ARIZONA STATE SENATE
RESEARCH STAFF
TO: MEMBERS OF THE SENATE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
DATE: February 20, 2025
SUBJECT: Strike everything amendment to S.B. 1350, relating to defensive driving schools;
fees
Purpose
Effective January 1, 2026, requires the Arizona Supreme Court to adopt rules to allow
persons attending defensive driving school to pay the fees associated with completing a defensive
driving school diversion program (program) over an extended time period.
Background
The Arizona Supreme Court may contract with a public or private agency that does not
provide defensive driving schools in the state to provide assistance in carrying out the duties
relating to overseeing defensive driving schools. The Arizona Supreme Court must: 1) supervise
the use of defensive driving schools; 2) make public the amount of the diversion fee assessed by
each court in the state and the total cost to attend a defensive driving school in each court;
3) establish a statewide database for keeping record of persons attending defensive driving school;
4) adopt rules that establish criteria for the certification of qualified defensive driving schools and
instructors used by the courts; 5) establish procedures for courts and schools to remit required
reports; 6) certify and monitor defensive driving schools and instructors that serve as a court
authorized diversion program; 7) require that a defensive driving school class not exceed a total of
4.5 hours; and 8) require each defensive driving school to submit to the Arizona Supreme Court
the school's future schedule of courses (A.R.S. § 28-3395).
For individuals attending a defensive driving school, the presiding judge of each court
must: 1) set the amount of the court diversion fee that may be assessed; 2) charge a $45 surcharge;
and 3) immediately inform the Arizona Supreme Court, in writing, of the court diversion fee, the
total cost to attend a defensive driving school and of any changes to the total cost. Payment of the
court diversion fee and surcharge is in lieu of payment of a civil penalty or criminal fine and any
surcharges that are imposed for a traffic violation. The defensive driving school must collect the
court diversion fee and surcharge before or at the time an individual attends the school and transmit
the fee to the appropriate court. The surcharge must be transmitted to the State Treasurer for
deposit (A.R.S. § 28-3396).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact associated with the strike-everything amendment.
Provisions
1. Requires the Arizona Supreme Court to adopt rules to allow a person who attends defensive
driving school to pay any fees required to complete the program, except a defensive driving
school fee, over an extended time period not to exceed 120 days after the date the court
authorizes the person to attend defensive driving school.
LIAM MAHER
LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
Telephone: (602) 926-3171 STRIKER MEMO
bill number
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2. Becomes effective on January 1, 2026.