Official Summary Text
SB1278 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
NR�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� AS
VETOED
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
VETOED
FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1278/H.b. 2042
solar radiation
management; prohibition; enforcement
Purpose
Prohibits a
person from intentionally injecting, releasing or dispensing or causing the
injection, release or dispensation of any material within Arizona for solar
radiation management, which is the modification or attempted modification of
atmospheric reflectivity that modifies the amount or intensity of sunlight that
reaches the Earth.
Background
Current statute
prohibits any person or public or private corporation, other than the federal
or state government or their agencies from conducting weather control or cloud
modification operations or attempting to artificially produce rainfall without
first obtaining a license from the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR).
At the time of applying for the license, the applicant must pay a $100 fee and file
an application in the form prescribed by the Director of ADWR. An application
for a license to conduct such operations must include: 1) the name and address
of the applicant; 2) the names of the operating personnel; 3) the scientific
qualifications of all operating or supervising personnel; 4) a statement of all
other contracts completed or in process of completion at the time the
application is made; 5) the
methods of operation the licensee will
use and the description of the aircraft, ground and meteorological services to
be utilized; and 6) the names of the contracting parties within Arizona
(A.R.S. ��
45-1601
and
45-1603
).
There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Prohibits a person from intentionally injecting, releasing or dispensing
or causing the injection, release or dispensation of any material within Arizona
for solar radiation management.
2.
Defines
solar radiation management
as the modification or
attempted modification of atmospheric reflectivity that modifies the amount or
intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth.
3.
Prohibits a political subdivision of Arizona, including any public
university or any private entity that receives public monies, from providing
any grants for the development of solar radiation management technologies.
4.
Allows
any resident of Arizona to submit a complaint to the Attorney General (AG) alleging
a solar radiation management violation that states:
a)
the
name and contact information of the resident who submits the complaint;
b)
the
date or dates the alleged violation occurred;
c)
a
description of the alleged violation and the location, method and substances or
compounds used, if known; and
d)
any applicable
supporting evidence or documentation.
5.
Requires the AG to investigate all credible complaints submitted to the AG's
Office.
6.
Allows the AG to investigate any conduct that the AG has reasonable
suspicion to believe violates the prohibition of solar radiation management.
7.
Allows the AG to file an action in the superior court alleging a solar
radiation management violation.
8.
Requires the superior court to award injunctive relief and reasonable
attorney fees to the prevailing party if the court finds a violation.
9.
Allows the superior court to award other relief as the court finds
necessary.
10.
Becomes
effective on the general effective date.
Governor's Veto Message
����������� The Governor
indicates in her
veto
message
a commitment to working with the Legislature to ensure Arizona's
clean and healthy air but that H.B. 2042 is a solution to a non-existent
problem without science or data to back up its claims.
House Action
����������������������������������������������������������
Senate
Action
NREW����������� 1/27/26����� DP������ 6-4-0-0�������������� NR����������������� 2/3/26��������� DP������������ 5-2-1
3
rd
Read��������� 2/26/26����������������� 31-23-6�������������� 3
rd
Read��������� 2/25/26������������������������� 16-11-3
(S.B. 1278 was
substituted for H.B. 2042
on 3
rd
Read)
Vetoed by the Governor 3/12/26
Prepared by Senate Research
March 31, 2026
SB/NRG/hk
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SB1278 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
solar radiation
management; prohibition; enforcement.
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SENATE BILL 1278
AN
ACT
amending title 49, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona
Revised Statutes, by adding section 49-119; RELATING to the environment.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 49, chapter 1, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 49-119, to read:
START_STATUTE
49-119.
Solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement; definition
A. Notwithstanding any other law, a
person may not intentionally inject, release or dispense or cause the
injection, release or dispensation of any material within the borders of this
state for solar radiation management.
B. A political subdivision of this
state, including any public university or any private entity that receives
public monies, may not provide any grants for the development of solar
radiation management technologies.
C. Any resident of this state may
submit a complaint to the attorney general alleging a violation of this
section. Complaints must state the following:
1. The name and contact information
of the resident who submits the complaint.
2. The date or dates the alleged
violation occurred.
3. A description of the alleged
violation and the location, method and substances or compounds used, if known.
4. Any applicable supporting evidence
or documentation.
D. The attorney general shall
investigate all credible complaints submitted to the department of law pursuant
to this section.
E. The attorney general may
investigate any conduct that the attorney general has reasonable suspicion to
believe violates this section.
F. The attorney general may file an
action in the superior court alleging a violation of this
section. If the court finds a violation, the superior court shall
award injunctive relief and reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party. The
superior court may award other relief as the court finds necessary.
G. For the purposes of this section,
"solar radiation management" means the modification or attempted
modification of atmospheric reflectivity that modifies the amount or intensity
of sunlight that reaches the earth.
END_STATUTE