This new bill authored by State Rep. Gail Griffin in the Arizona House seeks to protect Arizona’s water rights under the Colorado River Compact, according to the Arizona State House.
The bill, introduced as HB2103 on Jan. 13, during the first regular session of the 57th Legislature, was formally listed with the short title: ‘appropriation; Colorado River Compact; defense’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill appropriates $1 million from the Arizona state general fund for fiscal year 2025-26 to the Department of Water Resources. The allocated funds aim to support the defense, protection, and enforcement of Arizona’s allocation of Colorado River water as stipulated in the Colorado River Compact of 1922. This legislation is intended to ensure that the state’s water rights and that its allocated share of water resources from the Colorado River are effectively managed and safeguarded in accordance with established agreements.
Since the beginning of the session, Griffin has proposed another 13 bills, with five of them being adopted.
Griffin, a Republican, was elected to the Arizona State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 19th House District, replacing previous state representative Lorenzo Sierra.
In Arizona, the legislative process begins when a bill is introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. It is then assigned to one or more committees for discussion and possible amendment. If approved by committee, the bill proceeds to floor debate and voting in both chambers. If both chambers pass the bill, it is sent to the governor, who may sign it into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature. The Arizona Legislature convenes annually in regular session starting the second Monday in January. Lawmakers introduce hundreds of bills each session, though only a portion make it into law. You can learn more about the legislative process on the Arizona State Legislature website.
Bills Introduced by Gail Griffin in Arizona House During 1st Regular Session of the 57th Legislative Session
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| HB2103 | 01/13/2025 | This bill appropriates $1 million from the Arizona state general fund for fiscal year 2025-26 to the Department of Water Resources. The allocated funds aim to support the defense, protection, and enforcement of Arizona’s allocation of Colorado River water as stipulated in the Colorado River Compact of 1922. This legislation is intended to ensure that the state’s water rights and that its allocated share of water resources from the Colorado River are effectively managed and safeguarded in accordance with established agreements. |
| HB2094 | 01/10/2025 | This bill amends section 32-2101 of the Arizona Revised Statutes to clarify and expand definitions related to real estate. It includes definitions for terms such as “acting in concert,” “affiliate,” “compensation,” “developer,” and “unsubdivided lands,” among others. Notably, the definition of “contiguous” now indicates that lots separated by a private road or street are considered contiguous, but those divided by a barrier or a public road are not. The bill also delineates roles like “real estate broker,” “cemetery broker,” and “membership camping broker,” each defined by specific activities and transactions related to real estate and property development. Terms involving transactions and promotional practices are also comprehensively outlined to provide clarity for legal and regulatory purposes. |
| HB2093 | 01/10/2025 | The bill amends section 32-2185.09 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, concerning civil penalties for violations related to the sale or lease of subdivided lands. It authorizes the commissioner to impose a civil penalty of up to $2,000 for each lot when a subdivider or agent violates relevant regulations or engages in unlawful practices, pending a hearing. Additionally, it stipulates a civil penalty of up to $5,000 per infraction for selling or leasing subdivision lots without a public report if required, for lots created after Dec. 31, 2008. The bill requires that proceedings to impose penalties or revoke licenses must begin within five years of when the department discovers or reasonably should have discovered the violation. |
| HB2092 | 01/10/2025 | This bill amends Section 33-422 of the Arizona Revised Statutes to require sellers of five or fewer parcels of land, other than subdivided land, in unincorporated areas to provide a disclosure affidavit to buyers seven days before property transfer. The bill outlines specific information that must be included in the affidavit, such as property access, services, water supply, and compliance with local zoning regulations. Buyers have a five-day period to rescind the transaction upon receipt of the affidavit, which must be recorded by the seller or the escrow agent. The bill specifies that county recorders are not required to verify the affidavit’s accuracy, and it protects escrow agents from liability for inaccurate affidavit information. Exceptions to these requirements include specific cases like trustee sales or execution sales. |
| HB2091 | 01/10/2025 | This bill amends sections of the Arizona Revised Statutes related to land division and building permits. It requires a building permit for any construction exceeding $1,000, prohibits counties from denying permit applications based on the utility provider, and disallows extra fees for using specific utility services. Land divisions of five or fewer lots, ten acres or smaller, are subject to county review, but counties must approve these if they meet zoning and legal access requirements. A 30-day period is set for land division review, after which approval is assumed if not completed. The bill allows for variances and requires an affidavit for parcel splits, highlighting legal access and utility easements. Additionally, it emphasizes enforcement against avoiding subdivision laws by acting in concert to divide land into six or more lots. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage. |
| HB2090 | 01/10/2025 | This bill amends sections 11-831 and 32-2181 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, concerning real estate. It allows county boards of supervisors to adopt ordinances for the review and approval of land divisions involving five or fewer lots of up to 10 acres, mandating approval if requirements are met within 30 days. It also dictates that an application must comply with county zoning and access requirements, and applicants must acknowledge subdivision laws prohibiting the illegal division of land into six or more lots to avoid regulations. Additionally, the amendment specifies that creating six or more lots is generally subject to subdivision laws, with specific exemptions outlined. The bill clarifies unlawful attempts to bypass these regulations and defines “legal access” and “utility easement,” and adjusts procedural requirements for real estate developments. |
