HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HB2026 - assured water supply; commingling

Sponsor: Rep. Gail Griffin (R)

Summary: Requires the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, when determining whether a proposed subdivision has sufficient water for a certificate of assured water supply, to evaluate only the specific water sources dedicated to the proposed use, regardless of whether the water will be distributed through a delivery system that commingles multiple water supplies.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: March 10, 2026 - Senate Natural Resources DO PASS (5-3-0-0)

HB2027 - physical availability; review; designated providers

Sponsor: Rep. Gail Griffin (R)

Summary: Prohibits the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) from applying the physical availability requirements for the Pinal Active Management Area to any city or town in the Phoenix Active Management Area that already holds a designation of assured water supply. Requires ADWR, within 30 days after the effective date of this legislation, to review the physical availability of groundwater and stored water for each city or town in the Phoenix Active Management Area that holds a designation of assured water supply.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: February 25, 2026 House Committee of the Whole - Retained on Calendar

HB2031 - grandfathered right; Willcox AMA; extension

Sponsor: Rep. Gail Griffin (R)

Summary: Extends the deadline for filing an application for a certificate of grandfathered groundwater right the Willcox Active Management Area (AMA) to 27 months after the designation of the Willcox AMA. Retroactive to January 8, 2026. Emergency clause.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: April 2, 2026 - Senate Committee of the Whole PASSED

HB2052 - management plan; water loss; percent

Sponsor: Rep. Gail Griffin (R)

Summary: Requires cities, towns and private water companies that distribute water for municipal use to limit lost and unaccounted-for water in their distribution systems to eight percent or less of all water entering the system from any source, calculated on either an annual or three-year average basis. Directs the Arizona Department of Water Resources to incorporate this requirement into the fifth management period plan and to adopt conforming rules within six months after the effective date.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: March 3, 2026 Referred to Senate Natural Resources

HB2053 - appropriation; stormwater recharge mapping; sites

Sponsor: Rep. Gail Griffin (R)

Summary: Appropriates $100,000 from the state general fund in FY2026-27 to the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to produce updated stormwater recharge mapping. Requires ADWR, within 180 days after the effective date, to work with an agricultural improvement district and the State Natural Resource Conservation Board to identify potential stormwater recharge sites that have suitable soil conditions, are located on any public or private lands and do not conflict with existing surface water rights or involve stormwater entering adjudicated streams or channels.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: March 9, 2026 - Referred to Senate Natural Resources and Senate Appropriations

HB2056 - appropriation; brackish groundwater; feasibility study

Sponsor: Rep. Gail Griffin (R)

Summary: Requires the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to conduct a feasibility study of potential brackish groundwater desalination project sites in Gila Bend, Ranegras Plain, the west Salt River Valley and the Little Colorado River plateau, including treatment, transportation and brine-disposal costs. Appropriates $100,000 from the state general fund in FY2026-27 to ADWR for the study.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: Appropriations, Transportation and Technology DO PASS (6-3-0-1)

HB2116 - appropriation; Colorado River litigation fund

Sponsor: Rep. Gail Griffin (R)

Summary: Appropriates $1 million from the state general fund in FY2026-27 to the Colorado River Litigation Fund.

Position: Support

Last Action: March 10, 2026 Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology - DO PASS (8-0-0-2)

HB2758 - McMullen Valley; eligible entities; groundwater

Sponsor: Rep. Gail Griffin (R)

Summary: Repeals existing statutory restrictions on groundwater transportation from the McMullen Valley groundwater basin and establishes a new framework allowing eligible public entities and regulated water utilities to withdraw and transport groundwater from historically irrigated acres under specified hydrologic limits, reporting requirements, and cost responsibility conditions. Authorizes transportation of groundwater to an initial active management area or limited use in La Paz County. Requires the Arizona Department of Water Resources to adopt rules and annually report total withdrawals from the McMullen Valley groundwater basin to the Governor and the Legislature.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: March 17, 2026 - Senate Natural Resources (4-3-0-1)

SENATE 

SB1200 - assured water supply; certificate; model. bodies of water; effluent; landscaping

Sponsor: Sen. Thomas "T.J." Shope (R)

Summary: Strike-Everything Amendment Adopted by House Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water: Allows a person to use a body of water constructed before January 1, 2026 in an active management area and filled and refilled with effluent as a conduit to transport another type of water for landscaping or other purposes by commingling the waters if the owner or operator measures and annually reports water volumes and adds sufficient effluent to offset net withdrawals. Requires the person to annually report water and effluent volumes withdrawn and delivered to the Arizona Department of Water Resources.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: March 17, 2026 House Natural Resources, Energy & Water DO PASS, Amended, Strike Everything (6-3-0-1)

SB1202 - supply and demand; assessment; groundwater.

Sponsor: Sen. Thomas "T.J." Shope (R)

Summary: Expands the Arizona Department of Water Resources’ (ADWR) annual water supply and demand assessment requirements by specifying detailed groundwater basin metrics that must be included in each five-year assessment for each groundwater basin.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: March 10, 2026 -House Natural Resources, Energy & Water DO PASS (6-3-0-1)

SB1287 - stock watering; active management areas

Sponsor: Sen. Timothy "Tim" Dunn (R)

Summary: Updates groundwater statutes to replace references to June 12, 1980 with" the date of designation of the active management area" for determining eligibility to withdraw groundwater for domestic purposes or stock watering under an irrigation grandfathered right.

Position: Support

Last Action: March 30,2026 - House Rules HELD

SB1335 water banking; annual report; posting groundwater savings credits; irrigation rights

Sponsor: Sen. Timothy "Tim" Dunn (R)

Summary: Strike-Everything Amendment Adopted by House Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water: Allows a holder of groundwater savings credits to continue irrigating the land under the irrigation grandfathered right for up to two years after the Arizona Department of Water Resources issues the credits.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: March 24, 2026 - House Natural Resources, Energy & Water DO PASS, strike everything (5-4-0-1)

SB1447 - groundwater withdrawal fee; Pinal AMA

Sponsor: Sen. Thomas "T.J." Shope (R)

Summary: Extends the period during which the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources does not levy a groundwater withdrawal fee in the Pinal Active Management Area (AMA) for Arizona water banking purposes through calendar year 2030, instead of 2026, and extends the authorization to levy a groundwater withdrawal fee in the Pinal AMA for groundwater and irrigation efficiency projects through calendar year 2030, instead of 2026. Extends the date for distributing unencumbered monies from the Temporary Groundwater and Irrigation Efficiency Projects Fund to contributors to December 31, 2032, instead of December 31, 2027, and delays the repeal of the Fund to April 1, 2033, instead of April 1, 2028

Position: Neutral

Last Action: March 24, 2026 - House Natural Resources, Energy & Water DO PASS (7-1-1-1)

SB1785 - water storage facility; withdrawals; area

Sponsor: Sen. Warren Petersen (R)

Summary: Modifies recovery well permitting for stored water by establishing presumptions for determining whether a recovery well is within the area of impact when an applicant does not submit a separate hydrologic study, including specified proximity standards to storage facilities and infrastructure.

Position: Neutral

Last Action: March 10, 2026 - House Natural Resources, Energy & Water DO PASS (6-3-0-1)