Official Summary Text
SB1503 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
FIN����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� AS
PASSED BY HOUSE
Now PS-related
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1503
public pensions; proxy voting
(
NOW:
first responders; state death benefit
)
����������� As
passed by the Senate, S.B. 1503 prohibited a public entity's retirement plan
from entering into an agreement with a proxy advisory firm for proxy advisory
services unless the firm acknowledges its obligations to vote all shares in the
sole economic interest of the plan's participants and beneficiaries as outlined
by the plan.
����������� The
House of Representatives adopted a strike-everything amendment that does the
following:
Purpose
An emergency measure that adds pilots employed by law enforcement agencies
(LEAs) to the
first responders
who qualify for the state death benefit.
Contains requirements for enactment for initiatives and referendums (Proposition
105).
Background
In addition to any other death benefit, if a first responder is killed in
the line of duty, the state must pay a state death benefit of $250,000 from the
State Supplemental Benefit Fund (Fund) to the first responder's surviving
spouse on written notice to the State Treasurer from the first responder's
employer. If the first responder does not have a surviving spouse but has
children, the state must pay a state death benefit of $250,000, divided equally
among the first responder's children. The state death benefit must be paid
within 30 days after receiving the written notice from the first responder's
employer. The Fund consists of legislative appropriations and monies collected
from a $20 penalty fee on every criminal conviction and is administered by the
State Treasurer for the purpose of providing state death benefits to first
responders killed in the line of duty (A.R.S. ��
38-1172
and
38-1173
).
The state death benefit for first responders killed in the line of duty and the
$20 penalty fee on criminal convictions expire on January 1, 2033.
A
first responder
who qualifies for the state death benefit is a
peace officer, a firefighter, fire marshal, fire inspector, emergency medical
care technician or paramedic engaged in the execution of any official duties or
a tribal police officer and includes a member of the Arizona National Guard who
is on state active duty in Arizona and a correctional officer who is employed
by the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (A.R.S. ��
13-1204
and
38-1171
).
There is no anticipated
fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1.
Modifies
the definition of
first responder
to include a pilot who is employed by
an LEA.
2.
Makes conforming changes.
3.
Requires for enactment the affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of
the members of each house of the Legislature (Proposition 105).
4.
Becomes effective on signature of the Governor, if the emergency clause
is enacted, retroactive to January 1, 2026.
Amendments Adopted by
the House of Representatives
�
Adopted the strike-everything amendment relating to death
benefits for first responders.
House Action
WM���������������� 3/26/26���� W/D���������
APPROP�������� 3/31/26���� DPA/SE��� 18-0-0-1
3
rd
Read��������� 4/13/26���������������������� 54-0-6
Prepared by Senate Research
April 13, 2026
KJA/hk
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
Chapter 0064 - 572R - H Ver of SB1503
House Engrossed
Senate Bill
public
pensions; proxy voting
(now:� first
responders; state death benefit)
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
CHAPTER 64
SENATE BILL 1503
AN
ACT
amending section 38-1171, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to civilian review boards.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Subject to the requirements of
article IV, part 1, section 1, Constitution of Arizona, section 38-1171,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE
38-1171.
Definitions
In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "First responder":
(a) Has the same meaning prescribed in section 13-1204.
(b) Includes
all of the following:
(
i
)
A
member of the Arizona national guard who is on state active duty in this state
and a correctional officer who is employed by the state department of
corrections.
(
ii
) A pilot
who is employed by a law ENFORCEMENT agency.
2. "Killed in the line of duty" means
killed as the result of another person's criminal act while in the performance
of the first responder's official duties.
END_STATUTE
Sec. 2.
Retroactivity
This act applies retroactively to from
and after December 31, 2025.
Sec. 3.
Requirements for
enactment; three-fourths vote
Pursuant to article IV, part 1,
section 1, Constitution of Arizona, section 38-1171, Arizona Revised Statutes,
as amended by this act, is effective only on the affirmative vote of at least
three-fourths of the members of each house of the legislature.
Sec. 4.
Emergency
This act is an emergency measure that
is necessary to preserve the public peace, health or safety and is operative
immediately as provided by law.
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR APRIL 15, 2026.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 15, 2026.