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SB1434 • 2026

Maricopa county; new counties; division

SB1434 - Maricopa county; new counties; division

Elections
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Jake Hoffman
Last action
2026-02-16
Official status
Senate consent calendar
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the end date of Maricopa County supervisors' terms or the exact impact on property taxes.

Maricopa County Division Act

This bill changes Maricopa County's borders by creating three new counties: Hohokam, Mogollon, and O'odham. It outlines the process for dividing Maricopa County into these new counties.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the boundaries of Maricopa County to create three new counties named Hohokam, Mogollon, and O'odham.
  • Requires Maricopa County operations to continue as usual during a transition period for up to three years after January 1, 2027.
  • Establishes an Intercounty Oversight and Accountability Board (Board) to oversee the division process and make decisions about shared services between the new counties.
  • Allows the Board to continue past the initial transition if approved by county supervisors of Hohokam, Mogollon, and O'odham counties.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Residents of Maricopa County who will see changes in county boundaries.
  • County officials involved in the transition process.
  • Newly formed counties: Hohokam, Mogollon, and O'odham.

Terms To Know

Intercounty Oversight and Accountability Board
A board responsible for overseeing the division of Maricopa County into three new counties during a transition period.
Transition Period
The time frame, up to three years after January 1, 2027, when Maricopa County operations continue as usual while the new county divisions are established.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how property tax rates will be affected.
  • It is unclear what specific fiscal impacts the division of Maricopa County may have on state and local budgets beyond the initial transition period.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Senate consent calendar

  2. 2026-01-29 Senate

    Senate second read

  3. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Senate Rules: PFC

  4. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Senate Government: DP

  5. 2026-01-28 Senate

    Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1434 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

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ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1434

Maricopa county;
new counties; division

Purpose

Effective
January 1, 2027, prescribes new boundaries to Maricopa County and establishes
the formation of Hohokam County, Mogollon County and O'odham County. Outlines
procedural requirements relating to the division of Maricopa County.

Background

Arizona is
comprised of 15 counties and statute prescribes the boundaries that encapsulate
each county. Counties may be formed or divided by a legislative enactment,
statewide initiative or county initiative (
A.R.S. Title 11, Chapter 1
).
According to the 2020 U.S. Decennial Census, the population of Maricopa County
is estimated to be 4,420,568 persons (
U.S.
Census Bureau
).

In 2025, the
Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) published a fiscal note on S.B. 1101,
an identical measure to S.B. 1434, which estimated that S.B. 1101 may impact
the state General Fund as some of the new counties established by the bill may
qualify for state assistance not currently received by Maricopa County. JLBC
noted that the legislation would have a larger fiscal impact at the county
level and the potential impacts on property tax rates (
JLBC
fiscal note
).

Provisions

County
Transition

1.

Modifies the boundaries of Maricopa County and establishes Hohokam
County, Mogollon County and O'odham County, as prescribed.

2.

Requires Maricopa County operations to continue in its existing form
through a transition period for up to three years after January 1, 2027, under
the supervision of the Intercounty Oversight and Accountability Board (Board).

3.

Requires the Board to make intercounty decisions and enter into mutually
beneficial shared use or intergovernmental agreements for the continuation of
services for Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County
and terminates the Board at the end of the transition period.

4.

Allows the Board to continue past the transitionary period if there is
approval by a majority of the county board of supervisors (BOS) of Hohokam
County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County.

5.

Requires the Maricopa County BOS to retain control over the operation of
Maricopa County during the transition until the BOS of Hohokam County, Mogollon
County and O'odham County are sworn into office and requires the swearing in to
take place by June 15, 2027.

6.

Requires the Maricopa County BOS to continue in their elected capacities
for the remainder of the supervisors' terms and stipulates that if an elected
Maricopa County supervisor's supervisory district is located with Hohokam
County, Mogollon County or O'odham County, the supervisor must complete the
term in the new county in which the supervisory district is located.

7.

Requires the county BOS to approve supervisorial districts within 180
days after being sworn into office.

8.

Requires the chairperson of each county's BOS to serve on a Board during
the three-year transition period.

9.

Requires the control of existing special districts to be assumed by the
county in which the special district is located.

10.

Requires
the counties, for a special district located in more than one county, to enter
into an intergovernmental agreement regarding control of the special district
within one year after the election of the county BOS.

11.

