legislative issues
APA Arizona Legislative Report
One of the primary objectives and purpose of the Arizona Police Association is to protect the interest of Arizona Law Enforcement, Corrections, Detention, and Probation Officers in the legislative process on the State, Local, and National level. Below are some of the law-enforcement-related bills that were introduced by the Arizona Police Association (APA) or were monitored/lobbied by our lobbyist, Tassinari Terrazas and the APA.
This is NOT a complete list of all the bills the APA was involved with. We opposed and/or supported numerous other bills that harmed or benefited public safety.
For further information and updates on these and other bills, please check the Arizona Legislature’s bill status inquiry page at; https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview
SB 1396; PSPRS; survivor benefits
Would amend the guideline for a surviving spouse’s pension from the Corrections Officer Retirement Plan (CORP) currently set at 40% of the deceased member’s average monthly salary, to that amount or four‑fifths of what the deceased member’s pension would have been on the date of death had the member been retired, whichever is greater
HB 2295; Law enforcement officers; database; rules
Would require that a prosecuting agency send a notice to a law enforcement officer at least 10 days upon considering placing them in a Rule 15.1 database (aka Brady list) and would allow them to appeal being placed in the database. It would also forbid an agency from using an officer’s placement in a Rule 15.1 database as the sole reason for demoting, suspending, or firing them.
HB 2348: Failure to return vehicle; offence; repeal
Would repeal Section 13‑1813 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which classifies as theft the unlawful failure to return a motor vehicle subject to a security interest.
HB 2462: Civilian review board members; training
Would require that, before a person becomes a member of a civilian review board that reviews the actions of peace officers, they must satisfactorily complete a community college police academy or 80 hours of specific training of which 20 hours must be simulated event law enforcement training.
HB 2504; Appropriations; DPS; salary increase
Would appropriate money from the state’s general fund for a salary increase for all Department of Public Safety employees.
HB 2505; Appropriations; corrections officers; salary increase
Would appropriate money from the state’s general fund for a salary increase for Department of Corrections officers and investigators, as well as for Department of Juvenile Corrections officers.
HB 2567: Peace officers; investigator membership requirements
Would require that at least two-thirds of the voting membership of any government committee, board or other entity that investigates law enforcement misconduct or recommends discipline be made up of AZPOST-certified law enforcement officers from the same agency, excluding AZPOST, as the officer who is subject to the investigation.
HB 2763; County officials; practice of law: Would end the prohibition on county sheriff’s deputies from practicing law. The prohibition would still prohibit the Sheriff, Constables, and their deputies from doing so.
HB2159; law enforcement officers; polygraph; examinations
This bill is our 38-1100 Officer bill of rights legislation, and it has 4 main components. They are:
38-1104 and 38-1108; Eliminates the use of the polygraph in administrative investigations. Although most agency rarely use them now due to their unreliability, this bill will eliminate their use statewide.
38-1106; Affirmatively allows the hearing officer in an administrative appeal to consider as a mitigating factor any violation of 38-1100 in the determination of discipline.
38-1110; In the event of multi officers involved in the same investigation. If it is determined that any individual officer has not committed any wrongdoing, that officer must be provided a notice of findings and exited out of the investigation as it proceeds. The officer would still be under advisement not to speak about the investigation.
38-1112; Adds psychological examinations to fitness for duty exams. Currently the law was silent of psychological exams. This provision provides the same protections and procedures for psychological exams as it does for physical exams. Also, now requires the agency to provide the officer a copy of the medical report within five days of the department receiving it.
Our bill sponsor was Representative Kavanagh
The bill was signed by the Governor on April 25th, 2022
HB2354: Tuition; family; post-traumatic stress; suicide
The bill failed to move to the Senate floor for a vote despite over whelming support in the House. We will likely run this bill next session.
This bill would have provided free college tuition at any state university for the surviving dependents of police, firefighters, and veterans who suffer from duty related PTSI and subsequently commit suicide.
Our bill sponsor was Representative Biasiucci.
HB2589; 2589; DOC officers; personnel system; covered
Bill failed to get a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee despite overwhelming support in the House.
Several years ago, sworn Arizona Department of Corrections supervisors lost their employment protections and became “at-will” employees. This bill attempts to reinstate those employment protections.
Our bill sponsor was Representative Cook.
