Arizona Legislature Completes the Mid-Point Mark in the Bill Process

March 2, 2021
State Relations

 

This week the Legislature passed the mid-point mark in the legislative process. Any bill that has not received a committee hearing in the chamber of origin will no longer move forward.  From this point forward, the legislature can only introduce new bills by suspending the rules, which requires a majority vote. 

University of Arizona Government and Community Relations (GCR) will continue to engage on bills that impact the operations of the university, below is a summary of several bills currently being lobbied by UArizona.

Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 1044 Tuition; Postsecondary Education
Sponsored by Senator Paul Boyer (R-Phoenix)

  • SCR1044 is a voter referral measure that would allow individuals without lawful immigration status to be eligible for in-state tuition at the public universities and community colleges if the student meets the following three criteria:
    • is not a nonimmigrant alien
    • attended any public or private high school or homeschool equivalent while physically present in AZ for at least two years
    • graduated from such high school or homeschool in AZ.
  • The ballot referral would also allow such students to be eligible for tuition waivers, grants, scholarship assistance, financial aid or other state-subsidized financial assistance. SCR1044 passed the Senate Education committee by a vote of 6 - ayes, 2 - nays.  The next step is a vote by the full Senate before heading to the House. Since the measure is a ballot referral, the measure would need to be passed by AZ voters to become law.

Position: ABOR/UArizona supports SCR 1044.

 

House Bill 2523 Four-Year Degrees; Community Colleges
Sponsored by Representative Becky Nutt (R-Greenlee County)

  • HB2325 will allow AZ community colleges to offer four-year degrees with certain restrictions. In its current form, the bill would allow community colleges in the more rural parts of the state (counties with a population of 750,000 or less) to offer four-year programs without restrictions provided the programs receive appropriate accreditation. For community colleges located in AZ’s larger counties (Maricopa, Pima & Coconino), four-year degree programs are limited to 10% of the community colleges total degree and certification offerings in the first four years, and no more than 15% in subsequent years.
  • Furthermore, tuition for those programs can be no more than 150% of any other program’s rate in the community college district.
  • ABOR and all three public universities have officially opposed the bill unless it is further amended to only allow community colleges to offer four-year programs if one of the public universities cannot offer the same program for the same cost to students. The bill passed out of the House by a vote of 57-3 and has been assigned to the Senate Education Committee and Finance Committee. The bill will need to pass out of both committees before moving forward in the Senate.

Position: ABOR/UArizona oppose unless further amended.

 

Senate Bill 1296 Collegiate Athletics; Compensation
Sponsored by Senator TJ Shope (R-Casa Grande)

  • SB1269 allows a university student athlete to earn compensation from their own name, image or likeness to the extent allowed by NCAA rules.  The bill would require sport agents who represent a student athlete to comply with the Revised Uniform Athlete Agents Act. Student athletes would be prohibited from earning compensation from their likeness if it conflicts with the team contract or violates the property rights of the institution.

Position: ABOR/UA support this bill because it requires alignment with NCAA rules.