Allows
Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County to enter
into a 10-year shared use agreement for the use of existing shared capital
assets.

12.

Requires
Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County to divide
furniture, fixtures and equipment on a pro-rata basis based on the furniture,
fixtures and equipment located in each county.

13.

Requires,
beginning January 1, 2027, Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and
O'odham County to enter into an intergovernmental agreement for the continued
operation for community colleges for a period of at least 10 years

County
Elections

14.

Requires
the BOS for Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County
to be elected in a special election within 120 days after January 1, 2027, and
requires the supervisors to be elected to staggered, abbreviated terms in which
they will serve until the next presidential election.

15.

Requires
supervisors to be elected by the entire county for an initial term and by the
supervisorial district at subsequent elections.

16.

Requires,
for the election of the unfilled elected county seats, Hohokam County, Maricopa
County, Mogollon County and O'odham County to hold the election at the same
time as the election for the county BOS and requires current elected officials
to finish their current terms in the county that they reside in.

17.

Requires
the elected BOS in Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham
County to determine an application process for municipalities to apply to be
the county seat.

18.

Requires
a special election for the county seat to take place within 120 days after the
election of the BOS in Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and
O'odham County.

Miscellaneous

19.

Requires
the Legislative Council Staff to prepare proposed legislation conforming the
Arizona Revised Statutes to the formation of the new counties for consideration
in the Fifty-Eighth Legislature, First Regular Session.

20.

Makes
conforming changes.

21.

Becomes
effective on January 1, 2027.

Prepared by Senate Research

February 6, 2026

AN/KP/ci

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB1434 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
Maricopa county; new counties; division

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1434

Introduced by

Senator
Hoffman

AN
ACT

amending
section 11-109, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending title 11, chapter 1,
article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding sections 11-118, 11-119
and 11-120; relating to location of counties.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 11-109, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
11-109.

Maricopa county

Maricopa county, the county seat of which is Phoenix, is
bounded as follows:

Commencing at a point where the meridian line one
hundred thirteen degrees twenty minutes west longitude, as defined by the
Atwood survey of 1918, intersects the second standard parallel south, being the
northwest corner of Pima county; thence north on such survey line and along the
east boundaries of Yuma and La Paz counties to the point where the meridian
line one hundred thirteen degrees twenty minutes west longitude, as surveyed,
intersects the thirty-fourth parallel north latitude, as defined by the Thompson
survey of 1924; thence east on the thirty-fourth parallel north latitude, as
defined, and along the southern boundary of Yavapai county to the point where
the Hassayampa river intersects such parallel; thence southeast in a direct
line following the Thompson survey of 1924 to a point in the Agua Fria river
two miles southerly and below the mouth of Humbug creek; thence northerly up
the Agua Fria river to a point two miles southerly and below the place where
the residence of J. W. Swilling stood on January 31, 1877; thence easterly in a
direct line following the Thompson survey of 1924 to the point where the
thirty-fourth parallel north latitude, as defined by such survey, intersects
the Verde river; thence east on such parallel to the point where the parallel
as surveyed intersects the summit of the Mazatzal range of mountains; thence
southerly along the summit of the Mazatzal range of mountains to the point
where such range of mountains intersects the centerline of the Salt river;
thence easterly up the Salt river to the mouth of Tonto creek; thence southerly
in a direct line toward a mountain known as the "Water Shed," and
along the western boundary of Gila county to the point where such line and
boundary intersects the north line of township one north; thence west on the
north line of township one north and along the northern boundary of Pinal
county to the point where such line intersects the eastern line of range seven
east; thence south on the eastern line of range seven east to the point where
such line intersects the southern line of township two south; thence west on
such line to the point where such line intersects the Gila river; thence
northerly and westerly down the Gila river to the point where the river
intersects the eastern line of range one east, being the northwest corner of
Pinal county; thence south on such line to the point where such line intersects
the second standard parallel south, being the southwest corner of Pinal county;
thence west on such parallel to the point where it intersects the meridian line
one hundred thirteen degrees twenty minutes west longitude, as defined by the
Atwood survey of 1918, being the place of beginning.
�
Commencing
at the northwestern border of the City of Glendale at 75th avenue and Pinnacle
Peak road, thence east along the boundary of the city of Glendale; thence south
along the boundary of the city of Glendale to the point where the boundary
intersects Thunderbird road; thence east along Thunderbird road to the point
where thunderbird road intersects Cave Creek road; thence east following along
Cactus road to the point where cactus road intersects Tatum boulevard; thence
south along Tatum boulevard to the northwest boundary of the Town of Paradise
Valley; thence south following the boundary of the city of Phoenix to the point
where the boundary of the city of Phoenix intersects the boundary of the city
of Tempe on McDowell road, thence south and thence east following the boundary
of the city of Tempe continuing to the point where the boundary of the city of
Tempe intersects the boundary of the city of Phoenix; thence south along the
western border of the city of Chandler; thence east along the southern border
of the city of Chandler; thence south to where it intersects the meridian line
one hundred thirteen degrees twenty minutes west longitude; thence west along
the northern boundary of Pinal county to the point where such line intersects
the eastern line of range seven east; thence south on the eastern line of range
seven east to the point where such line intersects the southern line of
township two south; thence west on such line to the point where such line
intersects the Gila River; thence northerly and westerly down the Gila River to
the point where the river intersects the eastern line of range one east, being
the northwest corner of Pinal county; thence south to the thirty-third
parallel following a direct line along the southern boundary of the Gila River
Indian Reservation; thence north along the eastern boundary of the city of
Goodyear; thence north along the western boundary of the city of Avondale to
where intersects the boundary of the city of Glendale; thence following the
boundary of the city of Glendale to the northwestern boundary of the city of
Glendale, which is the place of beginning.

