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View in browser Print Version Legislative Bulletin: Issue 6 – February 23, 2026 Legislative Update: Welcome to the seventh week of the legislative session. A total of 2,119 legislative measures have been introduced. Last week was the final week for bills to be heard in subject-matter committees in their chamber of origin. This week is crossover week with the focus on Appropriations Committee hearings and floor action as legislators work to transmit bills to the opposite chamber. House Resignation Rep. Joseph Chaplik (R), who represents Legislative District 3 (Cave Creek, Carefree, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and portions of Phoenix), announced this week that he will resign from the Arizona House of Representatives to focus on his campaign for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. Chaplik has served in the House since 2021 and is a founding member and vice chair of the Arizona Freedom Caucus. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will appoint a Republican replacement to serve the remainder of his term. The timing of the appointment may temporarily affect committee membership and vote margins in the closely divided House. League Resolutions - Municipal Priority Measures Advancing Several League resolutions and member-city priority measures advanced out of House policy committees last week. These proposals originated from League policy resolutions or municipal priorities and address issues including vacant and abandoned properties, municipal improvement districts, budget flexibility, housing in historic neighborhoods, and local authority over short-term rentals. HB 2375: housing; zoning; historic neighborhoods (Gress) PASSED House Committee on Government (4-3) on February 18 Exempts designated historic neighborhoods from the statutory requirement that municipalities allow middle housing types in single-family zoning districts. This represents a priority of Phoenix residents seeking to preserve historic neighborhoods. HB 2429: S/E vacation rentals; short-term rentals; occupancy (Bliss) PASSED House Committee on Commerce (8-2-1) on February 17; striker adopted League resolution. Establishes a statewide maximum overnight occupancy for vacation and short-term rentals of two adults per sleeping area plus up to two additional persons (excluding minors) and clarifies that local occupancy limits apply to overnight guests only. Expands grounds for denial or suspension of local permits to include unpaid fines and serious building code violations and extends the look-back period for repeated violations from 12 to 24 months. HB 2716: vacant; abandoned property; inspection; maintenance (Villegas) PASSED House Committee on Government (5-1-1) on February 18 Douglas-sponsored resolution. Authorizes cities and towns to adopt ordinances requiring registration, inspection, and maintenance of residential or commercial properties vacant or abandoned for more than 150 days, including minimum security, safety, and insurance standards and registration/inspection fees. Allows fee revenues to support enforcement and abatement and authorizes liens for unpaid costs, while preventing owners from evading compliance through transfer of property. HB 4064: municipal improvement districts; petitions (Bliss) PASSED House Committee on Government (5-2) on February 18 Camp Verde-sponsored resolution. Requires property-owner petitions before formation of a municipal improvement district and allows streamlined formation when all nonpublic property owners consent. Authorizes waiver of certain notice and protest procedures in fully consensual districts and requires petitions to state a maximum assessment amount that may not be exceeded. HB 4130: S/E budgets; municipalities; amendments (Blackman) Session Deadlines Every session has deadlines pertaining to bill submissions and hearings. These are established by Senate and House rule and are subject to change. This year’s schedule is as follows: March Friday 3/27: Last day for consideration of bills in opposite chamber April Friday 4/17: Last day for consideration of bills in conference committee Tuesday 4/21: 100th Day of Session Legislative Staff You may contact our legislative division by phone at (602) 258-5786 or by e- mail using the following information: Tom Savage, Legislative Director: tsavage@azleague.org Marshall Pimentel, Senior Legislative Associate: mpimentel@azleague.org Megan Didur, Legislative Associate: mdidur@azleague.org Nicholas Medel, Legislative Intern: nmedel@azleague.org PASSED House Committee on Government (4-1-2) on February 18; striker adopted Prescott-sponsored resolution. Authorizes cities and towns to amend an adopted budget during the fiscal year to appropriate additional, unanticipated revenues. Prohibits adoption of new or increased taxes or fees through a budget amendment. #Keepup with us on X. Keep up with the issues and events. CLICK HERE League of Arizona Cities and Towns 1820 W Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85007 info@azleague.org No longer want to receive these emails? Unsubscribe. What the League is Tracking Stay informed about legislation that affects municipalities throughout the state. Track proposed bills and resolutions, stay updated on their progress, and actively engage in the democratic process. Here are some priority measures the League is tracking: Legislative Bill Monitoring