Official Summary Text
SB1646 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
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COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1646
absence; state
elected officials
Purpose
Requires the
Governor to choose a member of the executive department to be excused during
the inauguration of state elected officials and any address where the members
of the executive department are in attendance. Requires the Department of
Public Safety (DPS) to establish a protective detail to protect the excused
elected official and prescribes requirements for the protective detail.
Background
The Legislature
declares that recent technological developments make it possible for an enemy
attack of unprecedented destructiveness which may result in the death or
inability of a large portion of the elected officials of the government of the
state and the political subdivisions of the state. During an attack, conforming
to existing legal requirements for filling vacancies would be impractical,
result in undue delay and jeopardize continuity of civil government. Therefore,
it is necessary to adopt special provisions for continuity of all echelons of
civil government in Arizona (
A.R.S.
� 38-381
).
In the event of
an attack, after which the duly elected Governor or the Governor's successor
are unavailable to serve due to death or other reasons, the Legislature, in
emergency session, must designate a temporary governor to serve until
conditions permit compliance with constitutional mandates for filling the
vacancy. The designee must be of the same political party as the duly elected
Governor and may exercise full powers and duties of the office during the
temporary appointment (
A.R.S.
� 38-383
).
There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Requires, by choice of the Governor, either the Lieutenant Governor,
Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer or Superintendent of
Public Instruction to be absent from the vicinity of the seat of government
during the inauguration of state elected officials, the annual Governor's State
of the State Address or any other state address by the Governor where members
of the executive department participate or are in attendance.
2.
Requires the excused elected official to remain at least 35 miles away
from the seat of the government during the event.
3.
Requires DPS to establish a protective detail to care for and protect
the excused elected official.
4.
Requires
the protective detail to provide:
a)
safe and secure housing during the event;
b)
safe transportation with an appropriate escort;
c)
appropriate and secure communications; and
d)
a
secure announcement to all agency directors as to the excused elected official
who would represent continuity of state government and a line of succession.
5.
Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 15, 2026
AN/KP/ci
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SB1646 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
absence; state
elected officials
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SENATE BILL 1646
AN
ACT
Amending title 38, chapter 2.1, article
1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 38-387; relating to state
elected officials.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 38, chapter 2.1, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 38-387, to read:
START_STATUTE
38-387.
Absence of state elected official during official state events
A. By choice of the governor, either
the lieutenant governor, the secretary of state, the attorney general, the
state treasurer or the superintendent of public instruction shall be absent
from the vicinity of the seat of government during the inauguration of state
elected officials, the annual governor's state of the state address or any
other state address by the governor where members of the executive department
participate or are in attendance. The excused elected official shall
remain at least thirty-five miles away from the seat of government during such
an event.
B. The department of public safety
shall establish a protective detail that shall care for and protect the excused
elected official. The protective detail shall provide:
1. Safe and secure housing during the
event.
2. Safe transportation with an
appropriate escort.
3. Appropriate and secure
communications.
4. A secure announcement to all
agency directors as to the excused elected official who would represent
continuity of state government and a line of succession.
END_STATUTE