END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Title 11, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 11-118, 11-119 and 11-120, to
read:

START_STATUTE
11-118.

Hohokam county

Hohokam county is bounded as follows:

South on the northwestern point where Gila
county to the point where such line intersects the second standard parallel
south, being the southwest corner of Pinal county; thence west on such parallel
to the point where it intersects the meridian line one hundred thirteen degrees
twenty minutes west longitude to the western border of Sun Lakes at Price road;
thence north along the western border of the city of Chandler; thence west
along the southern border of the city of Chandler; thence north along the western
border of the city of Chandler; thence east along the northern border of the
city of Chandler; thence north along the border of the city of Mesa continuing
to the northwestern point where Gila county intersects, which is the place of
beginning.
END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE
11-119.

Mogollon county

Mogollon county
is bounded as follows:

Commencing at the Agua Fria River two miles
southerly and below the mouth of Humbug creek; thence northerly up the Agua
Fria River to a point two miles southerly and below the place where the
residence of J. W.� Swilling stood on January 31, 1877; thence easterly in a
direct line following the Thompson survey of 1924 to the point where the thirty-fourth
parallel north latitude, as defined by such survey, intersects the Verde River;
thence east on such parallel to the point where the parallel as surveyed
intersects the summit of the Mazatzal range of mountains; thence southerly
along the summit of the Mazatzal range of mountains to the point where such
range of mountains intersects the centerline of the Salt River; thence easterly
up the Salt River to the mouth of Tonto creek; thence southerly in a direct
line toward a mountain known as the "Water Shed" and along the
western boundary of Gila county to the point where such line and boundary
intersects the north line of township one north; thence west following the
northern boundary of the city of Mesa to the southern border of the Salt River
Pima�Maricopa Indian Reservation to the border of the city of Scottsdale to the
southern border of the town of Paradise Valley continuing northward to the
northwestern boundary of the town of Paradise Valley at Shea boulevard and
Tatum boulevard; thence north following Tatum Boulevard to Cactus road; thence
west following Cactus road to the point where Cactus road intersects Cave Creek
road; thence west following Thunderbird road to the point where Thunderbird
road intersects the boundary of the city of Glendale; thence north following
the eastern boundary of the city of Glendale; thence north following the
western boundary of the city of Phoenix; thence west following the northern
border of the city of Peoria to the point on the Agua Fria River, which is the
place of beginning.
END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE
11-120.

