Back to Arizona

SB1836 • 2026

2026-2027; criminal justice

SB1836 - 2026-2027; criminal justice

Budget Crime
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
David C. Farnsworth, John Kavanagh
Last action
2026-05-04
Official status
Senate committee of the whole
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Although the bill passed both chambers of the Legislature, the official source confirms it was vetoed by the Governor on May 5, 2026. Therefore, the provisions described did not take effect.

SB1836: Annual Prison Bed Capacity Reporting

This bill requires state prison officials to send yearly reports about bed capacity and plans for changing beds, but it was vetoed by the Governor.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) to submit a report on prison bed capacity to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by November 1 each year.
  • Mandates that the report lists bed counts broken down by security level and gender for state facilities and private prisons, separated into rated beds and total beds.
  • Requires the report to include data from the end of the previous two fiscal years and projected capacity for the current year, along with reasons for any changes.
  • Asks ADCRR to explain why it chooses to remove permanent beds instead of reducing temporary or special use beds.
  • Includes a requirement to list plans where beds are vacated but not permanently removed from the count.
  • Requires a separate plan review if ADCRR decides to open or close 100 or more rated beds after sending the annual report.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR)
  • State correctional facilities
  • Private prisons in Arizona
  • The Joint Legislative Budget Committee

Terms To Know

Rated beds
Beds that are officially approved and counted as part of the permanent prison capacity.
Temporary beds
Extra sleeping spaces added for short-term use, such as cots or overflow areas.
Security classification
The level of safety risk assigned to an inmate, which determines the type of facility they are held in.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This bill was vetoed by the Governor on May 5, 2026, so it did not become law.
  • The text does not specify what happens if ADCRR fails to submit the required report or plan.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-04 Senate

    Senate committee of the whole

  2. 2026-05-04 Senate

    Senate majority caucus

  3. 2026-05-04 Senate

    Senate minority caucus

  4. 2026-04-28 Senate

    Senate second read

  5. 2026-04-27 Senate

    Senate Rules: PFC

  6. 2026-04-27 Senate

    Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology: DP

  7. 2026-04-27 Senate

    Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1836 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
ATT������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ AS
VETOED

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

VETOED

FACT SHEET FOR
H.b. 4143/S.B. 1836

criminal
justice; 2026-2027.

Purpose

Makes statutory and session law changes relating to criminal justice
necessary to implement the FY 2027 state budget.

Background

The Arizona Constitution prohibits substantive law from being included in
the general appropriations, capital outlay appropriations and supplemental
appropriations bills. However, it is often necessary to make statutory and
session law changes to effectuate the budget. Thus, separate bills called
budget reconciliation bills (BRBs) are introduced to enact these provisions.
Because BRBs contain substantive law changes, the Arizona Constitution provides
that they become effective on the general effective date, unless an emergency
clause is enacted.

H.B. 4143 contains the budget reconciliation provisions for changes
relating to criminal justice.

Provisions

1.

Requires,
as permanent law, the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and
Reentry (ADCRR) to provide a report on bed capacity to the Joint Legislative
Budget Committee (JLBC) on or before November 1 of each year that:

a)

reflects the bed capacity for each security classification by gender at
each state correctional facility and private prison, divided by rated and total
beds;

b)

includes bed capacity data at the end of the previous two fiscal years
and the projected capacity at the end of the current fiscal year, as well as
the reasons for any change within that time period;

c)

provides the number of temporary beds and special use beds within the
total bed count;

d)

addresses ADCRR's rationale for eliminating any permanent beds rather
than reducing the level of temporary beds; and

e)

includes any plans to vacate beds but not permanently remove the beds
from the bed count.

2.

Requires
ADCRR, if ADCRR develops a plan to open or close 100 or more rated beds after
submittal of the report, to submit a plan detailing the proposed bed changes to
the JLBC for review prior to plan implementation.

3.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

Governor's Veto Message

����������� The Governor
indicates in her
veto
message

that H.B. 4143, and this version of
the FY 2027 budget as a whole, would cause Arizona to default on its debt
obligations, endanger vulnerable children, cut public safety funding and
provide tax breaks for billionaires, data centers and special interests. The
Governor outlines her specific concerns, including cuts to funding for
specified agencies and programs, and invites the Legislature to return to the
negotiating table.

House Action
����������������������������������������������������������
Senate
Action

APPROP�������� 4/28/26����� DP������ 11-7-0-0������������ ATT���������������� 4/28/26����� DP��������� 6-4-0

3
rd

Read��������� 4/29/26����������������� 33-20-7�������������� 3
rd

Read��������� 5/4/26���������������������� 16-12-2

(H.B. 4143
was substituted for S.B. 1836 on 3rd Read)

Vetoed by the Governor 5/5/26

Prepared by Senate Research

May 7, 2026

ZD/ci

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB1836 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

2026-2027; criminal
justice

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1836

an
act

Amending title 41, chapter 11, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-1604.21; relating to
CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 41, chapter 11, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-1604.21, to read:

START_STATUTE
41-1604.21.

Bed capacity; annual report

On or before November 1 of each year, the department
shall provide a report on bed capacity to the joint legislative budget
committee. The report must:

1. Reflect the bed capacity for each
security classification by gender at each state correctional facility and
private prison, divided by rated and total beds.

2. Include bed capacity data at the
end of the previous two fiscal years and the projected capacity at the end of
the current fiscal year, as well as the reasons for any change within that time
period. Within the total bed count, the department shall provide the
number of temporary and special use beds.

3. Address the department's rationale
for eliminating any permanent beds rather than reducing the level of temporary
beds.

4. Include any plans to vacate beds
but not permanently remove the beds from the bed count. If the
department develops a plan after the department submits the report to open or
close one hundred or more state correctional facility or private prison rated
beds, the department shall submit a plan detailing the proposed bed changes for
review by the joint legislative budget committee before implementing these
changes.
END_STATUTE