The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet Wednesday and again Thursday as lawmakers sprint toward a major deadline. March 27 marks the final day for bills to receive a hearing in the opposite chamber from where they started. With that cutoff arriving Friday, legislators have expanded committee schedules to keep priority bills alive and moving this session.
This two-day schedule puts the spotlight on two closely watched bills: SB 1725, which addresses marijuana smoke as a public and private nuisance, and SB 1476, which focuses on felony child neglect related to prenatal substance exposure.
Committee leaders may call either bill on either day, so supporters and opponents should stay flexible. Many expect SB 1476 to come up Wednesday. However, when a bill draws heavy public interest and long speaker lists, lawmakers often move it to a later meeting to allow time for testimony.
SB 1725 has already generated significant engagement, with 262 people signed in to oppose it through the Request to Speak (RTS) system. With that level of interest — and the likelihood of extended debate — many observers expect lawmakers to hear it Thursday instead.
Of course, schedules can change quickly at the Capitol. If you plan to speak or show support, prepare for both days to ensure lawmakers hear your voice before the deadline.
Why Fiscal Notes Matter
Before lawmakers vote on a bill, they look closely at its fiscal note. A fiscal note outlines how much a proposal will cost the state — or how much it could save. It gives legislators a clear financial snapshot so they can weigh policy decisions alongside budget realities.
When a fiscal note shows minimal costs or potential savings, it often strengthens a bill’s momentum. Lawmakers tend to rally behind proposals that fit comfortably within the budget, especially in strong revenue years.
On the other hand, a high price tag or ongoing expenses can slow a bill down. In tighter budget cycles, even modest new costs can spark hesitation.
While a fiscal note doesn’t determine a bill’s fate on its own, it plays a powerful role in shaping debate and influencing votes at the Capitol.
New Fiscal Note for SB 1641
SB 1641 which is in the House Commerce Committee at 2pm today would create a first-of-its-kind marijuana producer licensing structure, now has an official fiscal note, added Monday, March 23. The good news: the proposal would likely pay for itself.
Budget analysts report that if the bill results in more marijuana producers applying for licenses, the Department of Health Services (DHS) would collect additional licensing and renewal fees to cover regulatory costs. Those fees would flow into the Smart and Safe Arizona Fund, which already supports marijuana oversight. Because DHS sets fees based on actual operating expenses, the program would not rely on the state’s General Fund.
Analysts cannot project an exact financial impact yet, since they don’t know how many producers will apply beginning in 2029. Still, current figures offer helpful context. As of early 2026, Arizona has 170 licensed adult-use marijuana establishments, and DHS reported 111 cultivation sites in fiscal year 2023. The bill would allow certain growers and manufacturers with existing contracts to apply for their own licenses.
The fiscal note also clarifies that if the Attorney General requires additional staff to oversee new license holders, the Smart and Safe Arizona Fund would cover those costs.
Overall, the numbers tell a clear story: increased licensing revenue would likely match any added regulatory expenses, keeping the program financially balanced while expanding opportunity.
Committees This Week
SB 1641 – Marijuana Producer Licensure
Tuesday, March 24
House Commerce Committee
2:00 PM
SB 1476 – Child Neglect; Prenatal Substance Exposure
House Judiciary Committee
Wednesday, March 25 at 9:00 AM
or Thursday, March 26 at 9:00 AM
or upon adjournment of the House Floor
SB 1725 – Marijuana Smoke; Public; Private Nuisance
House Judiciary Committee
Wednesday, March 25 at 9:00 AM
or Thursday, March 26 at 9:00 AM
or upon adjournment of the House Floor
The House Floor is usually in the afternoon, but the official floor calendar isn’t posted until the day before. There are a few morning committees with light agendas, so Floor could be held in the morning and committees afterward — or the other way around.
Follow along for updates as the schedule firms up.
Details
SB1363: Marijuana; Rural Opportunity Initiative
*Waiting on Senate Rules*
No Movement
01/22/2026 Introduced Senate
01/26/2926 Senate First Read
01/26/2026 Assigned Senate Natural Resources
01/27/2027 Senate Second Read
02/10/2026 Passed Natural Resources (vote 8-0-0)
This legislation authorizes 18 new dual-license marijuana permits for communities with fewer than 50,000 residents that sit at least 25 miles from the nearest existing dispensary. The Department of Health Services will grant these licenses to the first qualified applicants who submit timestamped electronic filings, using a random drawing only to break a tie. Although the bill expands the market, it preserves local authority by allowing cities and counties to opt out of the program through a formal resolution. Once they secure a license, business owners must launch their retail sites within 18 months and maintain at least 24 hours of operation per week.
