drive by shooting; immediate area

Plain English Breakdown

The official metadata lists 'House failed' as the last action on 2026-02-10, which contradicts the status explanation stating it passed both chambers. This creates uncertainty about whether the bill became law.

HB2045: Expanding Drive-by Shooting Law to Include Immediate Vehicle Area

This bill changes the law so that shooting a weapon near a vehicle counts as drive-by shooting if that vehicle was used to transport the shooter or the gun.

What This Bill Does

• Changes the definition of discharging a weapon from a motor vehicle to include shots fired in the immediate area of the vehicle.
• Requires that the vehicle must have been used to transport either the person who shot or the weapon itself for this new rule to apply.
• Keeps drive-by shooting as a class 2 felony under Arizona law.
• Allows courts to seize and forfeit any motor vehicle used during these crimes.
• Requires judges to order the surrender, destruction, and revocation of driver licenses for convicted persons.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who intentionally discharge a weapon near a vehicle that transported them or their gun.
• Courts handling cases involving drive-by shootings under A.R.S. §13-1209.
• The Arizona Department of Transportation regarding driver license revocations.

Terms To Know

Drive by shooting

Intentionally firing a weapon from or near a motor vehicle at a person, another occupied vehicle, or an occupied building.

Immediate area of the vehicle

The space right next to a car that was used to bring the shooter or the gun to the location where it was fired.

Forfeiture

A legal process where the government takes ownership of property, such as a vehicle, because it was used in a crime.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not define exactly how far away from the car counts as the 'immediate area'.
• This summary reflects text that passed both chambers but shows a final status of House failed, so its legal effect is unclear.
• No effective date is listed in the provided source material.

Official Summary Text

HB2045 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House:
JUD DP 7-1-0-1

HB
2045
: drive by shooting; immediate area

Sponsor:
Representative Bliss, LD 1

House
Engrossed

Overview

Establishes
that
discharging a weapon from a motor vehicle
includes discharging a
weapon from the immediate area of the vehicle.

History

Statute establishes that a person commits
drive by
shooting
if the person intentionally discharges a weapon from a motor
vehicle at a person, another vehicle or an occupied structure. Drive by
shooting is classified as a class 2 felony (
A.R.S. �
13-1209
).

Furthermore, a vehicle used in a drive by shooting is subject
to seizure and forfeiture. The license of any person convicted of drive by
shooting is subject to seizure and destruction; and driving privileges are to be
suspended for a period of one to five years (
A.R.S. �
13-1209
).

Provisions

1.

Specifies
that
discharging a weapon from a motor vehicle
includes discharging a
weapon in the immediate area of a vehicle that was:

a.

used to
transport the person to the place the weapon was discharged; or

b.

used to
transport the weapon that was discharged. (Sec. 1)

2.

Makes
technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1)

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2045

2/05/2026������� Page
0 House Engrossed

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Current Bill Text

HB2045 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

drive by shooting;
immediate area

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2045

AN
ACT

amending section 13-1209, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to drive by shootings.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 13-1209, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
13-1209.

Drive by shooting; forfeiture; driver license revocation;
classification; definitions

A. A person commits drive by shooting by intentionally
discharging a weapon from a motor vehicle at a person, another occupied motor
vehicle or an occupied structure.

B.
Motor vehicles that are used in
violation of this section are
A motor vehicle from which
a person commits a drive by shooting is
subject to seizure for
forfeiture in the manner provided for in chapter 39 of this title.

C. Notwithstanding title 28, chapter 8, the judge
shall order the surrender to the judge of any driver license of the convicted
person and, on surrender of the license, shall invalidate or destroy the
license and forward the abstract of conviction to the department of
transportation with an order of the court revoking the driving privilege of the
person for a period of at least one year but not more than five
years. On receipt of the abstract of conviction and order, the
department of transportation shall revoke the driving privilege of the person
for the period of time ordered by the judge.

D. Drive by shooting is a class 2 felony.

E.
As used in

for
the purposes of
this section:

1.
"Discharging
a weapon from a motor vehicle
" includes discharging
a weapon from the immediate area of a motor vehicle that was used to transport
the person to the scene of the discharge or the weapon that was discharged.

1.

2.
"Motor
vehicle" has the same meaning prescribed in section 28-101.

2.

3.
"Occupied
structure" has the same meaning prescribed in section 13-3101.
END_STATUTE