The Town Council has voted to have staff forward its collective opinion on three bills making their way through the Arizona Legislature currently. Two of the issues are items the council has addressed at the local level over the past year.

All three bills are supported by the League of Arizona Cities and Towns and the council wants it known they support the League’s position on each.

House Bill 2672 was introduced by Representative John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills. It addresses issues regarding vacation rentals and short-term rentals in single family neighborhoods.

The proposal allows cities and towns to restrict occupancy, require the installation of safety monitoring equipment including noise monitors, and requires the property owner to provide contact information for a responsible person for each rental.

It also prohibits the use of short-term rentals for commercial uses such as a party or event venue.

There are also safeguards written in to protect the privacy of owners and renters.

Last summer the Town of Fountain Hills approved its own regulations related to short-term rentals.

As for SB 1165, the state is also looking at implementing a law to prohibit texting while driving. This has become a significant safety concern in many communities and Fountain Hills is one of several communities that have passed their own regulations.

Lawmakers and the League believe the legislative proposal will address the concerns and provide a consistent state-wide standard so drivers will be under the same rules no matter where they are driving.

This bill includes a number of exemptions that may be considered common sense related to emergencies, while drivers are stopped and allows for hands free use.

With SB 1460, the town also supports a proposal that addresses sales tax for digital goods and services.

This bill helps clarify what goods and services are impacted by the transaction privilege tax and helps address lost tax revenues for downloaded software.

The council reviews recent activity by the legislature at each council meeting during the session to decide whether to take a position on various bills being considered.