by Zayed Al-Sayyed

UncategorizedMay 9, 20250 comments

13 New Laws Go into Effect in Arizona on January 1

2025 kicked off with 13 new Arizona laws going into effect as of January 1. Some of these provisions were passed through ballot measures during the 2024 election season, while others were passed by Arizona lawmakers. Here are the 13 new laws you need to know.

Prop 139

Prop 139 extends fetal abortion from 15 weeks to fetal viability, which is about 23 to 24 weeks. This law also protects abortion access in instances where the mother’s life is in danger and offers more protection to healthcare providers offering abortion services.

Prop 206

Prop 206 increases the Arizona minimum wage to $14.70 starting January 1, 2025. The 2016 Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act required minimum wage increases based on the cost of living. Prior to the increase, the minimum wage was set at $14.35 in Arizona.

Prop 313

Prop 313 increases the minimum penalty for child sex trafficking offenses from seven years to life in prison. The life in prison sentence applies to anyone convicted of a Class 2 felony related to child sex trafficking. Convicted individuals are also ineligible for any form of release.

Prop 312

Prop 312 gives residents the ability to apply for a tax refund if their town is not taking care of illegal loitering, camping, and other nuisances. If the city rejects the refund, residents can take them to county or superior court.

Prop 311

Prop 311 created a new state death benefit for families of first responders killed in the line of duty. The death benefit is set at $250,000 and will be funded with a $20 penalty imposed on every criminal conviction.

Prop 314

Prop 314 makes it a misdemeanor to cross from Mexico to Arizona outside of a legal port of entry. This law also gives the police the ability to arrest those crossing the border illegally, and state judges have the power to order deportations.

ARS 42-6004 (H)

ARS 42-6004 (H) has been amended to eliminate the transaction privilege tax (TPT) on stays over 30 days. Each city had a different tax rate imposed. For example, Phoenix had a 2.3% tax. Landlords are required to drop the tax immediately, helping Arizona housing become more affordable.

ARS 28-1385

A new law lowered the DUI limit for rideshare drivers from 0.08% to 0.04%. This new law impacts Uber, Lyft, taxi, and limousine drivers.

House Bill 2042

The bill, known as the “Tamale Bill,” expands what type of food can be legally sold from home kitchens. Cooks who have a valid registration with the state health department and take a food preparation course can sell products made with meat in personal kitchens.

Senate Bill 1358

Senate Bill 1358 now allows pension and annuity plans to withhold state income tax on lump-sum distributions, helping retirees avoid large tax bills in April.

House Bill 2325

This bill allows homeowners to have up to six chickens in a single-family home. Roosters are still not allowed.

House Bill 2040

House Bill 2040, which is dubbed the “Taylor Swift Act,” prohibits the use of bots to purchase live-event tickets in certain situations. This follows Ticketmaster’s website crash back in 2022 when fans tried to purchase Swift tickets.

Arizona Names an Official Planet

Arizona declares “Pluto” as the official state planet. Pluto was discovered in Flagstaff’s Lowell Observatory in 1930.

Summary

These 13 laws are only a handful of the new laws going into effect in Arizona. For more information about how these laws impact you, reach out to one of our team members at The Law Office of Zayed Al-Sayyed today.