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Legislative OverviewToday marks the 54th day of the First Regular Session of the 51st Legislature. This week saw committee agendas grow as bills moved through the chambers. Floor activity also remained high as both chambers worked to get bills into the opposite chamber for additional consideration. The deadline to hear bills in committee, March 22, continues to approach, urging the chambers to maintain their labors in earnest.There has been little to no new public information about budget negotiations either between the House and Senate, or the governor. The League remains alert for developments on the budget and will provide information about proposals as they become available. Changes to Transaction Privilege TaxesDiscussions on HB 2657 (transaction privilege tax changes) continue. Legislators, mayors and representatives from the governor's office met last week to discuss the bill and although no conclusions were reached, the discussions have remained largely positive and cooperative. At the time of this writing, a similar group of individuals is scheduled to meet on Friday morning to continue the dialogue. Both sides are evaluating the proposals from each camp with open minds and an honest desire to reach consensus. The League is hopeful that a package can be assembled that brings greater tax simplicity to those doing business in Arizona while preserving key municipal interests.Dedicated Property TaxSB 1470 (NOW: dedicated property tax) passed out of the Senate 25-3 on Monday and is currently awaiting committee assignment in the House of Representatives. The bill, sponsored by Senator Adam Driggs (R-Phoenix), authorizes municipalities to levy property taxes dedicated to the costs of providing police, fire, and emergency medical services. The respective voters of the municipality must approve the tax before it can be implemented. The bill also specifies specific information to be contained in the publicity pamphlet concerning the election.Other Bills of Note(All bills being actively monitored by the League can be found here.)Bill Number - Short Title - Subject(s) HB 2005: political subdivision entities; public access - transparency HB 2259: NOW: orthodontic devices; transaction privilege tax - finance HB 2292: photo radar citations; service times - transportation, criminal justice HB 2324: municipal tax code; leases - finance HB 2544: city parcel tax; prohibition - finance |
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Legislative Bulletin is published by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. Forward your comments or suggestions to league@azleague.org. |