Assigned to GOV AS PASSED BY COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1649
legislative appointments; qualifications
Purpose
Removes membership requirements for certain members of outlined public bodies who are
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (House) and the President of the Senate.
Background
Statute prescribes membership criteria for various statutorily established boards,
commissions, committees and other public bodies. Membership criteria may include appointment
by elected officials, including the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate. Appointment
criteria may require the appointee to fulfill qualifications relating to professional experience,
interests, knowledge, demographics, representation of an organization and other qualifications.
Public bodies with the outlined membership criteria include: 1) the Livestock Loss Board;
2) the Military Affairs Commission; 3) the Arizona Tea Party Committee; 4) the Economic
Estimates Commission; 5) the Joint Legislative Audit Committee; 6) the Ombudsman-Citizen
Aide Selection Committee; 7) the Board of Directors of the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA);
8) the Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission; 9) a board of directors for a theme park district;
10) the Organizing Board for the Upper San Pedro Water District; and 11) a small business
stationary source technical and compliance advisory panel (A.R.S. §§ 17-491; 26-261; 28-2439.01;
41-561; 41-1279; 41-1373; 41-1502; 45-2103; 48-6203; 48-6416; and 49-456).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Removes the requirements that members of the Livestock Loss Board appointed by the:
a) Speaker of the House be a livestock market owner; and
b) President of the Senate be a faculty member at a university under the jurisdiction of the
Arizona Board of Regents and have expertise in agricultural and life sciences.
2. Removes the requirement that members of the Military Affairs Commission appointed by the
Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate represent private property interests in the
territory in the vicinity of outlined military facilities or in a community in which a military
installation is located.
3. Removes the requirements that members of the Arizona Tea Party Committee appointed by the:
a) President of the Senate include the director of a qualified 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) nonprofit
corporation that has a mission of bringing together, empowering and training Tea Party FACT SHEET – Amended
S.B. 1649
Page 2
groups and that has affiliated members that represent diverse geographical locations
throughout Arizona;
b) President of the Senate represent an organization in Arizona that promotes outlined Tea
Party governing principles;
c) President of the Senate include a member who resides in a county with a population
between 160,000 persons and 175,000 persons; and
d) Speaker of the House each represent an organization in Arizona that promotes outlined Tea
Party governing principles.
4. Removes the requirement that members of the Economic Estimates Commission appointed by
the Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate be knowledgeable in the field of
economics.
5. Removes the requirements that members of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee be selected
by the Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate based on the members'
understanding and interest in legislative audit oversight functions.
6. Removes the requirements that members of the Ombudsman-Citizen Aide Selection
Committee appointed by the:
a) Speaker of the House represent a small business that is registered by the State; and
b) President of the Senate represent a large business that is registered by the State.
7. Removes the requirements that members of the ACA Board of Directors appointed by the
Speaker of the House or President of the Senate:
a) may not be an elected official of any government entity; and
b) be appointed from geographically diverse areas of Arizona and not all from the same
county.
8. Removes the requirements that members of the Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission:
a) have demonstrated an interest in natural resources; and
b) who are appointed by the Speaker of the House or President of the Senate represent natural
resource conservation districts and geographically diverse areas of Arizona.
9. Removes the requirement that members of the board of directors of a theme park district
appointed by the Speaker of the House or President of the Senate reside in the city or county
in which the district is located.
10. Removes the requirement that members of the Organizing Board for the Upper San Pedro
Water District appointed by the Speaker of the House or President of the Senate:
a) be qualified electors of the proposed district; and
b) have an interest in one of more of the communities in the proposed district.
11. Removes the requirement that members of a small business stationary source technical and
compliance advisory panel appointed by the Speaker of the House or President of the Senate
own or represent owners of small business stationary sources.
12. Makes technical and conforming changes.
13. Becomes effective on the general effective date. FACT SHEET – Amended
S.B. 1649
Page 3
Amendments Adopted by Committee
• Restores the requirement that an attorney appointed as a technical advisor to the ACA Board
have experience litigating outlined constitutional cases.
Senate Action
GOV 2/20/25 DPA 4-3-0
Prepared by Senate Research
February 20, 2025
AN/SDR/slp