Arizona 2025 Regular Session

Arizona House Bill HB2530 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	REFERENCE TITLE: homelessness rights; criminal liability State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 HB 2530 Introduced by Representatives Austin: Abeytia, Liguori, Sandoval, Villegas AN ACT amending title 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding chapter 9; amending title 13, chapter 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 13-207; relating to homeless persons. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
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9	9	REFERENCE TITLE: homelessness rights; criminal liability
10	10	State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
11	11	HB 2530
12	12	Introduced by Representatives Austin: Abeytia, Liguori, Sandoval, Villegas
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14	14	REFERENCE TITLE: homelessness rights; criminal liability
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24	24	State of Arizona
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40	40	HB 2530
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44	44	Introduced by
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46	46	Representatives Austin: Abeytia, Liguori, Sandoval, Villegas
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64	64	AN ACT
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68	68	amending title 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding chapter 9; amending title 13, chapter 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 13-207; relating to homeless persons.
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74	74	(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
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78	78	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Title 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding chapter 9, to read: CHAPTER 9 HOMELESSNESS RIGHTS ARTICLE 1. HOMELESS PERSONS' BILL OF RIGHTS START_STATUTE1-901. Homeless persons' bill of rights; attorney fees and costs A. A person's rights, privileges or access to public services may not be denied or abridged solely because the person is homeless. A homeless person has the same rights and privileges as any other resident of this state. A person experiencing homelessness: 1. Has the right to use and move freely in public spaces, including public sidewalks, public parks, public transportation and public buildings, in the same manner as any other person and without discrimination on the basis of the person's housing status. 2. Has the right to equal treatment by all state and municipal agencies without discrimination on the basis of housing status. 3. Has the right not to face discrimination while seeking or maintaining employment due to the person's lack of permanent mailing address or the person's mailing address being that of a shelter or social service provider. 4. Has the right to emergency medical care that is free from discrimination based on the person's housing status. 5. Has the right to vote, register to vote and receive documentation that is necessary to prove identity for voting without discrimination due to the person's housing status. 6. Has the right to both of the following: (a) protection from the person's records and information that is provided to homeless shelters and service providers from being disclosed to state, municipal and private entities without appropriate legal authority. (b) confidentiality of personal records and information in accordance with all limits on disclosure that are established by the federal homeless management information systems, the federal health insurance portability and accountability act and the federal violence against women act. 7. Has the right to a reasonable expectation of privacy in the person's personal property to the same extent as personal property in a permanent residence. 8. Has the right to enter a homeless shelter while possessing a service animal as defined in the Americans with disability act as defined in section 41-1492. B. In any civil action that alleges a violation of this section, the court may award appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief, actual damages and reasonable attorney fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff. END_STATUTE Sec. 2. Title 13, chapter 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 13-207, to read: START_STATUTE13-207. Criminal liability for sitting, sleeping or lying outside on public property while homeless Notwithstanding any other law, a person is not criminally liable and may not be charged with or convicted of an offense that prohibits the person from sitting, lying or sleeping in or on public property if, at the time of the act, both of the following apply: 1. the person is homeless. 2. there is no space available for the person to sleep in a homeless shelter. END_STATUTE
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80	80	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
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82	82	Section 1. Title 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding chapter 9, to read:
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84	84	CHAPTER 9
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86	86	HOMELESSNESS RIGHTS
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88	88	ARTICLE 1. HOMELESS PERSONS' BILL OF RIGHTS
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90	90	START_STATUTE1-901. Homeless persons' bill of rights; attorney fees and costs
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92	92	A. A person's rights, privileges or access to public services may not be denied or abridged solely because the person is homeless. A homeless person has the same rights and privileges as any other resident of this state. A person experiencing homelessness:
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94	94	1. Has the right to use and move freely in public spaces, including public sidewalks, public parks, public transportation and public buildings, in the same manner as any other person and without discrimination on the basis of the person's housing status.
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96	96	2. Has the right to equal treatment by all state and municipal agencies without discrimination on the basis of housing status.
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98	98	3. Has the right not to face discrimination while seeking or maintaining employment due to the person's lack of permanent mailing address or the person's mailing address being that of a shelter or social service provider.
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100	100	4. Has the right to emergency medical care that is free from discrimination based on the person's housing status.
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102	102	5. Has the right to vote, register to vote and receive documentation that is necessary to prove identity for voting without discrimination due to the person's housing status.
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104	104	6. Has the right to both of the following:
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106	106	(a) protection from the person's records and information that is provided to homeless shelters and service providers from being disclosed to state, municipal and private entities without appropriate legal authority.
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108	108	(b) confidentiality of personal records and information in accordance with all limits on disclosure that are established by the federal homeless management information systems, the federal health insurance portability and accountability act and the federal violence against women act.
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110	110	7. Has the right to a reasonable expectation of privacy in the person's personal property to the same extent as personal property in a permanent residence.
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112	112	8. Has the right to enter a homeless shelter while possessing a service animal as defined in the Americans with disability act as defined in section 41-1492.
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114	114	B. In any civil action that alleges a violation of this section, the court may award appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief, actual damages and reasonable attorney fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff. END_STATUTE
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116	116	Sec. 2. Title 13, chapter 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 13-207, to read:
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118	118	START_STATUTE13-207. Criminal liability for sitting, sleeping or lying outside on public property while homeless
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120	120	Notwithstanding any other law, a person is not criminally liable and may not be charged with or convicted of an offense that prohibits the person from sitting, lying or sleeping in or on public property if, at the time of the act, both of the following apply:
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122	122	1. the person is homeless.
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124	124	2. there is no space available for the person to sleep in a homeless shelter. END_STATUTE