O'odham county

O'odham county is bounded as follows:

Commencing at a point where the meridian line
one hundred thirteen degrees twenty minutes west longitude, as defined by the
Atwood survey of 1918, intersects the second standard parallel south, being the
northwest corner of Pima county; thence north on such survey line and along the
east boundaries of Yuma and La Paz counties to the point where the meridian
line one hundred thirteen degrees twenty minutes west longitude, as surveyed,
intersects the thirty-fourth parallel north latitude, as defined by the
Thompson survey of 1924; thence east on the thirty-fourth parallel north
latitude, as defined, and along the southern boundary of Yavapai county to the
point where the Hassayampa river intersects such parallel; thence southeast in
a direct line following the Thompson survey of 1924 to the thirty-fourth
parallel north latitude where it intersects the border of the city of Peoria
boundaries; thence east following the border of the city of Peoria and south
following the boundary of the city of Peoria and west along Northern avenue
continuing along the southern boundary of the city of El Mirage, thence north
along the boundary of the city of El Mirage to the southern boundary of the
city of Surprise to the northwestern boundary of the city of Glendale thence
south following the eastern boundary of the city of Goodyear to the
thirty-third parallel north latitude in a direct line to the southern boundary
of the Gila River Indian Reservation to where it intersects the border of Pinal
county; thence south following the border of Pinal county to where it
intersects the border of Pima county; then west following the northern border
of Pima county to the commencement point, which is the place of beginning.

END_STATUTE

Sec. 3.
Maricopa county division; procedures

A. Maricopa county
operations shall continue in their existing form through a transition period of
not more than three years after the effective date of this act.� On the
election of the boards of supervisors in Hohokam, Maricopa, Mogollon and
O'odham counties, the existing Maricopa county operations shall continue under
the supervision of the intercounty oversight and accountability board for the
duration of the transition period. The current Maricopa county board
of supervisors shall retain authority over the operation of Maricopa county
during the transition period until the boards of supervisors in Hohokam,
Maricopa, Mogollon and O'odham counties are sworn into office.� The swearing in
shall take place not later than June 15, 2027.

B. The boards of
supervisors in Hohokam, Maricopa, Mogollon and O'odham counties shall be
elected at a special election within one hundred twenty days after the
effective date of this act.� The supervisors shall be elected to staggered,
abbreviated terms to serve until the next presidential election.� Supervisors
shall be elected at large for their initial terms and shall be elected by
supervisorial district at subsequent elections.� The board of supervisors shall
approve supervisorial districts within one hundred eighty days after being
sworn in.

C. Currently elected
Maricopa county supervisors will continue in their elected capacities for the
remainder of their terms.� If a currently elected Maricopa county supervisor's
supervisory district is located within Hohokam, Mogollon or O'odham counties,
that supervisor will continue the supervisor's currently elected term in the
new county in which the supervisory district is located.

D. The chairperson of each
county's board of supervisors shall serve on an intercounty oversight and
accountability board during the three-year transition
period. The intercounty oversight and accountability board shall
make intercounty decisions and enter into mutually beneficial shared use or
intergovernmental agreements for the continuation of services for Hohokam,
Maricopa, Mogollon and O'odham counties. The intercounty oversight
and accountability board will terminate at the end of the transition period.�
The intercounty oversight and accountability board may be continued if approved
by a majority of the boards of supervisors of Hohokam, Maricopa, Mogollon and
O'odham counties.�

E. Control of existing
special districts will be assumed by the county in which the special district
is located.� If a special district is located within more than one county, the
counties shall enter into an intergovernmental agreement regarding control of
the special district within one year after the election of the county board of
supervisors.

F. The elected boards of
supervisors in Hohokam, Mogollon and O'odham counties will determine an
application process for municipalities to apply to be the county seat.� The
county seat shall be determined at a special election to take place not more
than one hundred twenty days after the election of the boards of supervisors in
Hohokam, Mogollon and O'odham counties.

G. Hohokam, Maricopa,
Mogollon and O'odham counties may enter into a ten-year shared use
agreement for the use of existing shared capital assets. The
counties shall divide furniture, fixtures and equipment on a pro-rata basis
based on the furniture, fixtures and equipment located in each county.

H. The election of unfilled
elected county seats in Hohokam, Maricopa, Mogollon and O'odham counties shall
take place at the same time as the election of the boards of supervisors in
Hohokam, Maricopa, Mogollon and O'odham counties.� Current elected officials
shall finish their current terms in the county in which they reside.

I. Hohokam, Maricopa,
Mogollon and O'odham counties shall enter into an intergovernmental agreement
for the continued operation of community colleges for a period of not less than
ten years after the effective date of this act.

Sec. 4.
Conforming legislation

The legislative council staff shall
prepare proposed legislation conforming the Arizona Revised Statutes to the
provisions of this act for consideration in the fifty-eighth legislature,
first regular session.

Sec. 5.
Effective date

This act is effective from and after
December 31, 2026.