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HB2870 • 2026

residence of sex offenders; regulation

HB2870 - residence of sex offenders; regulation

Children Crime Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Jeff Weninger, Matt Gress, Quang H Nguyen, Julie Willoughby, J.D. Mesnard
Last action
2026-03-10
Official status
Senate second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on how this will affect families where multiple members are registered as sex offenders.

Regulation on Residence for Sex Offenders

This bill makes it illegal for certain sex offenders to live in the same single-family home as another registered sex offender, with some exceptions.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes it against the law for level two or three sex offenders convicted after January 1, 2027, to live in a single-family house with another registered sex offender unless they are related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
  • Applies similar restrictions to level two and three sex offenders who were convicted before December 31, 2026, if they are on probation or community supervision.
  • Exempts certain community reentry centers and certified behavioral health residential facilities from these rules if they started operating by January 1, 2026.
  • Adds new sections to the Arizona Revised Statutes about where sex offenders can live.
  • Prevents local governments from making stricter laws than those in this bill.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Level two and three sex offenders who are required to register with authorities.
  • People living near schools, child care facilities, or victims of sex crimes.
  • Local government agencies that make rules about where sex offenders can live.

Terms To Know

level two or three offender
A person who has been convicted of a serious crime against children and is required to register as a sex offender with the state.
community reentry center
A place run by the Arizona Department of Corrections that helps people reintegrate into society after being released from prison.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a sex offender violates these rules.
  • It is unclear how this will affect families where multiple members are registered as sex offenders.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Plain English: Fifty-seventh Legislature Weninger Second Regular Session H.B.

  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Weninger Second Regular Session H.B.
  • 2870 WENINGER FLOOR AMENDMENT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO H.B.
  • 2870 (Reference to printed bill) The bill as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows: 1 Section 1.
  • Section 13-3727, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to 2 read: 3 13-3727.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Senate second read

  2. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate Rules: HELD

  3. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate Judiciary and Elections: DP

  4. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate first read

  5. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Transmitted to Senate

  6. 2026-02-26 House

    House third read passed

  7. 2026-02-25 House

    House committee of the whole

  8. 2026-02-10 House

    House minority caucus

  9. 2026-02-10 House

    House majority caucus

  10. 2026-02-09 House

    House consent calendar

  11. 2026-01-22 House

    House second read

  12. 2026-01-21 House

    House Rules: C&P

  13. 2026-01-21 House

    House Judiciary: DP

  14. 2026-01-21 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2870 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2870

residence of sex offenders;
regulation

Purpose

Prohibits a
person who is registered as a level two or three sex offender from residing in
the same single-family dwelling as another registered sex offender, unless
certain exceptions apply.

Background

A person who has
been convicted of a dangerous crime against children (DCAC) and who is required
to register as a sex offender is subject to certain residency restrictions.
Such persons may not establish residence and reside within 1,000 feet of the
real property on which the person's former victim resides, unless the person
receives written consent from the victim or the victim's parent or guardian to
establish such residence. Additionally, if the person is classified as a level
three offender, the person may not reside within 1,000 feet of a private or
public school or a child care facility, unless the person: 1) established
residence prior to September 19, 2007, or prior to a new school or child care
facility being located; 2) is a minor; 3) is currently serving a term of
probation; 4) has had their civil rights restored; or 5) has not been convicted
of a subsequent offense in the previous 10 years. A violation of sex offender
residency restrictions is a class 1 misdemeanor, except that a second or subsequent
violation of residing within 1,000 feet of a victim is a class 6 felony (
A.R.S.
� 13-3727
).

DCACs include
various serious crimes and sexual offenses committed against a minor who is
under 15 years old, including: 1) second degree murder; 2) aggravated assault;
3) sexual assault; 4) sexual conduct with a minor; 5) sexual abuse; 6) sex
trafficking; and 7) luring and aggravated luring of a minor for sexual
exploitation (
A.R.S.
� 13-705
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Establishes that it is unlawful for a person who is required to register
as a level two or three sex offender, and who was convicted on or after January
1, 2027, to reside in a single-family dwelling with another person who is
required to register as a sex offender.

2.

Specifies
that this prohibition does not apply to:

a)

persons who are legally related by blood, marriage or adoption;

b)

community reentry centers that are operated by the Arizona Department of
Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry, and operation commenced on or before
January 1, 2026; and

c)

certified
behavior health residential facilities that are subject to oversight by the
Department of Health Services, and operation commenced on or before January 1,
2026.

3.

Applies the same single-family dwelling prohibitions and exemptions to
persons who are required to register as a level two or three sex offender, who
were convicted on or before December 31, 2026, and who are on probation or
community supervision.

