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SB1757 • 2026

foreign principals; lobbyists; registration; fund

SB1757 - foreign principals; lobbyists; registration; fund

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Frank Carroll
Last action
2026-02-09
Official status
Senate second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact penalties and use of the fund are not detailed in the provided official bill text.

Foreign Principal Lobbyist Registration

This bill requires foreign principals to register with the Arizona Department of Homeland Security and pay fees when hiring lobbyists in Arizona.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires foreign principals to submit a copy of their lobbying registration and list of current lobbyists to the Arizona Department of Homeland Security.
  • Establishes that foreign principals must reregister every odd-numbered year unless they no longer use any lobbyists, and update their information within five business days if there are changes.
  • Mandates designated lobbyists or those receiving compensation from a foreign principal to disclose their status to legislators and public officials when lobbying.
  • Creates penalties for violations of the registration requirements, including fines and potential criminal charges.
  • Establishes a fund to collect fees from foreign principals who register lobbyists.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Foreign principals who hire lobbyists in Arizona
  • Lobbyists working on behalf of foreign principals
  • Arizona legislators and public officials

Terms To Know

Foreign Principal
A government or organization from another country that hires lobbyists.
Designated Lobbyist
A person who represents a foreign principal in lobbying activities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact penalties for violations.
  • It is unclear how the fund will be used beyond collecting fees from foreign principals.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senate second read

  2. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate Rules: None

  3. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate Government: None

  4. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1757 - foreign principals; lobbyists; registration; fund

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB1757 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
foreign principals; lobbyists;
registration; fund

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1757

Introduced by

Senator
Carroll

AN
ACT

Amending title 41, chapter 41, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding sections 41-4259 and 41-4260; relating to
the arizona department of homeland security.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 41, chapter 41, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 41-4259 and 41-4260,
to read:

START_STATUTE
41-4259.

Duty to register; foreign principles; lobbyists; violation;
classification; enforcement; fees; definitions

A. Notwithstanding any other law, A
foreign principal shall submit to the Department a copy of the foreign
principal's lobbying registration and a list of THE FOREIGN PRINCIPAL'S current
lobbyists pursuant to section 41-1232.

B. Each foreign principal shall
reregister not later than 5:00 p.m. on the second Monday in January of each odd-numbered
year unless at that time the foreign principal no longer engages, employs,
retains or uses any lobbyist. beginning December 1 of each even-numbered
year, A foreign principal shall file its registration at any time. Each foreign
principal shall amend its registration statement within five business days
after any change in the information required by subsection A of this section.

C. The Department shall post publicly
on its website a database of all
foreign principals
and
each FOREIGN PRINCIPAL'S lobbyists in this state.

D. A person who is a designated
lobbyist, lobbyist for compensation or authorized lobbyist for a foreign
principal in this state shall disclose that fact to all of the following:

1. Any legislator the person is
lobbying for the first time or on any subsequent request of a legislator.

2. Any public official or employee of
a public body each time the person is lobbying for the procurement of
materials, services or construction in this state. The person shall also
disclose the name of that person's client.

E. A person is guilty of a class 1
MISDEMEANOR if either of the following occurs:

1. A person knowingly violates this
section.

2. a person knowingly submits any
information prescribed in this section that contains any materially false
statement or material omission.

F. Any alleged violation of this
section may be investigated and prosecuted by the attorney general or by the
county attorney of the county in which the alleged offense occurred.

G. The director shall:

1. Prescribe and publish the
registration and registration amendment forms to carry out this section.

2. Refer to the attorney general or
county attorney to INVESTIGATE any matter in which the director has reason to
believe constitutes a violation of this section.

H. The Department may adopt rules,
develop forms and implement procedures as necessary to implement this section.

I. Each foreign principal that
registers a lobbyist for compensation or a designated lobbyist who receives
compensation for lobbying from the foreign principal, at the time of
registering or reregistering, shall pay a registration or reregistration fee
set by the Department. The Department shall deposit, pursuant to
sections 35-146 and 35-147, Registration and reregistration fees
collected in the foreign principal lobbyist registration fund established by
section 41-4260.

J. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Authorized lobbyist"
has the same meaning prescribed in section 41-1231.

2. "Designated lobbyist"
has the same meaning prescribed in section 41-1231.

3. "Foreign PRINCIPAL"
means any of the following:

(
a
) a
government of a foreign country.

(
b
) a foreign
political party.

(
c
) a person
outside of the United States, unless it is established that the person is an
individual and a citizen of and domiciled within the United States, or that the
person is not an individual and is organized under or created by the laws of
the United States or of any State or other place subject to the jurisdiction of
the United States and has its principal place of business within the United
States.

(
d
) a
partnership, association, corporation, organization or other combination of
persons organized under the laws of, or having its principal place of business
in, a foreign country.

(
e
) A partnership,
association, corporation, organization or other combination of persons that is
at least thirty percent owned by a partnership, association, corporation,
organization or other combination of persons organized under the laws of, or
having its principal place of business in, a foreign country.

4. "Lobbyist" has the same
meaning prescribed in section 41-1231.

5. "Lobbyist for
compensation" has the same meaning prescribed in section 41-1231.
END_STATUTE

START_STATUTE
41-4260.

Foreign principal lobbyist registration fund

The Foreign principal lobbyist registration fund
is established consisting of legislative appropriations and fees collected by
the department pursuant to section 41-4259. The department shall
administer the fund.� monies in the fund are subject to LEGISLATIVE
APPROPRIATION and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to
lapsing of appropriations.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.
Exemption from rulemaking

Notwithstanding any other law, for the
purposes of this act, the Arizona department of homeland security is exempt
from the rulemaking requirements of title 41, chapter 6, Arizona Revised
Statutes, for one year after the effective date of this act.