Bills: SB1307, SB1425, SB1826, SB1365, SB1696

Keywords: Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma Arts Council, J.M. Davis Memorial Commission, historical preservation, arts funding, museum, gun collection, state agency contracts, 501(c)(3), nonprofit corporation, public funds, sectarian, religious funding restriction, appropriations, fiscal oversight, cultural institutions, historical artifacts, SB1425, health care, healthcare workforce

Bills: SB248, SB985, SB1307, SB1319, SB1405, SB1530, SB1919

Keywords: tourism, revolving fund, Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, real property, fund management, Oklahoma Local Food for Schools, school meals, local food procurement, farm to school, school districts, Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, local producers, meat processors, reimbursement program, agriculture, nutrition, farmers, ranchers, local sourcing

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1573 adds a new statute that prohibits courts from relying on religious sectarian law.
• The flag that we've raised here is ...from relying on religious sectarian law.
• And because the law possibly then treats certain religious sectarian laws differently, we apply the Larson
• test, which is a strict scrutiny evaluation, ...sectarian laws differently, we apply the Larson test
• Are you aware of any instances in which an Arizona court has applied religious sectarian law? Mr.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So whatever the heck this bill is doing by trying to prohibit a court from relying on religious sectarian
• instance at all in the history of the state of Arizona where a state court has relied on religious sectarian
• him that this bill says application of foreign laws and application of foreign laws and religious sectarian
• Minority Leader de la Centos, have you seen where Sharia law and other religious sectarian laws have
• Have you seen where Shari law and other religious sectarian laws have been upheld by any U.S. courts?

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1573 adds a new statute that prohibits courts from relying on religious sectarian law.
• And because the law possibly then treats certain religious sectarian laws differently, we apply the Larson
• Madam Rules Attorney, are you aware of any instances in which an Arizona court has applied religious sectarian

Summary: The Rules Committee considered several Senate bills and heard constitutional/form reviews from rules attorneys. Senate Bill 1012, which would loosen restrictions on carrying concealed weapons in restaurants and adjust liquor licensing/Dram Shop liability, was flagged for a possible anti-abrogation issue but was still recommended constitutional and in proper form by a 5-2 vote. Senate Bill 1573, barring courts from relying on religious sectarian law, was flagged for a possible First Amendment Establishment Clause challenge under the Larson test and was also recommended by a 5-2 vote. Senate Bill 1613, the annual reviser’s technical corrections bill, was described as fixing drafting defects such as title problems and conflicting effective dates and was recommended unanimously. Senate Bill 1683, restricting property rights and certain equipment use by foreign adversary nations or their agents, was flagged for possible conflict with federal foreign-relations law and FIRRMA but was recommended by a 5-3 vote. Senate Bill 1725, defining excessive marijuana smoke or odor as a nuisance, was flagged for possible conflict with voter-protected marijuana initiatives and a potential VPA issue; it was recommended by a 5-3 vote. At the end of the meeting, the committee took a mass motion on a long list of additional Senate bills, with one correction made to change a bill reference from SB 1444 to SB 1445. The Rules Office said the measures in the mass motion were constitutional and in proper form, and the committee approved them unanimously, 8-0. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• What happens in 1819 sectarian schools.
• So Article 6 was going to be sectarian.
• It said, 'Shall remove certain sectarian references,' and, uh, I think removing all those sectarian references
• sectarian references removing all those sectarian references from<03:26:47.120> the<03:26:47.520
• They believe the amendment removed obsolete sectarian language.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So whatever the heck this bill is doing by trying to prohibit a court from relying on religious sectarian
• instance at all in the history of the state of Arizona where a state court has relied on religious sectarian
• him that this bill says application of foreign laws and application of foreign laws and religious sectarian
• Have you seen where Sharia law and other religious sectarian laws have been upheld by any U.S. courts

