots in counties using voting centers to be separated and grouped by precinct for the purpose of a hand count audit. Asserts that state statute prevails in any conflict between statute and the elections instructions and procedures manual. | P-16-14-0 | Killed by Bowers in the House
(Never assigned to Committee) |
|
SB1241 – voting equipment; ballots; receipt | Senate 3rd Reading
House 3rd Reading
Senate Final Reading |
TOWNSEND – provide a paper receipt to the voter at the time the voter’s ballot is received for tabulation. The paper receipt shall state whether the voter’s ballot was tabulated or rejected and, if rejected, the reason for the rejection. This paragraph does not apply to a voter who votes with an early or provisional ballot. | P-16-14-0
P-31-29-0
F-13-16-1 |
Failed Senate Final Reading | Killed by Boyer (LD20) and Ugenti-Rita (LD23) |
SB1242 – election equipment; security; legislative review | Senate Government Committee | TOWNSEND | HELD | Held in Committee | |
SB1358 – recorders; voter registrations; public buildings | Senate Government | UGENTI-RITA – A county recorder may not conduct a voter registration drive at any location other than a facility that is government owned. | P-5-3-0 | Died in the Senate | |
SB1427 – voter fraud unit; auditor general | Senate Government Committee | TOWNSEND | HELD | Held in Committee | |
SB1485 – early voting list; eligibility | Senate 3rd Reading
House 3rd Reading
Senate final Reading
Senate Final Reading #2 |
UGENTI-RITA – Removes a voter from the EVL if the voter fails to vote by early ballot in both the primary election and the general election for two consecutive primary and general elections for which there was a federal, statewide or legislative race on the ballot | P-16-14-0
P-31-29-0
F-14-16-0
P-16-14-0 |
Signed by Governor | In first Senate Final Reading, defeated by Townsend’s NO vote.
Brought up for reconsideration by Ugenti-Rita
In second Final Reading passed along party lines. |
SB1492 – election law amendments | Senate 3rd Reading
House 3rd Reading |
SHOPE – Makes various changes to statute relating to elections including modifications of various deadlines. | P-29-0-1
P-58-0-2 |
Signed by Governor | |
SB1497 – ballot measures; proposition 105; disclosure | Senate 3rd Reading
House 3rd Reading |
UGEHTI-RITA – Requires the official ballot and the Secretary of State’s (SOS’s) publicity pamphlet to include a Proposition 105 notice.
|
P-16-14-0
P-31-27-2 |
Signed by Governor | It is important that voters understand that approving a ballot measure makes it virtually permanent because it is almost impossible to correct later |
SB1503 – early ballots; mail return prohibited | Senate Government Committee | TOWNSEND | HELD | Held in Committee | |
SB1613 – election data; results; election equipment | Senate 3rd Reading | TOWNSEND – All election data and results shall remain in this country and may not be transferred, transmitted or stored in any other country.
All election equipment, including computers, paper and other supplies, shall be made in America. |
P-16-14-0 | Killed in House Rules Committee | |
SB1615 – elections; hand count; legislative auditor | Senate Government Committee | TOWNSEND | HELD | Held in Committee | |
SB1616 – election equipment; security; results; tabulation | Senate Government Committee | TOWNSEND | HELD | Held in Committee | |
SB1713 – early ballots; identification; mailing |
Senate 3rd Reading
House 3rd Reading
House 3rd Reading
|
MESNARD – Requires an early ballot affidavit to fit inside the return envelope and requires a voter to include their date of birth and certain permissible forms of identification with the affidavit in the return envelope. | P-16-14-0
F-29-31-0 |
Defeated via House 3rd Reading Vote | All D’s voted NO
Two R’s joined D’s in voting NO John (LD4) Udall (LD25) |
SB1714 – campaign expenditures; out-of-state; disclosures |
Senate 3rd Reading
House 3rd Reading
Senate Final Reading
|
MESNARD – Modifies the “Paid for” statement on printed material to include the % of money from out of state. |
P-16-14-0
P-32-28-0
P-16-13-1
|
Signed by Governor | |
SB1793 – voter registration databases; death records | Senate 3rd Reading | TOWNSEND – Requires removal of voter registration of those who should no longer be registered, including people who died. Same as
HB2054 |
P-16-14-0 | Abandoned in favor of House version HB2054, which passed and was signed by governor | |
SB1814 – elections; auditor general; voter registration | Senate Government Committee | TOWNSEND – beginning on april 15 each year, the auditor general shall audit the processes, equipment and systems used to maintain county voter registration databases and the statewide voter registration database | No Action | Killed in Senate Government Committee | |
SB1817 – voter registration rolls; irregularity; report | Senate Government Committee | TOWNSEND – on any complaint of an error or irregularity in county or state voter registration records, the county recorder and secretary of state shall investigate the complaint and correct any error within two weeks | No Action | Killed in Senate Government Committee | |
SCR1034 – voter protection act; court determinations | Sente 3rd Reading
House 3rd Reading |
LEACH – Constitutional Amendment. Establishes an additional way in which the Legislature may supersede a voter protected act, by having to pass constitutionality test by AZ supreme court of US supreme court | P-16-14-0
P-31-25-4 |
Transmitted to SOS for voter approval |