Keith Mack
Arizona residents are subject to both state and US federal laws. The state of Arizona has its own set of laws, including the Arizona Constitution, laws passed by the Arizona Legislature, and decisions by courts that interpret Arizona laws. The Arizona Legislature, consisting of the Arizona House of Representatives and the Arizona Senate, is responsible for proposing and passing bills that become Arizona state laws. These laws are compiled in the Arizona Revised Statutes and are occasionally reviewed and interpreted by the Arizona Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. While federal laws, including the US Constitution, statutes, court interpretations, and administrative agency regulations, also apply in Arizona, the state's unique legislative process allows for the creation and modification of laws specific to the state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Bill tracking | Possible through the Arizona State Legislature's bill tracking tool |
| Bill approval | Requires approval from both chambers and the Governor |
| Legislative information | Available from 1989 onwards |
| Bill status | Can be near passage or rejection |
| Legislative drafting | Based on the Arizona Revised Statutes |
| Legislative session | Hundreds of bills passed by the Arizona State Legislature each year |
| Law enactment | Bills not vetoed by the Governor are enacted into law |
| Legislative review | The League of Arizona Cities and Towns reviews new laws for potential impact on municipalities |
| Legislative publication | The New Laws Report is published annually to summarise laws impacting local governments |
| Legislative implementation | Guidelines and documents provided for cities and towns to implement new laws |
| Legislative changes | Include changes to campaign finance, video services licensing, food safety, and wireless device use |
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What You'll Learn
Arizona Revised Statutes
In Arizona, if each chamber of the legislature passes a bill, it is sent to the Governor for review. The Governor has the option to sign the bill into law or choose not to take any action, in which case the bill automatically becomes a law. However, if the Governor vetoes the bill, it will be returned to the legislature. The legislature then has the power to override the Governor's veto and pass the bill into law with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber or a three-fourths majority for emergency measures. This process is part of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which are the laws that govern the state of Arizona.
The Arizona Revised Statutes are published by Thomson Reuters, and the official version is considered the one published on January 1st following the most recent legislative session. The online version is primarily maintained for legislative drafting purposes and may not always reflect the most current laws in effect.
The Arizona State Legislature passes numerous bills each year, and the League of Arizona Cities and Towns plays a crucial role in reviewing these new laws. They identify the laws that are likely to impact local governments and compile them into an annual publication called the New Laws Report. This report assists municipal officials and staff by providing summaries and relevant information for implementing these laws at the local level.
For example, in recent years, several new laws have been implemented in Arizona. HB 2318 established a statewide hands-free law, prohibiting the use of wireless devices while driving. HB 2371 set statewide food and health safety licensing standards specifically for mobile food vending operations, including food trucks. Additionally, HB 2365 allowed wireless providers to install and operate small cells and related equipment in city and town rights-of-way and public easements.
The League of Arizona Cities and Towns also provides implementation guidelines for new laws. For instance, SB1140, adopted in 2018, required cities and towns to issue uniform video services licenses to video service providers. By July 1, 2019, uniform application processes and agreements were mandated. These guidelines help ensure compliance with the new laws and maintain consistency across different jurisdictions.
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Arizona Legislature
The Arizona State Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Arizona. It is a bicameral legislature that consists of a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Senate. The Arizona Legislature is responsible for making laws in the state of Arizona. The first step in the legislative process is bill drafting. Legislators must submit a bill request to the legislative council staff. A legislator-elect may also submit a bill request, or private citizens can obtain authorization from a legislator to use the legislator's name before giving instructions to the legislative council staff.
The legislative council staff delivers a bill draft to the sponsor or requester and, if directed, will prepare the bill for introduction. Bills undergo three or four readings during the legislative processing. Each year, the Arizona State Legislature passes hundreds of bills and sends them to the Governor. If a bill is not vetoed by the Governor, it is enacted into law. The League of Arizona Cities and Towns reviews all new laws passed during the legislative session and checks each law for its potential impact on municipalities.
The state is divided into 30 legislative districts, each of which elects one senator and two representatives. To run for either the House or Senate within the Arizona State Legislature, you must be at least 25 years of age, a district resident for a minimum of one year, a US citizen, and an Arizona resident for at least three years. Legislators are term-limited to eight consecutive years in office, but they can run again after two years or run for a seat in the other house.
The Arizona Legislature first convened in 1912, meeting biennially until 1950 when a constitutional amendment provided for annual sessions. The body of the Arizona House of Representatives is led by the Speaker, elected by the members of the House, while the President of the Senate is chosen from Senate membership and chairs the body.
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Arizona House of Representatives
The Arizona State Legislature is a bicameral body with 60 members in the House of Representatives and 30 members in the Senate. Each district is served by a pair of House members and one Senator. The Arizona House of Representatives is presided over by a Speaker, who holds the chief leadership position. The Speaker controls the flow of legislation and committee assignments, and has the power to employ, terminate, and alter the compensation of all House employees. They also have full authority over all expenses charged to the House.