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, guest introductions, and a proclamation honoring the East Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Members also welcomed the Doctor of the Day and several guest groups, including Alzheimer’s Association advocates. The chamber then moved into Committee of the Whole to consider several Senate bills. In Committee of the Whole, the House advanced SB 1037, SB 1233, SB 1290, and SB 1445, adopting committee amendments where offered and giving each a do pass recommendation; SB 1814 was retained. Members discussed SB 1055, which would require reporting certain unlawfully present individuals arrested for crimes to federal immigration authorities, with Democrats raising concerns about profiling and civil liberties and Republicans arguing it simply enforces federal law; it also received a do pass recommendation. SB 1274, relating to transportation and infrastructure, was amended and recommended do pass, SB 1502 also advanced, and SB 1573, concerning foreign or religious sectarian law in state courts, prompted debate over whether it was necessary or duplicative but was likewise recommended do pass. The Committee of the Whole report was adopted, and the measures were assigned accordingly. The House then took up third-reading votes. SB 1168 and SB 1172 passed overwhelmingly, SB 1290 passed after debate about HOA meeting openness, SB 1221 passed on a 32-24 vote after supporters said it would improve tax transparency, and SB 1400 passed 47-9 despite concerns about peer support and counseling protections. SB 1214, a medical practice bill involving stem cell regenerative therapies, failed 25-31 after some members said they were not comfortable with the measure; afterward, a motion to reconsider its failure was adopted, placing it back on the third-reading calendar. The House also granted the Senate permission to adjourn until April 27, and then adjourned until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, members, Senate Bill 1573, judicial determinations, religious sectarian laws, passed out
• They couldn't identify any occasion of a court applying Sharia law or any other religious sectarian law
• Madam Chair Member, Senate Bill 1573, Judicial Determinations, Religious Sectarian Laws, passed out a
• They couldn't identify any occasion of a court applying Sharia law or any other religious sectarian law

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting was a caucus review of a large calendar of Senate bills, with members mainly hearing short titles, committee vote counts, and whether bills were on consent or pulled for further discussion. Many measures were reported out on party-line or split votes and several were flagged to be removed from consent, especially bills involving artificial intelligence content verification, public benefits eligibility, gender transition procedures liability, health insurance reimbursement for vaccines, light rail feasibility review, public employees merit hiring, public records fees, virtual currency payments, tax conformity, undocumented immigrants and financial services, central bank digital currency, and public monies investment in trust currency. The caucus also discussed a number of education, public safety, child welfare, health, and regulatory bills. These included measures on school communications, bullying liability, AED training, classroom management, school safety reporting, DCS procedures, fingerprinting at behavioral health facilities, probation conditions, missing children reporting, sex offender monitoring, crimes against children probation monitoring, and domestic violence release conditions. Several members raised objections or concerns about specific bills, including mandatory sentencing, religious sectarian law language, concealed weapons notice repeal, and a bill on death sentence by firing squad, with some members asking to pull those bills from consent. A final topic was a blue-sheet Senate amendment to HB 2874 on campaign committee termination statements and penalties. Rhonda explained the Senate changes would void penalties for committees with no contributions or expenditures, retroactive to December 2021, but noted the Senate did not secure enough votes for the emergency clause. Members asked about the rationale, the Secretary of State’s position, and the amount of outstanding penalties. The chair later announced that the Senate amendment was being refused, so the bill would not receive final passage that day and would instead be sent back for further action or conference.

Bills: SB1110, SB1140, SB1234, SB1275, SB1426, SB1436, SB1470, SB1489, SB1512, SB1540, SB1556, SB1568, SB1569, SB1573, SB1585, SB1609, SB1627, SB1634, SB1635, SB1648, SB1654, SB1687, SCR1027, SCR1040

Keywords: home confinement, electronic monitoring, community supervision, criminal justice reform, recidivism, expungement, misdemeanor, criminal record, Arizona Revised Statutes, judicial process, record sealing, juvenile court, legal representation, appointed attorney, guardian ad litem, child welfare, veterans, mental health, criminal diversion, military service

Transcript Highlights:

• the state making sure we are not spending public monies on any institution that's trying to teach sectarian
• Our Arizona Constitution requires... ...sectarian information inside our public schools.
• Our Arizona Constitution requires that our public schools do not teach any sectarian education, and I

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Madam Chair, members, Senate Bill 1573, judicial determinations, religious sectarian laws, passed out
• Madam Chair Member, Senate Bill 1573, Judicial Determinations, Religious Sectarian Laws, passed out a
• They couldn't identify any occasion of a court applying Sharia law or any other religious sectarian law