| HB2089 | 01/10/2025 | The bill amends procedures for designating and removing active management area (AMA) status from a groundwater basin in Arizona. It allows 10% of registered voters in a basin to petition for AMA designation, with a vote required under state election laws. Ten years after designation, voters may petition for removal of the AMA status, triggering a review of groundwater conditions by the director. If conditions no longer warrant AMA status, a removal election may be held. The bill outlines petition formats, voter eligibility, and county responsibilities for election costs and coordination, especially when a basin spans multiple counties. Effective oversight and order processes, including appeals, are also specified. |
| HB2088 | 01/10/2025 | The bill allows the Arizona director of water resources to designate or remove areas outside of initial active management areas as subsequent active management areas to address concerns such as groundwater preservation, land subsidence, fissuring, or water quality degradation. This designation can encompass multiple groundwater basins, though it cannot be smaller than a single basin, except in northern Arizona’s regional aquifer systems. The director must periodically review all areas to assess their eligibility for designation and hold public hearings prior to declaring or removing such management areas. Notice of hearings must be published, and any orders designating or removing active management areas must be filed and published as public records for transparency. |
| HB2087 | 01/10/2025 | This bill appropriates an unspecified sum from the state general fund for the fiscal year 2025-26 to a designated department for the purpose of cleaning and restoring artificial groundwater recharge facilities in certain areas of Arizona. These facilities must be located within a groundwater basin that is classified as a subsequent active management area and must offer flood control benefits. The funding for this initiative is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which typically regulates the lapsing of appropriations. The bill is designed to address maintenance and operational challenges of specified groundwater infrastructure. |
| HB2085 | 01/10/2025 | The bill amends section 45-557 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, focusing on the requirements for transporting groundwater to an initial active management area. It prohibits the consideration of certain groundwater for ensuring an assured water supply if a city, town, or private water company declined a central Arizona project (CAP) water delivery subcontract. For entities that have signed CAP subcontracts, the bill mandates that they demonstrate physical capacity to accept 95% of their CAP water entitlement and have accepted or exchanged at least 80% of available CAP water in one of the preceding three years before using transported groundwater. Exceptions are outlined for groundwater from the Big Chino sub-basin, allowing transport to an adjacent area under specific conditions. |
| HB2084 | 01/10/2025 | This bill outlines amendments to sections of the Arizona Revised Statutes related to the formation, expansion, and operation of domestic water improvement districts. It clarifies the definitions relevant to such districts and details the conditions under which they can be established in unincorporated areas, including their ability to construct and maintain infrastructure like waterworks or wastewater treatment facilities. The bill authorizes improvement districts to levy taxes, issue bonds, and undertake local improvements within the district. It also sets provisions for the inclusion of state lands within district boundaries and the circumstances under which commercial farming and stock raising lands may be excluded. The bill emphasizes districts’ capabilities to join with other governmental entities for public improvements and outlines compensation protocols when a district operates within areas served by a public service corporation. Additionally, the bill allows improvement districts to provide domestic wastewater services if deemed a public necessity by the county board of supervisors. |
| HB2083 | 01/10/2025 | This bill amends section 17-201 of the Arizona Revised Statutes concerning the game and fish commission’s membership. The commission, tasked with administering state wildlife laws, will consist of five members appointed by the governor. The bill stipulates that no more than three members may belong to the same political party; no two members may reside in the same county, and at least one must be a cattleman or rancher. The terms for these members are set for five years, expiring on the third Monday in January of the appropriate year. The governor holds the power to remove a member for inefficiency, neglect, or misconduct after a public hearing, with all related documents filed with the secretary of state. The commission must meet at least quarterly, and members are entitled to compensation for their duties, with payments made from the game and fish fund. Meetings can occur anywhere in the state, with the principal office located at the state capitol, and a majority is needed for a quorum. |
| HB2082 | 01/10/2025 | The bill amends Arizona’s transaction privilege and use tax laws, specifically sections 42-5061 and 42-5159, to include exemptions for wastewater pipes transported through pipes or valves with diameters of four inches or larger. It details various exemptions for tangible personal property and services, focusing on reducing the tax burden for specific business classifications, particularly those related to public welfare, healthcare, environmental protection, and agriculture. The bill includes the tax-exempt status of tangible personal property related to energy production, medical use, and equipment supporting physical and developmental disabilities. It specifies exemptions for charitable organizations, educational institutions, and nonprofit entities under specified conditions. The bill is effective for taxable periods beginning after the general effective date. |
| HB2081 | 01/10/2025 | This bill amends Section 43-1022 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, detailing subtractions from the Arizona gross income for adjusted tax purposes. It enumerates specific deductions such as exemptions, benefits, pensions up to $2,500, fiduciary adjustments, interest income from U.S. obligations, and federal work opportunity credits. It includes subtractions related to medical adoption costs, qualified educational expenses, retirement benefits, and active service compensation. The bill introduces deductions for virtual currencies acquired via airdrops, gas fees for transactions, and implements a new subtraction for cash tips reported to employers starting after Dec. 31, 2024. Additionally, it addresses contributions to retirement and tuition plans, net capital gains from small business investments, and compliance expenditures under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The effective date for the subtractions related to cash tips is set for taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 2024. |