The Arizona State Legislature passes hundreds of bills every year, which are sent to the Governor. If a bill is not vetoed, it is enacted into law. The League of Arizona Cities and Towns reviews all new laws passed during the legislative session and checks each law for its potential impact on municipalities. For instance, in 2013, the legislature passed HB 2593, which changed the amount of money that candidates for office could receive from individuals and political groups.
Another example is HB 2318, which established a statewide hands-free law prohibiting the use of wireless devices while driving. The House of Representatives also enacted HB 2365, which allows wireless providers to install and operate small cells and related equipment in city and town rights-of-way and public easements. The House also considers bills related to health and safety, such as HB 2371, which established statewide food and health safety licensing standards for mobile food vending operations, specifically food trucks. This bill included provisions related to the use of public parking spaces, required fire and safety inspections, and spacing distances from existing restaurants.
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Arizona Senate
The Arizona State Senate is part of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the US state of Arizona. The Arizona Senate consists of 30 members, each representing an average of 219,859 constituents (as of 2009). Members of the Republican Party currently hold the majority in the Senate, with Warren Petersen of district 14 serving as the Senate's president.
The Arizona Senate is unique in that it elects its own presiding officer, the president of the Senate, who has the power to appoint members to all Senate committees and create additional committees and subcommittees as desired. The Senate president also appoints a president pro tempore to preside in their absence and may appoint a temporary president pro tempore if both the president and president pro tempore are absent.
The Arizona Senate, along with the Arizona House of Representatives, plays a crucial role in the state's law-making process. Members of the Senate are elected from the same legislative districts as House members, with one senator representing the entire constituency, while the House has two representatives per district. This multi-member district system is similar to those used in other states, such as New Jersey, Idaho, and Washington.
Every year, the Arizona State Legislature passes hundreds of bills, which are sent to the Governor for approval. If a bill is not vetoed by the Governor, it is enacted into law. The League of Arizona Cities and Towns then reviews these new laws and identifies those with potential impacts on local governments. These laws are summarized in an annual publication called the New Laws Report, which assists municipal officials and staff in staying informed about the latest legal changes.
Some examples of laws passed by the Arizona State Legislature include HB 2318, which established a statewide hands-free law prohibiting the use of wireless devices while driving, and HB 2593, which changed the amount of money that candidates for office could receive from individuals and political groups. The Legislature also adopted SB1140 in 2018, requiring cities and towns to issue uniform video services licenses to video service providers.
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Bills and Vetoes
The Arizona State Legislature passes hundreds of bills every year, sending them to the Governor for approval. The Governor has the power to veto any bill, which prevents it from becoming law. The Arizona Constitution grants the Governor two distinct veto powers: a general veto power and a line-item veto power. The general veto power allows the Governor to veto an entire bill on any subject, while the line-item veto power, outlined in Article V, Section 7 of the Arizona Constitution, allows the Governor to veto specific provisions within a bill while approving other portions. This means that the Governor can strike out certain items or provisions from a bill while allowing the rest of it to become law.
The line-item veto power has been used by Arizona Governors on several occasions. In 1992, the Governor used the line-item veto to strike down five out of 61 transfers of monies from special funds to the state General Fund as part of a budget-balancing plan. In 2003, Governor Napolitano used the line-item veto on 35 provisions across four bills comprising the state's operating budget for FY 2003-2004. On another occasion, the Governor line-item vetoed a portion of a bill that exempted certain state employees from the state merit system, citing concerns about additional expenses for the state.
More recently, in May 2025, Governor Katie Hobbs took action on 57 bills, approving 34 and vetoing 23. One of the vetoed bills would have required the State Treasurer and state retirement systems to invest up to 10% of public funds in cryptocurrencies. Governor Hobbs stated that she vetoed this bill because "Arizonans' retirement funds are not the place for the state to try untested investments like virtual currency." Another vetoed bill would have limited insurance coverage for genetic sequencing based on the technology used, which Governor Hobbs deemed "unnecessary." These examples demonstrate how the Governor's veto power plays a crucial role in shaping the laws enacted in Arizona.
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Frequently asked questions
A proposed law is known as a bill.
A bill can be introduced in either chamber of the Arizona Legislature, which consists of the Arizona House of Representatives and the Arizona Senate.
After being introduced, a bill is referred to one or more standing committees. These committees determine whether a bill should move forward and can propose amendments.
The bill returns to the chamber in which it was introduced. This chamber will discuss the bill and consider any amendments suggested by a committee or by members of the chamber.
The Arizona State Legislature passes hundreds of bills and sends them to the Governor, who can veto them. If a bill is not vetoed, it is enacted into law.