4.

Makes conforming changes.

5.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

March 19, 2026

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Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB2870 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

residence of sex
offenders; regulation

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2870

AN
ACT

amending section 13-3727, Arizona Revised
Statutes; relating to sex offenders.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 13-3727, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
13-3727.

Unlawful residency; persons convicted of criminal offenses;
exceptions; preemption; classification

A. It is unlawful for a person who has been
convicted of a dangerous crime against children as defined in section 13-705,
or who has been convicted of an offense committed in another jurisdiction that
if committed in this state would be a dangerous crime against children as
defined in section 13-705, and who is required to register pursuant to
section 13-3821 to:

1. If the person is classified as a level three
offender pursuant to section 13-3825, reside within one thousand feet of
the real property comprising any of the following:

(a) A private school, as defined in section 15-101,
or a public school that provides instruction in kindergarten programs and any
combination of kindergarten programs and grades one through eight.

(b) A private school, as defined in section 15-101,
or a public school that provides instruction in any combination of grades nine
through twelve.

(c) A child care facility as defined in section 36-881.

2. Knowingly establish a residence and reside within
one thousand feet of the real property on which the person's former victim
resides.

3. Establish a residence and reside within one
thousand feet of the real property on which the person's former victim resides.

B. Subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section does
not apply to any of the following:

1. A person who establishes the person's residence
before September 19, 2007 or before a new school or child care facility is
located.

2. A person who is a minor.

3. A person who is currently serving a term of
probation.

4. A person who has had the person's civil rights
restored pursuant to chapter 9 of this title.

5. A person who has not been convicted of a
subsequent offense in the previous ten years, excluding any time the person was
incarcerated in any federal, state, county or local jail or prison facility.

C. Subsection A, paragraphs 2 and 3 of this section
do not apply to:

1. A person who is required to register pursuant to
section 13-3821, subsection A, paragraph 19.

2. A person who
receives written consent to establish the residence from the victim or, if the
victim is a minor, from the parent or guardian of the minor unless the parent
or guardian of the minor is the person who was convicted.

D. It is a defense to
a prosecution for a violation of subsection A, paragraph 3 of this section if
the person established the residence without knowledge that the victim resided
within one thousand feet, the person moved within thirty days after receiving
actual knowledge of the victim's residence and the person did not have contact
with the victim during that thirty-day period.

E. It is unlawful for a person who is

convicted on or after January 1, 2027, who is required to
register pursuant to section 13-3821
and who is
classified as a level two or level three offender pursuant to section 13-3825
to reside
in a single-family dwelling with another person
who is required to register pursuant to section 13-3821. This
subsection does not apply if
any of the following
applies:

1. the persons are legally related by
blood, marriage or adoption.

2. the single-family dwelling is a
COMMUNITY REENTRY CENTER that is OPERATED BY THE State DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS and That commenced operation on or before january 1, 2026.

3. the single-family dwelling is a
CERTIFIED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESIDENTIAL FACILITy that is SUBJECT TO THE
OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT Of HEALTH SERVICES That commenced operation on or
before january 1, 2026.

F. It is unlawful for a person who
Was convicted on or Before December 31, 2026, who is required to register
pursuant to section 13-3821, who is classified as a level two or level
three offender pursuant to section 13-3825 and who is on probation or community
supervision to reside in a single-family dwelling with another person who is
required to register pursuant to section 13-3821. This subsection
does not apply if any of the following applies:

1. the persons are legally related by
blood, marriage or adoption.

2. the single-family dwelling is a
COMMUNITY REENTRY CENTER that is OPERATED BY THE State DEPARTMENT OF
CORRECTIONS and That commenced operation on or before january 1, 2026.

3. the single-family dwelling is a
CERTIFIED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESIDENTIAL FACILITy that is SUBJECT TO THE
OVERSIGHT OF THE DEPARTMENT of HEALTH SERVICES and That commenced operation on
or before january 1, 2026.

E.

G.
Notwithstanding
any other law and as a matter of statewide concern, a county, city or town
shall not enact an ordinance that provides for distance restrictions greater
than those found in this section.

F.

H.
For the purposes of this section, measurements
shall be made in a straight line in all directions, without regard to
intervening structures or objects, from the nearest point on the property line
of a parcel containing the person's residence to the nearest point on the
property line of a parcel containing a child care facility or a school or on
which the person's former victim resides.

G.

I.
A
person who violates this section is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor, except
that a person who commits a second or subsequent violation of subsection A,
paragraph 2 or 3 of this section is guilty of a class 6 felony.
END_STATUTE