Official Summary Text
SB1538 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
PS������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ AS
PASSED BY COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1538
moving violation;
citation; AZPOST-certified officer
(
NOW:
moving violations; AZPOST-certified officer; prosecutors
)
Purpose
Restricts the authority to issue a moving civil traffic violation to only
peace officers or prosecutors.
Background
����������� A traffic complaint may be served by
delivering a copy of the uniform traffic ticket and complaint to the person
charged with the violation or by any means authorized by the Arizona Rules of Civil
Procedure. Service of the complaint is complete on filing the receipt in the
court having jurisdiction of the violation.
A peace officer, or duly
authorized agent or someone paid to act on behalf of a traffic enforcement
agency, may issue the traffic complaint (
A.R.S.
� 28-1593
).
�����������
Peace
officers
are county sheriffs, constables, marshals, city and town policemen,
commissioned personnel of the Department of Public Safety, personnel who are
employed by the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry
and Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections and have received a certificate
from the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST), peace
officers who are appointed by a multicounty water conservation district and have
received a certificate from AZPOST, police officers who are appointed by
community college district governing boards and have received a certificate
from AZPOST, police officers who are appointed by the Arizona Board of Regents
and have received a certificate from AZPOST, police officers who are appointed
by the governing body of a public airport and have received a certificate from
AZPOST, peace officers who are appointed by a private postsecondary institution
and have received a certificate from AZPOST and special agents from the Office
of the Attorney General, or of a county attorney, and have received a
certificate from AZPOST (
A.R.S.
� 1-215
).
����������� There
is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Stipulates
that a moving civil traffic violation may only be issued by a peace officer or a
prosecutor.
2.
Makes
technical changes.
3.
Becomes
effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by
Committee of the Whole
�
Allows a moving civil traffic violation to be issued by a peace
officer or a prosecutor, rather than only a peace officer.
Senate Action
PS���������� 2/25/26���������� DP������� 5-2-0
Prepared by Senate Research
February 26, 2026
KJA/hk
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SB1538 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
moving
violation; citation; AZPOST-certified officer
(now: moving
violations; AZPOST-certified officer; prosecutors)
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SENATE BILL 1538
AN
ACT
Amending section 28-1592, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to civil traffic violations.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section
1.
1. Section
28-1592, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE
28-1592.
Commencement of action; original citation changes
A. A civil traffic violation case is commenced by
issuance or filing of a uniform traffic ticket and complaint as provided in
this article.
B. A civil traffic violation case shall be commenced
as follows:
1. If a case is commenced by issuance, it shall be issued
within sixty days after the alleged violation.
2. If the case is commenced by filing, it shall be
filed within sixty days after the alleged violation and shall be served within
ninety days after the filing date.
3. Except as provided in paragraph 4 of this
subsection, within one hundred eighty days after the alleged violation if the
alleged violation is under investigation in conjunction with a traffic
accident.
4. Within one year after the alleged violation if
the alleged violation is under investigation in conjunction with a traffic
accident resulting in death.
C. On an original citation, if a peace officer or
duly authorized traffic agent changes the date, time or location of the
violation or the section of law that is allegedly violated, the original
citation must be amended through the court pursuant to the Arizona rules of
civil
procedure for
traffic and civil boating violations.
D. A moving civil traffic violation
may only be issued by a
peace officer
or prosecutor.
END_STATUTE