HB2248; failure to return vehicle; repeal
This bill failed to get a hearing in Senate Judiciary Committee.
This bill would repeal ARS 13-1813; stolen vehicle-security interest. This law essentially makes the police the repo man for used car dealers and auto loan companies.
SB1268; PSPRS; deferred retirement option plan
SB1268 is an APA bill. It was APA President Justin Harris who presented the idea.
This bill extends the current DROP plan from 5 to 7 years. It will have a different rate of return from the original DROP plan. The bills’ purpose is to encourage and incentivize officers to stay longer to help address the current staffing crisis. The bill will also create a task force to address possible plan improvements to tiers 2 and 3 to assist in recruitment and retention of officers. (Contrary to what others have inferred, this bill has always considered tiers 2 & 3. The APA discussed extending DROP to tiers 2-3, increasing the multiplier to 3% for a max pension of 90%. However, Due to the complexities of increasing benefits for tiers 2-3 and the timing, we decided the best option was the creation of the committee to officially study improvements to tiers 2-3. The APA from the onset decided we would NOT run the bill if the bill did not contain something for tiers 2-3!)
Although many other groups believed the bill to be dead and unattainable. The APA along with the Arizona State Troopers Association continued to work on the bill with the League of Cities and Towns, ATRA, and the Governor’s office up until the very last days of the session to address the concerns of the employers, taxpayers, and the fund while still accomplishing what we set out to do which is to keep officers on the street longer.
This bill extends the DROP program by 2 years with the following stipulations:
Those currently in DROP may extend for two years with the agreement of their employer. (This is due to the current DROP contracts signed by DROP participants and their employer)
Those not in DROP when the law goes into effect must have 24.5 years of service and be at least 51 years of age to be eligible for the 7-year DROP. (The 5-year DROP remains available and unchanged.).
The most significant part of the bill is the creation of a committee to look at improvements to tiers 2 and 3. Due to the complexity of benefit changes around tiers 2 and 3 it will require a tremendous amount of cooperation between employers and all other the stakeholders.
Our bill sponsor was Senator Livingston.
The bill was signed by the Governor on 7-6-2022
HB2862 Appropriations; DPS and Corrections Pay Increases
The APA along with the Arizona State Troopers Association, and the Arizona Correction Association worked long before session to ensure our State Troopers and Corrections Officers received the 15% and 20% (respectively) pay increases temporarily awarded by the Governor as permanent increases.
Signed into law by the Governor on 6-28-2022
HB 2721: law enforcement officers; AZPOST
This bill requires any entities (with some exceptions) that investigate, or discipline law enforcement officers have as their members at least 2/3 law enforcement officers from the same department on those entities.
This bill reinstated the provision of the original bill that were struct due to the “single subject” lawsuit by the City of Phoenix.
Our bill sponsor was Representative Kavanagh.
The bill was signed by Governor Ducey on 7-6-2022
HB 2002: DOC officers” personnel system: covered (APA sponsored Bill)
This Bill will make Arizona Correction Supervisors up to the rank of Captain “covered” employees again, providing them with “Just cause” employment due process.
The Bill passed out of the House on a vote of 60=0. However, it was held in the Senate.
Bill failed in the Senate.
HB2336: tuition: family; posttraumatic stress; suicide (APA sponsored Bill)
This Bill would provide tuition at the state universities and community colleges for the surviving dependents of police officers, firefighters, and veteran who suffer from a duty related PTSD and subsequently commit suicide.
This Bill passed out of the House but failed to get a floor vote after passing out of the Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee on 2-6-23 on a vote of 6-0-1.
Bill failed in the Senate.
HB 2418: law enforcement: response times; requirements
Bill to become a “strike everything” and now will create a study committee to standardize the process of measuring emergency police response time and focus on recruitment, and retention of Arizona Law enforcement. The bill passed out of the House but failed on a floor vote in the Senate on a 11-18-1 vote.
Bill failed in the Senate.
HB 2478: aggravated assault: law enforcement employees (APA sponsored Bill)
Bill will protect non-sworn police employees by covering them with increased aggravated assault charges if assaulted in the course of their duties. Bill passed out of House on a vote of 44-16. It also passed out of the Senate 23-6.
Bill Passed; signed by the Governor on 5-19-23.
