abandonment; concealment of body; classification

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on how the law will be enforced or its impact on existing cases, leaving these points uncertain.

Abandoning or Hiding Dead Bodies

HB2044 increases penalties for abandoning or hiding a dead body if done to cover up another crime or caused someone's death before abandonment.

What This Bill Does

• Increases the penalty to a class 2 felony (a very serious crime) for mutilating, disfiguring, or dismembering a human body with the intent to hide evidence of a crime.
• Increases penalties if the offender causes another person’s death before abandoning their body and then hides that body.
• Exempts mothers from certain laws if they dispose of an unborn child younger than 20 weeks old.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who abandon or hide dead bodies
• Mothers who dispose of an unborn child

Terms To Know

Felony

A serious crime that can lead to a long prison sentence.

Gestational age

The length of time since pregnancy began, usually measured in weeks.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify how the law will be enforced or what happens if someone is caught violating it.
• It's unclear how this bill will affect current cases where similar crimes have been committed.

Official Summary Text

HB2044 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House
: JUD DPA 6-3-0-0

HB
2044
: abandonment; concealment of body; classification

Sponsor:
Representative Bliss, LD 1

House
Engrossed

Overview

Increases
penalties for abandoning or concealing a dead human body if the offense is
committed with the intent to conceal a crime or if the offender causes the
death of the person.

History

Statute establishes that it is unlawful to knowingly move a
dead human body or the parts of a dead human body with the intent to abandon or
conceal it. Violation of this statute is a class 5 felony (
A.R.S. �
13-2926
).

Statute also outlines certain situations where this section
does not apply, including the transportation or handling of dead remains in the
organization and regulation of cemeteries, the processing and officiating of funerals
and the keeping of vital records and public health statistics (
A.R.S. �
13-2926
).

Provisions

1.

Enhances
sentencing, for abandoning or concealing a dead human, to a class 2 felony if
the offender:

a.

mutilates,
disfigures or dismembers a human body with the intent to conceal a crime or
avoid apprehension; or

b.

causes the
death of a person before abandoning or concealing the human body or parts.
(Sec. 1)

2.

Exempts the
mother of an unborn child from the abandonment or concealment of a dead body
statute if the unborn child�s gestational age is under twenty weeks at the time
of disposition, transportation or other handling. (Sec. 1)

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2044

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Current Bill Text

HB2044 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

abandonment;
concealment of body; classification

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2044

AN
ACT

amending section 13-2926, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to offenses against public order.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 13-2926, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
13-2926.

Abandonment or
concealment of a dead body; classification

A. It is unlawful for a person to knowingly move a
dead human body or parts of a human body with the intent to abandon or conceal
the dead human body or parts.

B. This section does not apply to

either of the
following:

1
B. This
section does not apply to
[either
of the following:

1
.
The
disposition, transportation or other handling of dead human remains for any
purpose authorized under title 32, chapter 12, title 32, chapter 20, article 6
and title 36, chapters 3 and 7.

2. The
mother of an unborn child if the gestational age of the unborn child at the
time of the disposition, transportation or other handling
[2. The
mother of an unborn child if the gestational age of the unborn child at the
time of the disposition, transportation or other handling
is less
than twenty weeks.

C. A person who violates this section is guilty of a
class 5 felony
, except that a person who mutilates, disfigures
or dismembers a dead human body with the intent to conceal a crime or avoid
apprehension for a crime or who causes the death of a person before abandoning
or concealing the dead human body or parts is guilty of a class
2 felony
.
END_STATUTE