Summary: The caucus reviewed a long list of bills, with members instructed to move quickly, note short titles, and pull only selected measures from consent. Many bills were reported as passing committee on party-line votes or with split votes, while others were unanimous. Several members repeatedly requested bills be pulled from consent, especially on contentious topics such as artificial intelligence content verification, gender transition procedures provider liability, vaccine reimbursement rates, light rail expansion feasibility, public employee merit hiring, health board evaluations, rural health funding, patient steering, DCS policies, school safety, virtual currency payments, undocumented immigrants’ financial services, central bank digital currency, and various criminal justice and education measures. A number of bills drew brief substantive comments or objections. One member criticized SB 1015 on Trans Visibility Day. Another raised concerns about fingerprinting requirements for behavioral health facilities, arguing similar safeguards should apply to universal voucher programs. Judiciary-related bills also prompted strong reactions, including measures on narcotics sentencing for minors, probation and immigration notification, crimes against children monitoring, and a death penalty bill involving firing squad, which drew an explicit objection for the record. Several bills were flagged because of split votes, Democratic no votes, or concerns about funding, constitutional issues, or policy consistency. The caucus also discussed a blue-sheet amendment to HB 2874 on campaign committee termination statements and penalties. Members asked about the retroactive date, the size of outstanding fines, the Secretary of State’s position, and who offered the Senate amendment. Supporters described it as a cleanup bill that would help committees close out old accounts, while others questioned the retroactive scope and financial impact. The chair ultimately announced that Mr. Winninger was refusing the Senate amendment, so final passage would not occur that day and the measure would instead go to conference committee or remain unresolved.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're changing the<02:27:48.720> non<02:27:49.040> sectarian<02:27:49.760> private
• c><02:27:50.080> to<02:27:50.319> nonpublic the non sectarian private to nonpublic the
• , all schools and uh non sectarian, all schools and uh non sectarian, private,<02:28:57.960> non-public
• ,<02:28:58.960> sectarian,<02:28:59.680> whatever private, non-public, sectarian, whatever
• <02:29:23.200> to sectarian to sectarian to non-public.<02:29:25.359> So<02:29:25.520><

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• <02:57:38.960> was 2021, um the word non sectarian was 2021, um the word non sectarian was
• The word non sectarian<02:57:49.840> was<02:57:50.279> removed.
• Um so this bill sectarian was removed.
• <03:04:02.319> schools used to finance sectarian schools used to finance sectarian schools
• contracting with the sectarian schools. contracting with the sectarian schools.

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It said that authorizing the use of public funds to transport students to sectarian schools served a
• same rights and privileges relating to transportation in that case, and that any benefit to the sectarian
• It said that authorizing the use of public funds to transport students to sectarian schools served a
• schools uh served students to sectarian schools uh served a<01:42:52.480> legitimate<01:42:53.119
• schools would be purely the sectarian schools would be purely incidental. incidental. incidental.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• form of ranked-choice voting for decades, and researchers suggest that RCV has worked to bridge sectarian
• RCV has worked choice voting for decades and researchers suggested that RCV has worked to bridge sectarian

Keywords: 995, all

Summary: The Joint Committee on Election Laws held a hearing on ranked choice voting, focusing primarily on Boston’s home rule petition (H. 4262) and Bedford’s petition (H. 4916). Committee chairs Dan Hunt and Senator Keenan opened the hearing, explained the three-minute testimony limit, and noted that written testimony would also be accepted. The hearing featured testimony from a wide range of supporters, including advocacy organizations, community leaders, Boston City Council members, and Bedford residents. Witnesses generally argued that ranked choice voting would produce majority-supported winners, reduce vote-splitting and negative campaigning, encourage coalition-building, and give voters more freedom to rank candidates without fear of wasting their vote. Several speakers emphasized local control and said Boston and Bedford should be allowed to decide for themselves whether to adopt the system. Others highlighted potential benefits for women, historically marginalized communities, and voter participation more broadly. Boston councilors and supporters also described the city’s local approval process and said the proposal would still require voter ratification if enacted by the legislature. No opposition testimony was presented in the excerpt. The committee took no substantive vote on the bills during the hearing; after testimony concluded, the chairs thanked participants and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill removes the word non-sectarian, non-religious schools so that towns can send their students
• , non-religious schools so non sectarian, non-religious schools so that<00:56:51.040> towns<00
• Speaker, if I know that the minor change from non-sectarian private to non-public opens the door further
• Speaker, if I know that the minor change from non-sectarian private to non-public opens the door further
• I know that the minor change from non-sectarian private to non-public opens the door further to allowing