HB 2484: failure to return vehicle: repeal (APA sponsored Bill)
Bill would repeal the failure to return vehicle-security interest law (A.R.S. 13-1813) if passed. Currently under this law the vehicle is considered a stolen vehicle and the police are essentially acting as the repo man if someone fails to make their car payments. After considerable discussion with the auto industry the bill was amended so the vehicle is no longer considered stolen. Now the vehicles registration is suspended by MVD. This amendment was necessary in order to obtain the votes for the bill to get the police out of the repo business. The bill passed both houses.
Bill Passed; signed by the Governor on 5-1-23.
SB 1301: law enforcement investigations: applicability (APA sponsored Bill)
Bill would retro actively apply to all disciplinary investigations not incompliance with 38-1110. The agency in violation of 38-1110 would have been given one year to finish investigations that are older than 180 days, after which they are dismissed. This bill passed out of the senate 19-11. It also passed out of the House 31-27-1.
The governor vetoed the bill on 6-20-23.
SB 1301: law enforcement investigations: applicability (APA sponsored Bill)
Bill would retro actively apply to all disciplinary investigations not incompliance with 38-1110. The agency in violation of 38-1110 would have been given one year to finish investigations that are older than 180 days, after which they are dismissed. This bill passed out of the senate 19-11. It also passed out of the House 31-27-1.
The governor vetoed the bill on 6-20-23.
SB 1307: Constables; salaries
This bill was introduced by our constable association members and was supported by the APA. The bill allowed for the counties to provide pay increases if they wished by expanding the statutory pay range for elected constables.
Bill was singed by the Governor on 6-20-23.
Lobbying services provided by Tassinari Terrazas LLC
At TASSINARI | TERRAZAS (T-two) we are more than just lobbyists — that’s a narrow view taken by some firms that excludes too many solutions. We are business consultants skilled in the use of all manner of government relations tools to deliver results.
If you want a team that will take the time to learn the details of your business, a team that will help you understand ALL your options and pick the best one – a team that will execute and win, we’d like to hear from you. That’s what we do.
Brian Tassinari
(Tas-si-nar-ee)
Partner
Born in Gloucester, Massachusetts and raised in Arizona, Brian Tassinari is a graduate of Arizona State University (ASU) with a B.A. in Journalism and a Master of Business Administration/Finance.
With more than two decades of experience encompassing both state and federal politics, Brian’s expertise has evolved over the years from media to government relations and lobbying. He began his career in politics in 1995 when he joined the staff of U.S. Senator William V. Roth, Jr. on Capitol Hill where he served as a Deputy Press Secretary for two years and Press Secretary for another two years. In addition to serving as the Senator’s spokesman in the local and national media, Brian wrote speeches and position papers for Senator Roth. He also worked on legislation relating to transportation and telecommunications issues.
In 2012 Brian co-founded Willetta Partners, Inc. (WPI) and grew it into one of the largest and most influential firms in Arizona. Prior to WPI Brian was a lobbyist and communications consultant as a sole proprietor and before that worked for the firm Williams & Associates. His first job back in Arizona was Director of Communications for the President of the Arizona Senate.
In addition to volunteering on numerous political campaigns over the years, Brian has been a coach and assistant coach for many of his daughter’s softball teams.
Angélica Terrazas
(Teh-rrah-zahs)
Partner
Born in Sinaloa, Mexico and raised in Arizona, Angélica Terrazas is a graduate of Northern Arizona University (NAU) with a B.A. in Public Administration.
With experience in industries ranging from health care to public and charter schools and mortgage lending, Angélica Terrazas began her government relations career in 2014 after transitioning out of six years in the behavioral health industry- four years in the general mental health and two years in the SMI fields, where she daily handled sensitive executive level HR and consumer related issues. Her other experiences include new hire trainings, data systems implementation and migration for HR and health consumer projects with IT, and coordinating and assisting in state required clinical site audits.
Prior to forming Tassinari Terrazas LLC- Angélica worked at Willetta Partners as its Government Affairs Director. She also advocated for public policy issues on behalf of clients at the state and local level as the Chief Legislative Associate for The Aarons Company LLC where she learned to lobby.
Angélica volunteered for the campaigns of the late U.S. Senator John McCain in 2016 and Governor Doug Ducey in 2018. She is also a proud Fellow alumni of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Arizona Industry Fellows program. Currently, she serves on the Estrella Village Planning Committee.