religious institutions; charitable services

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the prohibition applies only to property 'owned' by the group; no rules are provided for leased or borrowed land.

SB1546: Rules for Religious Groups Giving Free Items on Their Own Land

This bill stops cities from requiring special permits or zoning changes when churches or charities give away free food, goods, or services on land they own.

What This Bill Does

• Stops municipalities from making laws that require religious institutions or charitable organizations to rezone property they own in order to distribute free items.
• Bans cities from requiring permits for these groups to hand out free foods, goods, or services at locations they already own.
• Defines 'charitable organization' as a group exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
• Defines 'religious institution' as an entity owned, controlled, operated, and maintained by a church or religious denomination that operates as a nonprofit corporation.

Who It Names or Affects

• Municipalities in Arizona
• Religious institutions operating as nonprofits
• Charitable organizations with federal tax-exempt status

Terms To Know

Rezoning

Changing the official rules about how a piece of land can be used.

Permit

Official permission from a city or government agency to do something specific.

Charitable foods, goods or services

Food, goods, or services given away for free to members of the public.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill only applies when the distribution happens on property owned by the religious institution or charitable organization.
• It does not explain what rules apply if these groups use land they do not own.
• The effective date is not listed in the provided text.

Official Summary Text

SB1546 - religious institutions; charitable services

Current Bill Text

SB1546 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
religious institutions; charitable services

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1546

Introduced by

Senator
Farnsworth

AN
ACT

amending title 9, chapter 4, article 8,
arizona revised statutes, by adding section 9-500.54; relating to municipal
regulations.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 9, chapter 4, article 8,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 9-500.54, to read:

START_STATUTE
9-500.54.

Municipalities; religious institutions; charitable organizations;
charitable foods, goods or services; permits; rezoning; prohibitions;
definitions

A. NOtwithstanding any other law, a
municipality may not enact any law, ordinance or OTHER regulation that requires
a religious institution or charitable organization to rezone property that is
owned by THE religious institution or charitable organization or obtain any
type of permit for the religious institution or charitable organization to
distribute charitable foods, goods or services on the property that is owned by
the religious institution or charitable organization.

B. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Charitable foods, goods or
services" means food, goods or services that are distributed free to
members of the public.

2. "Charitable
organization" means a charitable organization that is exempt from federal
income taxation under section 501(
c
)(3) of the internal
revenue code.

3. "Religious institution"
means an institution that is owned, controlled, operated and maintained by a
church, religious denomination or religious organization that is lawfully
operating as a nonprofit religious corporation.
END_STATUTE