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, members, Senate Bill 1573 restricts any court in Arizona from relying on religious sectarian
• Chairman, members, Senate Bill 1573 restricts any court in Arizona from relying on religious sectarian
• The way I read this, it prohibits the court from relying on religious sectarian law as controlling or

Bills: SB1004, SB1012, SB1100, SB1110, SB1170, SB1213, SB1317, SB1402, SB1413, SB1416, SB1476, SB1511, SB1573, SB1655, SB1656, SB1709, SB1720, SB1723, SB1725, SCR1040

Keywords: sex offender registration, sex offender registry, A.R.S. 13-3821, sexual offenses, public safety, GPS monitoring, electronic monitoring, transient offender, homeless registrant, online identifiers, internet identifiers, sheriff notification, Department of Public Safety, DPS, DNA collection, juvenile adjudication, kidnapping of a minor, unlawful imprisonment of a minor, lifetime registration, community notification

Transcript Highlights:

• On 19, Adrian, where you talked about the sectarian, non-sectarian, non-denominational, so are we saying

Bills: SB241, SB145

Keywords: child care, child care assistance, child care subsidy, early childhood education, early childhood care, daycare, preschool, pre-K, Head Start, Early Head Start, Children's Code, early childhood education and care department, ECECD, child care facilities, licensed child care, registered child care, copayments, waitlist, subsidy, federal poverty level

Transcript Highlights:

• So our Constitution specifically says that we cannot teach anything sectarian in public schools, and
• sectarian broadly meaning any ideology.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The meeting covered a long list of House bills, mostly on third-read consent calendars, spanning appropriations, elections, education, public safety, water, taxation, and criminal law. Early discussion focused on HB 2148, which would give the legislature authority to appropriate non-custodial federal funds, described by the sponsor as a transparency measure. Other measures discussed included HB 2091 on insurance-related assessment limits, HB 2122 on reciprocity for BTR-related professions, HB 2138 clarifying firefighter workers’ compensation coverage, and HB 2008 barring public school libraries from using public money to pay library professional associations. HB 2110, removed from consent, would allow school governing body members to pray at meetings, with members noting Supreme Court precedent supporting such prayer. Several bills addressed school safety and parental rights. HB 2142 would create a School Safety Center at the Arizona Department of Education and allow up to 10% of school safety program funds for administration, with supporters citing an audit and lack of oversight. HB 2249 would expand the Parents’ Bill of Rights to require notice if a school employee facilitates social transitioning of a minor and to provide broader access to educational records, with penalties discussed for violations. HB 2074 would add mandatory reporting for anyone in a medical facility who knows a partial-birth abortion is occurring, and HB 2144 would allow child support calculations to begin during pregnancy based on a confirmed pregnancy test and related DNA testing provisions. The committee also took up election-related measures. HB 2022 would make permanent changes tied to the federal Electoral Count Act, including moving Arizona’s primary earlier to preserve military and overseas voting access, while keeping petition dates valid and preserving existing deadlines for candidates. HCM 2001 urged federal designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, and HCM 2002 supported a separate congressional effort involving CARE and related federal review and designation processes; members debated the distinction between direct designation and a request for federal investigation. HCR 2001 proposed a constitutional amendment to limit voting to U.S. citizens, require government ID to register, prohibit foreign contributions, and end early voting by the Friday before an election. Water, land use, and tax bills were also reviewed. Measures included HB 2024 on snowpack augmentation as a water supply development project, HB 2029 and HB 2030 tightening how Water Conservation Grant Fund money is used, HB 2053 appropriating $100,000 for updated stormwater recharge mapping, HB 2096 expanding revolving fund uses to address cesspools, HB 2097 capping groundwater withdrawal in irrigation non-expansion areas, and HB 2116 funding potential Colorado River litigation. On the tax side, HB 2016 would remove late-filing penalties when no tax is due, HB 2104 and HB 2105 would protect agricultural property owners from repeated reclassification and require notice of inspections, and HB 2289 would update truth-in-taxation examples to reflect higher home values. The committee also heard bills on criminal penalties and other matters, including HB 2043 on felony murder involving an unborn child, HB 2045 on discharging a weapon near a vehicle, HB 2131 and HB 2132 on weapons trafficking and fentanyl penalties, and HB 2062 authorizing a Buffalo Soldiers memorial in Wesley Bolin Plaza.

Transcript Highlights:

• to be mindful that we live in a secular democracy, by design, instituted by our founders to keep sectarian