HB2720 makes a narrow change to Arizona’s criminal drug definitions by revising the statutory definition of “threshold amount” in A.R.S. § 13-3401. The bill specifically adds “hydrolyzed cocaine” to the cocaine threshold provisions, setting the threshold amount at nine grams of cocaine, including hydrolyzed cocaine, and 750 milligrams of cocaine base or hydrolyzed cocaine. It also makes conforming renumbering changes within the threshold-amount subsection so the list of controlled substances remains internally consistent.
The practical effect is to ensure that hydrolyzed cocaine is treated the same as cocaine base for threshold-amount purposes under Arizona drug-offense law. Threshold amounts are used in charging and sentencing decisions for certain drug crimes, so this change affects how prosecutors, courts, and defense counsel classify and measure cocaine-related offenses. The bill does not create a new offense or broadly rewrite controlled-substance law; it updates a definition that can influence felony exposure and penalty ranges in cases involving cocaine in hydrolyzed form.
The overall sentiment around the bill appears strongly supportive and noncontroversial. It passed the House Judiciary Committee 9-0, the House Rules Committee 7-0, the House on third reading 59-0, the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee 7-0, and the Senate on third reading 27-0. The unanimous votes suggest broad bipartisan agreement that the change was technical or clarifying rather than policy-shifting.
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record, and no committee transcripts were provided. The only notable issue visible from the bill text is the specific policy choice to include hydrolyzed cocaine in the threshold framework, which may matter to law enforcement and prosecutors handling cocaine-base cases. Because the bill was enacted and approved by the governor, any disagreement that may have existed did not surface in the recorded votes.
Impact
The bill amends A.R.S. § 13-3401, the definitions section for Arizona’s drug-offense chapter, by revising the threshold-amount definition to expressly include hydrolyzed cocaine. This affects how cocaine-related quantities are measured for threshold-amount offenses and related criminal penalties, while leaving the rest of the controlled-substances framework unchanged. The amendment is likely to be applied by prosecutors, courts, and defense attorneys in cases involving cocaine base or hydrolyzed cocaine.
Sentiment
The bill’s legislative history shows unanimous or near-unanimous support at every recorded stage, including committee and floor votes in both chambers. That pattern indicates the measure was viewed as a straightforward, technical update to drug definitions rather than a controversial policy change. No opposition is reflected in the available voting record or committee materials.
Contention
No formal contention is evident in the available record. The only potentially sensitive point is the inclusion of hydrolyzed cocaine in the threshold-amount definition, which could affect charging and sentencing outcomes in cocaine cases. However, the unanimous votes suggest that any concerns were minimal or resolved before recorded action.
Controlled substances: other; sentencing guidelines for retail sale of products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine; modify. Amends sec. 13m, ch. XVII of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.13m). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4947'25