cultural impact assessment; state projects

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the $1,500 penalty amount but does not specify who collects it or how enforcement works.

HB2885: Cultural Impact Assessments for State Projects

This law requires the state of Arizona to perform a cultural impact assessment before any state project can begin.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the state or its agencies to perform a cultural impact assessment for all state projects before they start.
• Defines a cultural impact assessment as a process to identify, evaluate, and manage effects on community values, resources, and heritage.
• Sets a $1,500 civil penalty for contractors who ignore the assessment findings and begin work anyway.

Who It Names or Affects

• The state of Arizona
• State agencies that run projects
• Contractors working on state projects

Terms To Know

Cultural impact assessment

A process to identify, evaluate, and manage how a project affects a community's cultural values, resources, and heritage.

Civil penalty

A fine of $1,500 charged by the government for breaking this rule.

Limits and Unknowns

• The text does not say how long it takes to finish an assessment.
• The bill does not list specific examples of what counts as cultural values, resources, or heritage.
• It is unclear if this rule applies to projects that started before the law took effect.

Official Summary Text

HB2885 - cultural impact assessment; state projects

Current Bill Text

HB2885 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
cultural impact assessment; state
projects

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2885

Introduced by

Representative
Tsosie

AN
ACT

Amending title 41, chapter 4, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-710.04; relating to state
projects.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 41, chapter 4, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-710.04, to read:

START_STATUTE
41-710.04.

State projects, cultural impact assessment; civil penalty;
definition

A. Notwithstanding any other law,
this state or an agency of this state shall perform a CULTURAL impact
assessment for all state projects before the state project may begin.

B. If a contractor working on a state
project ignores the findings of the cultural impact ASSESSMENT pursuant to
subsection A of this section and begins the project, The contractor shall be
assessed a civil penalty of $1,500.

C. For the purposes of this section,
"cultural impact assessment" means a process to identify, evaluate
and manage the effects of a proposed project on a community's cultural values,
resources and heritage.
END_STATUTE