The Arizona Senate has been busy the past few weeks, passing a significant number of bills in support of a more conservative agenda. Thanks to an increased majority after the 2024 election, the Republican-led Senate has steadily increased its success rate in addressing what it sees as critical issues for the state. Many of the bills were penned by members of the Freedom Caucus, and overwhelmingly opposed by the Senate Democrats.

The bills addressed a wide swath of statewide hot-button issues. SB 1308, sponsored by Senator Frank Carroll, enhances licensing, oversight, and regulation of sober living homes by the state’s Department of Health Services (DHS). SB 1586, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp, imposes civil liability on health care professionals or physicians providing gender transition procedures to minors. SB 1144, sponsored by Senate Public Safety Committee Chairman, Senator Kevin Payne, allows Maricopa County to ask voters to extend the jail excise tax for up to 20 years to cover public safety employee salaries and to pay for the maintenance and renovations of jails and juvenile detention facilities. SB 1123, sponsored by Senator Mark Finchem, requires the use of multiple fraud countermeasures on ballots. These include, for example, watermarked security paper, secure anti-copy holographic foil, and unique bar codes/QR codes, to name but a few.

However, there were also some significant bipartisan wins for the Senate. SB 1214, Sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope, allows a pharmacist to independently test for and treat eligible patients for certain medical conditions to alleviate a severe doctor shortage in Arizona. SB 1319, sponsored by Senator Tim Dunn, allows the certification of election officers in even-numbered years, addressing the shortage of workers to administer elections.

These are just a few of the legislative wins emanating from the Senate. It’s clear that the Republican-controlled majority is taking full advantage of the new electoral paradigm.