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SB1778 • 2026

juvenile sentenced as adult; sentencing

SB1778 - juvenile sentenced as adult; sentencing

Children Crime
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Sally Ann Gonzales
Last action
2026-02-09
Official status
Senate second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about enforcement or funding mechanisms.

Juvenile Sentenced as Adult; Sentencing

This bill modifies the conditions under which juveniles aged 14 and older can be charged as adults for certain serious crimes, sets requirements for notices regarding chronic felony offenders, and restricts sentencing options for juveniles convicted as adults.

What This Bill Does

  • Modifies when a county attorney may charge a juvenile as an adult if they commit specific violent or felony offenses.
  • Requires the filing of notices by the county attorney to establish jurisdiction over juveniles accused of being chronic felony offenders and sets up hearings for this determination.
  • Restricts sentencing options for juveniles convicted as adults, including prohibiting death penalty or life without parole sentences.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Juveniles aged 14 and older accused of serious crimes
  • County attorneys who decide how to charge juveniles
  • Courts that handle cases involving juvenile offenders treated as adults

Terms To Know

chronic felony offender
A juvenile with two prior separate adjudications and dispositions for conduct constituting a historical prior felony conviction if tried as an adult.
forcible sexual assault
Sexual assault without consent, involving specific violent acts.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how it will be enforced or funded.
  • It is unclear what happens if a juvenile is charged as an adult but later transferred to the juvenile court.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senate second read

  2. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate Rules: None

  3. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate Judiciary and Elections: None

  4. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1778 - juvenile sentenced as adult; sentencing

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB1778 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
juvenile sentenced as adult; sentencing

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1778

Introduced by

Senator
Gonzales

AN
ACT

Amending section 13-501, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to criminal responsibility.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 13-501, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
13-501.

Persons under eighteen years of age; felony charging; definitions

A. The county attorney shall bring a criminal
prosecution against a juvenile in the same manner as an adult if the juvenile
is fifteen, sixteen or seventeen years of age at the time the alleged offense
is committed and the juvenile is accused of any of the following offenses:

1. First degree murder in violation of section 13-1105.

2. Second degree murder in violation of section 13-1104.

3. Forcible sexual assault in violation of section
13-1406.

4. Armed robbery in violation of section 13-1904.

5. Any other violent felony offense.

6. Any felony offense committed by a chronic felony
offender.

7. Any offense that is properly joined to an offense
listed in this subsection.

B. Except as provided in subsection A of this
section, the county attorney may bring a criminal prosecution against a
juvenile in the same manner as an adult if the juvenile is at least fourteen
years of age at the time the alleged offense is committed and the juvenile is
accused of any of the following offenses:

1. A class 1 felony.

2. A class 2 felony.

3. A class 3 felony in violation of any offense in
chapters 10 through 17 or chapter 19 or 23 of this title.

4. A class 3, 4, 5 or 6 felony involving a dangerous
offense.

5. Any felony offense committed by a chronic felony
offender.

6. Any offense that is properly joined to an offense
listed in this subsection.

C. A criminal prosecution shall be brought against a
juvenile in the same manner as an adult if the juvenile has been accused of a
criminal offense and has a historical prior felony conviction.

D. At the time the county attorney files a complaint
or indictment the county attorney shall file a notice stating that the juvenile
is a chronic felony offender.� Subject to subsection E of this section, the
notice shall establish and confer jurisdiction over the juvenile as a chronic
felony offender.

E. On motion of the juvenile the court shall hold a
hearing after arraignment and before trial to determine if a juvenile is a
chronic felony offender.� At the hearing the state shall prove by a
preponderance of the evidence that the juvenile is a chronic felony offender.�
If the court does not find that the juvenile is a chronic felony offender, the
court shall transfer the juvenile to the juvenile court pursuant to section 8-302. If
the court finds that the juvenile is a chronic felony offender or if the
juvenile does not file a motion to determine if the juvenile is a chronic
felony offender, the criminal prosecution shall continue.

F. Except as provided in section 13-921, a
person who is charged pursuant to this section shall be sentenced in the
criminal court in the same manner as an adult for any offense for which the
person is convicted.

G. Unless otherwise provided by law,
nothing
in
this section
shall be construed as to
does not
confer jurisdiction in the juvenile court over any
person who is eighteen years of age or older.

H. Notwithstanding any other law,
when sentencing a juvenile who has been convicted as an adult, the court:

1. May impose a sentence that is less
than the minimum term required under law.

2. May not impose any of the
following sentences:

(
a
) Death.

(
b
) Natural
life.

(
c
) De facto
life.

(
d
) Life
without the possibility of parole or release.

H.

I.
For
the purposes of this section:

1. "Accused" means a juvenile against whom
a complaint, information or indictment is filed.

2. "Chronic felony offender" means a
juvenile who has had two prior and separate adjudications and dispositions for
conduct that would constitute a historical prior felony conviction if the
juvenile had been tried as an adult.

3. "de facto life" means a
sentence or consecutive sentences that total twenty-five years or more.

3.

4.
"Forcible
sexual assault" means sexual assault pursuant to section 13-1406
that is committed without consent as defined in section 13-1401,
subsection a,
paragraph 7, subdivision (a).

4.

5.
"Other
violent felony offense" means:

(a) Aggravated assault pursuant to section 13-1204,
subsection A, paragraph 1.

(b) Aggravated assault pursuant to section 13-1204,
subsection A, paragraph 2 involving the use of a deadly weapon.

(c) Drive by shooting pursuant to section 13-1209.

(d) Discharging a firearm at a structure pursuant to
section 13-1211.
END_STATUTE