Sections Affected
36-2803.01 Amended
36-2854 Amended
36-2857.01 Added
Sponsor:
Gowan Prime
VPA- Voter Protection Act (Prop 105): Yes
MORE INFO
Senate NR Fact Sheet
SB1476 Child Neglect; Prenatal Substance Exposure
**Scheduled House Judiciary Committee Wednesday March 25th 9am**
01/29/2026 Senate First Read
01/29/2026 Assigned Senate Judiciary and Elections
02/02/2026 Senate Second Read
02/18/2026 Passed Senate Judiciary and Elections (4-2-1)
02/23/2026 Passed Senate Rules
02/23/2026 Senate Caucus
02/26/2026 Senate(COW) Committee Of Whole
02/26/2026 Passed Senate Third Read (16-14-1)
02/27/2026 Transmit to House
03/09/2026 House First Read
03/09/2026 Assigned House Judiciary Committee
03/10/2026 House Second Read
3/25/2026 Calendar Scheduled House Judiciary Committee Wednesday 9am Room HHR4
Makes it a crime of child neglect in Arizona by making it a Class 6 felony for a person who has custody of a child to engage in conduct that harms the child and constitutes neglect as defined in existing law. It also establishes an affirmative defense for the child’s mother if she completed alcohol or drug treatment during pregnancy.
Sections Affected:
13-3619.01 Added
Sponsor:
Bolick Prime
Voter Protection Act Prop 103- No (but might need to be)
Senate Engrossed Version
SB 1641 Marijuana Producers; Licensure
*Scheduled House Commerce Committee March 24th 9am*
01/30/2026 Introduced Senate
02/05/2026 Senate First Read
02/05/2026 Assigned Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency (RAGE)
02/18-2026 Passed Senate Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency (RAGE) (vote 8-0-0)
03/11/2026 Due Pass Senate Rules
03/11/2026 Caucus
03/11/2026 Due Pass as Amended Senate (COW) Committee Of Whole
03/11/2026 Passed Senate Third Read (23-5-2)
03/16/2026 House First Read
03/16/2026 Assigned House Commerce Committee
03/17/2026 House Second Read
03/24/2026 Calendar Scheduled House Commerce Committee Tuesday 9am Room HHR
A marijuana producer is a licensed entity that can cultivate, process, manufacture, package, and store marijuana and marijuana products at a single location, but cannot sell or transfer them directly to consumers. Applications for these licenses will open on January 1, 2029, but until January 1, 2032, only entities with contracts established by January 1, 2026 with a marijuana establishment, nonprofit dispensary, or management company are eligible. During this period, licenses cannot be transferred or subleased, and unlicensed entities are prohibited from cultivating or manufacturing at producer sites. Beginning in 2030, the department will review market conditions annually and may issue additional licenses if it determines consumers would benefit. Marijuana producers are subject only to the same rules as marijuana establishments unless the law specifically provides otherwise.
