Jack Lunsford, of the Lunsford Group and Town of Fountain Hills liaison to the Arizona State Legislature, presented his initial report of the new legislative session to the Town Council at its Jan. 18 regular session.

Lunsford said his priorities on behalf of the Town are to protect local funding received through state shared revenues, and preservation of local control over legislative preemption.

As the new session begins bills that already have his attention are those related to short term rentals, bans on all-mail election balloting, vaping and tobacco regulation, vaccines and membership dues.

Lunsford said he is part of a working group with the League of Arizona Cities and Towns related to short-term rentals. They are focusing on licensing and notification requirements and proliferation (limiting the number of units to a percentage of housing units in the community).

Lunsford said he is uncertain where the proposed ban on all-mail balloting is coming from. He said 40 municipalities in Arizona (roughly half) currently use all mail ballots.

“We are not sure whether the legislature can prohibit this,” Lunsford told the Council.

He said there is a current bill (SB1133) introduced by Senator Wendy Rodgers.

“I think there is a chance this could get out of the Senate, but I don’t think it will get through the House, it will struggle in committee.”

There are numerous bills proposed that address vaping and tobacco use. Many deal with age, licensing authority and DHS licensing, Lunsford said. There is a preemption element to these proposed bills that the League of Arizona Cities and Towns does not support, according to Lunsford.

Bills related to vaccines are particularly onerous Lunsford said. He said they are not just looking at COVID-like vaccine situations, but those that have been in place for decades against many diseases that have been defeated by vaccinating children.

Mayor Ginny Dickey said some of these bills could ban drug testing for jobs involving public safety such as transit drivers and truck drivers.

Lunsford said bills related to dues structures for organizations face a lot of opposition because they are far reaching and possibly result in unintended consequences.

Town Manager Grady Miller said the Town is supporting legislation to extend the half-cent sales tax for transportation approved by voters with Proposition 400 years ago.

Currently the League hosts weekly legislative updates via phone call which Council members are permitted to join. Over the course of the session the council will include on its meeting agendas a review of legislative proposals with possible consideration of support or opposition for various bills.