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SB1651 • 2026

state elected officials; absence; protection

SB1651 - state elected officials; absence; protection

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Mark Finchem
Last action
2026-02-10
Official status
Senate second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

SB1651: Protection Plan When State Officials Are Away

This law requires certain state officials to stay away from government buildings during specific events and sets up a safe off-site location for them.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, or state treasurer to be absent on a rotating schedule during specific events.
  • Applies this absence rule to inaugurations, the annual State of the State address, and other official gatherings with executive department members.
  • Directs the Department of Public Safety to arrange an off-site location for the officials who are excused from attending these events.
  • Mandates that the absent elected official must stay at this off-site location until the event ends.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and state treasurer
  • The Department of Public Safety

Terms To Know

Rotating basis
A schedule where different officials take turns being absent so the same person is not always away.
Seat of government
The main buildings or area where state leaders work and hold official meetings.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not list the specific dates for when these events will happen.
  • The text does not explain how officials are chosen to be absent on any given day, only that it happens in rotation.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-10 Senate

    Senate second read

  2. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senate Rules: None

  3. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senate Government: None

  4. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1651 - state elected officials; absence; protection

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB1651 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
state elected officials; absence; protection

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1651

Introduced by

Senator
Finchem

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. The lieutenant governor, the
secretary of state, the attorney general or the state treasurer, on a rotating
basis, shall be excused and 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 or
gubernatorial event where members of the executive department participate or
are in attendance.

B. For an event described in
subsection A of this section, the department of public safety shall coordinate
an off-site location for the excused and absent elected official.� The
elected official shall remain off-site until the conclusion of the event.

END_STATUTE