HB2429 - Occupational licenses; convictions
Sponsor: Rep. Justin Wilmeth (R)
Summary: An agency is prohibited from denying a regular occupational license or a provisional occupational license to an otherwise qualified applicant who has been convicted of a felony offense other than a dangerous crime against children, or a serious or violent or aggravated felony. The Fingerprinting Division of the Arizona Department of Public Safety is required to issue a fingerprint clearance card to an applicant who is applying for a card for the purpose of obtaining a license under Title 32 (Professions and Occupations) if the person's criminal history record does not contain any of a specified list of offenses. Last Action 2023-03-30 S - DISC/HELD - Senate Judiciary - Senate Judiciary
HB2727 - Contractor licensure; handyman exemption. Sponsor Rep. Lupe Diaz (R) Summary The maximum value of a sales contract that can qualify for the handyman exemption from contractor licensure is increased to $2,500, from $1,000, and the Registrar of Contractors is required, beginning January 1, 2024, to annually increase that dollar amount for inflation. Last Action 2023-02-09 H - Hearing Scheduled - 02/15/2023 - House RA, HHR 5 02/15/2023 - House RA, HHR 5
HB2807 - TPT; prime contracting; exemption; alterations Sponsor Rep. Michael Carbone (R) Summary The definitions of "modification" and "alteration" for the purpose of computing the tax base for the prime contracting classification of transaction privilege taxes are modified. Effective January 1, 2024 and applies to contracts, bids, or other binding obligations entered into beginning January 1, 2024. Last Action 2023-03-13 H - DP - House Committee of the Whole - House Committee of the Whole
SB1272 - CTEs; in-demand programs; funding Sponsor Sen. Ken Bennett (R) Summary Deletes the requirement for a 9th grader enrolled in a Career Technical Education (CTE) program to reach the 40th day of 11th grade enrolled in the CTE program in order to receive funding, unless that student was enrolled in a program on the in-demand regional education list. Deletes the requirement for the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Arizona Department of Education to annually compile an in-demand regional education list. Repeals the Arizona Industry Credentials Incentive Program. Last Action 2023-02-28 H - Hearing Scheduled - 02/28/2023 - Second Reading, Floor 02/28/2023 - Second Reading, Floor
SB1290 - Inmates; documentation; workforce reentry. Sponsor Sen. Steve Kaiser (R) Summary The Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) is required to provide an inmate who is discharged from imprisonment for a felony offense and who intends to reside in Arizona with relevant documentation to assist the inmate in obtaining postrelease employment, including coordinating with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) to provide the inmate with a nonoperating identification license or replace the inmate's driver license or nonoperating identification license, if applicable. ADOT is required to allow copies of birth certificates along with ADC record cards to serve as valid forms of photo identification to obtain a license. ADC is required to provide an inmate with a list of documentation, including a copy of the inmate's work record and a resume that includes any trade learned by the inmate. Effective January 1, 2024. AS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR Last Action 2023-04-18 G - Signed
SB1563 - Workforce; study committee; report Sponsor Sen. Steve Kaiser (R) Summary Establishes a 14-member Joint Legislative New American Talent Study Committee to review best practices to maximize economic integration of new Americans into the workforce, evaluate state requirements and policies that pose unnecessary barriers to new American workforce participation, and identify solutions that improve access to new American talent in Arizona. The Committee is required to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by December 31, 2023, and self-repeals July 1, 2024. AS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR Last Action 2023-04-18 G - Signed
SB1715 - Contractor licensure; handyman exemption Sponsor Sen. David Gowan (R) Summary The maximum value of a sales contract that can qualify for the handyman exemption from contractor licensure is increased to $2,000, from $1,000, and the Registrar of Contractors is required, beginning January 1, 2024, to annually increase that dollar amount for inflation based on the GDP price deflator and rounded to the nearest $50. AS PASSED SENATE Last Action 2023-03-08 H - Hearing Scheduled - 03/08/2023 - Second Reading, Floor 03/08/2023 - Second Reading, Floor
Legislature: The legislature will reconvene on Wednesday, May 3 without a majority. And even after a replacement is named, other legislators have announced vacation travel plans, which will make getting a majority difficult for the first three weeks of May. Interviews to fill the vacated seat of former Rep. Liz Harris are also on Wednesday. The board will likely make the pick on May 10 with Julie Willoughby, being seen as the frontrunner. Also, reports indicate that the budget negotiations are proceeding well. Of course, with Governor Hobbs on the ninth floor we should expect K-12 and universities to do better than they did during the Ducey Administration, although details remain scarce.
Arizona Industry Credentials Incentive Program: Some of the schools that we work with are upset that funding is ending for the Arizona Industry Credentials Incentive Program. This was a temporary grant fund created by the Ducey Administration; because it was designed to just run for two years, the program has not received any general fund monies since 2021. The Arizona Department of Education supports ending the program because there is no support in the legislature or the governors’ office for funding this Ducey Administration priority. However, the Department and schools still have to process all the paperwork associated with the program even though no money is being dispensed. At the same time, there is some support for more broadly funding for CTED 9th graders and CTED students enrolled in the year after graduation. Currently this funding is limited just to CTE programs included in the annual in-demand regional education lists created by the Office of Economic Opportunity. Finally, there has also been talk of eliminating the criteria that an associates degree offered by a CTED may only be for CTED programs that are on the OEO's in-demand regional education list.
Prevailing Wage: Phoenix - On April 19 the City of Phoenix repealed an ordinance to implement a prevailing wage for city projects. The city had just passed that ordinance the previous month. The stated reason for the repeal was a 1487 complaint. 1487 complaints are a legal challenge that if successful can result in substantial loss of state funds to the city. The council is forming a stakeholder group to discuss next steps while the legal issues are sorted out. Most construction attorneys I have spoken to believe that state law clearly prohibits the imposition of prevailing wages by cities.
Prevailing Wage: Tempe - Next week the city of Tempe will hold the first to two council meetings to consider the imposition of a prevailing wage for city funded projects. In conjunction with other industry groups, we have a series of meetings set up with staff and council members to oppose this ordinance