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HB2146 • 2026

mesquite; drought tolerant plants; prohibition

HB2146 - mesquite; drought tolerant plants; prohibition

Water
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Gail Griffin
Last action
2026-01-14
Official status
House second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not address other types of plants beyond mesquite.

Ban on Mesquite Trees for Drought-Tolerant Plants

This bill amends Arizona law to prohibit municipalities from including mesquite trees on the list of low-water-use and drought-tolerant plants in areas where groundwater management is a concern.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends section 45-563.03 of the Arizona Revised Statutes to prohibit municipalities within initial active management areas from requiring or allowing mesquite trees as part of their low-water-use and drought-tolerant plant list.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Municipalities located in initial active management areas of Arizona
  • People and businesses that plant or manage landscaping in these areas

Terms To Know

Initial Active Management Area
A specific area designated by the state where groundwater use is closely managed to prevent overuse.
Low-water-use plants
Plants that need very little water to survive and thrive, often used in areas with limited water resources.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill only addresses mesquite trees and does not specify what will happen if mesquite trees are already planted or existing.
  • It applies specifically to municipalities within designated initial active management areas in Arizona.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-14 House

    House second read

  2. 2026-01-13 House

    House Rules: None

  3. 2026-01-13 House

    House Natural Resources, Energy & Water: None

  4. 2026-01-13 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2146 - mesquite; drought tolerant plants; prohibition

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB2146 - 572R - I Ver

PREFILED��� JAN 07 2026

REFERENCE TITLE:
mesquite; drought tolerant plants; prohibition

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2146

Introduced by

Representative
Griffin

AN
ACT

Amending section 45-563.03, Arizona
Revised Statutes; RELATING to groundwater management.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 45-563.03, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
45-563.03.

Turf and plant installation requirements; prohibition; exception;
definition

A. Notwithstanding any other law, a municipality
that is located in an initial active management area may not adopt or enforce
any requirement that establishes, directly or indirectly,
any

either
of the following:

1. Minimum turf requirements, except for functional
turf requirements that are associated with public recreational use areas or
other public spaces that are regularly used for civic, community or
recreational purposes, including playgrounds, sports fields, cemeteries,
schoolyards and stormwater management, but not including stormwater drainage areas
that are located in subdivisions.

2. The installation of plants that are not included
on the
low-water-use

low water
use
and
drought-tolerant

drought
tolerant
plant list that is published by the department for the current
management plan in the initial active management areas.�
The
department may not include any species of mesquite on the low water use and
drought tolerant plant list.

B. For the purposes of this section,
"subdivision" has the same meaning prescribed in section 32-2101.
END_STATUTE