Sections Affected:
36-2850 Amended
36-2854 Amended
36-2857 Amended
36-2858 Amended
36-2859 Amended
36-2860 Amended
36-2861 Amended
36-2864 Amended
36-2865 Amended
Sponsor:
Payne
VPA- Voter Protection Act (Prop 105): Yes
MORE INFO
SENATE FACT SHEET: 02/16/2026 RAGE
Adopted Amendments Senate
SENATE FACT SHEET: 03/11/2026 RAGE As Passed COW
SB1725: Marijuana Smoke; Public; Private Nuisance
**Scheduled House Judiciary Committee Wednesday March 25th 9am**
02/04/2026 Senate Introduced
02/05/2026 Senate First Read
02/05/2026 Assigned Senate Judiciary (JUD)
02/20/2026 Passed Senate Senate Judiciary and Elections (JUDE) (vote 5-2-0)
02/25/2026 Passed Senate Rules (5-4-0)
02/25/2026 Senate Caucus
03/03/2026 Due Passed as Amended Senate (COW) Committee Of Whole
03/09/2026 Senate Third Read Passed (20-9-1)
03/16/2026 House First Read
03/16/2026 Assigned House Judiciary Committee
03/17/2026 House Senond Read
3/25/2026 Calendar Scheduled House Judiciary Committee Wednesday 9am Room HHR4
Expands Arizona’s nuisance laws to explicitly treat excessive marijuana smoke and odor as a type of “crime” for purposes of declaring a residential property a nuisance, allowing affected residents, homeowner/property owner associations, and government attorneys to sue to abate the activity, with notice procedures and potential cost liens if an owner who knows about the activity fails to act. The bill also amends the criminal and public nuisance statutes to create presumptions that producing excessive marijuana smoke and odor endangers others’ health/safety (criminal nuisance) and is injurious, offensive, and interferes with property enjoyment (public nuisance)
Sections Affected:
12-991 Amended
13-2908 Amended
13-2917 Amended
Sponsor:
Mesnard
VPA- Voter Protection Act (Prop 105)– NO, but should be
MORE INFO
SENATE FACT SHEET: 02/16/2026 JUDE
SENATE FACT SHEET: 03/03/2026 JUDE As Passed COW
Senate Engrossed Version
SCR1047: Public Benefits; Fraud; Remedies
**Waiting on Senate Motion to Reconsider**
No Movement
02/04/2026 Senate Introduced
02/05/2026 Senate First Read
02/05/2026 Assigned Senate Public Safety (PS)
02/18/2026 Passed Senate Public Safety (PS) (Vote 4-3-0)
03/02/2026 Passed Senate Rules
03/03/2026 Caucus
03/09/2026 Due Pass as Amended Senate (COW) Committee Of Whole
03/10/2026 Failed to Pass Senate Third Read (12-17-1)
03/11/2026 Passed Senate Motion to Reconsider
A legislative referendum proposing comprehensive anti-fraud measures across multiple areas of state law. The resolution establishes an Attorney General Marijuana Enforcement Fund to investigate and prosecute fraud in marijuana licensing, enforce the Social Equity Ownership Program, support reentry programs, and provide grants to communities historically impacted by marijuana enforcement. It creates a receivership process allowing the Attorney General to take control of marijuana establishment licenses obtained under the Social Equity Ownership Program when fraud or predatory agreements are involved, with strict qualifications for appointed receivers and mechanisms for restoring licenses to original qualifying owners. The measure also introduces personal liability for elected and appointed officials who knowingly direct public funds to individuals who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, stripping them of immunity and prohibiting government reimbursement of any resulting judgments or legal fees. Finally, it establishes broad civil fraud prohibitions with penalties ranging from 11,000 to 11,000 to 25,000 per violation, triple damages, and mandatory revocation of any licenses obtained through fraudulent means. If approved by voters, these provisions would significantly expand the Attorney General’s enforcement authority over fraud affecting state programs and resources.
Sponsor:
Payne
VPA- Voter Protection Act (Prop 105): No, goes to ballot
MORE INFO
SENATE FACT SHEET: 02/16/2026 PS
Adopted Amendments
SCR1048: Public; Private Nuisance; Marijuana Smoke
**Waiting On Senate Motion To Reconsider*
No Movement
02/04/2026 Senate Introduced
02/05/2026 Senate First Read
02/05/2026 Assigned Senate Judiciary (JUD)
02/20/2026 Senate Judiciary and Elections (JUDE) (vote 4-3-0)
02/25/2026 Passed Senate Rules (5-4-0)
02/25/2026 Senate Caucus
02/25/2026 Senate Caucus
03/03/2026 Due Passed as Amended Senate (COW) Committee Of Whole
03/09/2026 Failed to Pass Senate Third Read (14-15-1)
03/09/2026 Passed Senate Motion To Reconsider
Expands Arizona’s nuisance laws to explicitly treat excessive marijuana smoke and odor as a type of “crime” for purposes of declaring a residential property a nuisance, allowing affected residents, homeowner/property owner associations, and government attorneys to sue to abate the activity, with notice procedures and potential cost liens if an owner who knows about the activity fails to act. The bill also amends the criminal and public nuisance statutes to create presumptions that producing excessive marijuana smoke and odor endangers others’ health/safety (criminal nuisance) and is injurious, offensive, and interferes with property enjoyment (public nuisance)
Sections Affected:
12-991 Amended
13-2908 Amended
13-2917 Amended
Sponsor:
Mesnard
VPA- Voter Protection Act (Prop 105):– No, goes to ballot
MORE INFO
SENATE FACT SHEET: 02/16/2026 JUDE
SENATE FACT SHEET: 03/03/2026 JUDE As Passed COW
Senate Engrossed Version