The 55^th Arizona Legislature adjourned its second regular session sine die on June 25.

During the session, Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation in March to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in Arizona’s elections, further protecting the state’s voters and strengthening election integrity.

In May, the governor continued to strengthen election laws, signing a bill to update Arizona’s automatic election recount margin threshold to one-half of one percent for specified election contests.

This does not affect lobbying reporting dates.

The Arizona Legislature adjourned sine die on June 30, concluding a 171-day session that was among the longest in recent state history.

Relating to campaign finance, Senate Bill 1714 passed. Effective September 28, the bill provides a person who makes an expenditure for an advertisement or fund-raising fundraising solicitation, other than an individual, must include in the advertisement or solicitation the aggregate percentage of out-of-state contributors as calculated at the time the advertisement was produced for publication, display, delivery, or broadcast.

The disclosure must state “paid for by” followed by ” the aggregate percentage of out-of-state contributors. If the advertisement is delivered by hand or by mail, the disclosure must be clearly readable, and if the advertisement is paid for by a political action committee, the disclosure must be displayed in a height that is at least 10% of the vertical height of the advertisement.

Several other significant issues, including the passage of sweeping tax cuts, approval for an increase in unemployment benefits starting in 2022 and criminal justice changes were also resolved by final adjournment.

The 2022 Legislature is scheduled to convene on January 10.

The Arizona Legislature adjourned sine die on May 26 after the Senate’s swift move to adjourn was approved.

The Senate had voted to end the session when it convened previously on May 8.

However, this vote was met with opposition by Republican lawmakers.

The sine die adjournment leaves hundreds of bills dead that had been progressing through the Capitol before lawmakers postponed the session in March.

Gov. Doug Ducey is expected to call lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session in the coming weeks.

In this session they will deal with coronavirus-related legislation and the state budget.

Lawmakers approved a $50 million relief package for COVID-19 relief before recessing for three weeks as a public health precaution.

The relief package allows Gov. Doug Ducey’s administration to use the funds for the following:

• • Housing assistance
  • Aid for businesses
  • Nonprofits and healthcare providers with fewer than 50 employees
  • Assistance for food banks as well as organizations serving people experiencing homelessness

The budget will keep state government operating into the new fiscal year beginning in July.

The Legislature is suspended until April 13 unless the House speaker and Senate president announce otherwise.

This does not affect lobbyist reporting.

The Arizona Legislature adjourned the first regular session of the 53^rd Legislature sine die on May 10, 2017.

Senate Bill 1123 passed, prohibiting any person acting on behalf of a state agency from entering into a contract for lobbying services, and from spending money for any person or entity to lobby on behalf of the agency unless the person is a state employee.

The Legislature is not scheduled to convene again until early 2018.

On May 7, the Arizona Legislature adjourned its 52nd, Second regular session sine die at 5:45 a.m. The governor has 10 days once the Legislature has adjourned to sign a bill into law, veto a bill, or do nothing and allow it to become law without his or her signature. The governor does not have a pocket veto. The Legislature can override a governor’s veto with a vote of two-thirds of its members.