sex offenders; statute of limitations

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on how the bill will be enforced or what resources will be provided for enforcement, leaving these aspects uncertain.

Sex Offenders; Statute of Limitations

This bill amends Arizona law to remove the statute of limitations for prosecuting individuals who fail to register as sex offenders.

What This Bill Does

• Adds failing to register as a sex offender to the list of offenses that can be prosecuted at any time, without a statute of limitations.

Who It Names or Affects

• People required to register as sex offenders under Arizona law.
• Law enforcement agencies responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes related to sex offender registration.

Terms To Know

Statute of limitations

The time period within which a legal proceeding must begin after the event that gave rise to it occurred, or else the right to initiate such a proceeding is lost.

Prosecution

A legal process where a government agency brings charges against someone accused of breaking the law.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how it will be enforced or what resources will be provided for enforcement.
• There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Official Summary Text

SB1239 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1239

sex offenders;
statute of limitations

Purpose

Adds failing to
register as a sex offender to the list of offenses for which there is an
unlimited statute of limitations and a prosecution may be commenced at any
time.

Background

Statute allows a
prosecution for a homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide that results in the
death of a person, various sexual offenses, terrorism, unlawful use of an
infectious biological substance or radiological agent, misuse of public monies
or a felony involving falsification of public records to be commenced at any
time. Prosecutions for other offenses must be commenced within their respective
time periods after actual discovery by the state or the political subdivision
having jurisdiction of the offense, with the time periods being: 1) for a class
2 through class 6 felony, seven years; 2) for a misdemeanor, one year; and 3)
for a petty offense, six months (
A.R.S.
� 13-107
).

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

Provisions

1.

Adds failing to register as a sex offender to the list of offenses for
which a prosecution may be commenced at any time.

2.

Makes technical changes.

3.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

January 23, 2026

ZD/MY/ci

Current Bill Text

SB1239 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

sex offenders;
statute of limitations

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1239

AN
ACT

AMENDING SECTION 13-107, ARIZONA
REVISED STATUTES; RELATING TO TIME LIMITATIONS.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 13-107, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
13-107.

Time limitations

A. A prosecution for any homicide, any conspiracy to
commit homicide that results in the death of a person, any offense that is
listed in chapter 14 or 35.1 of this title and that is a class 2 felony, any
violent sexual assault pursuant to section 13-1423, any violation of
section 13-2308.01, 13-2308.03
,

or
13-3212
,

or
13-3824,
any misuse of public monies or a felony involving
falsification of public records or any attempt to commit an offense listed in
this subsection may be commenced at any time.

B. Except as otherwise provided in this section and
sections 28-672, 28-1381 and 28-1382, prosecutions for other
offenses must be commenced within the following periods after actual discovery
by the state or the political subdivision having jurisdiction of the offense or
discovery by the state or the political subdivision that should have occurred
with the exercise of reasonable diligence, whichever first occurs:

1. For a class 2 through a class 6 felony, seven
years.

2. For a misdemeanor, one year.

3. For a petty offense, six months.

C. For the purposes of subsection B of this section,
a prosecution is commenced when an indictment, information or complaint is
filed.

D. The period of limitation does not run during any
time when the accused is absent from the state or has no reasonably
ascertainable place of abode within the state.

E. The period of limitation does not run for a
serious offense as defined in section 13-706 during any time when the
identity of the person who commits the offense or offenses is unknown.

F. The time limitation within which a prosecution of
a class 6 felony shall commence shall be determined pursuant to subsection B,
paragraph 1 of this section, irrespective of whether a court enters a judgment
of conviction for or a prosecuting attorney designates the offense as a
misdemeanor.

G. If a complaint, indictment or information filed
before the period of limitation has expired is dismissed for any reason, a new
prosecution may be commenced within six months after the dismissal becomes
final even if the period of limitation has expired at the time of the dismissal
or will expire within six months of the dismissal.
END_STATUTE