Chandler Council briefed on legislative knowns, unknowns

By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

Chandler’s City Council could still end up spending time in 2025 lamenting what did or didn’t happen in the state legislature.

That won’t be because no one warned them — about at least a few bills and likely proposals, anyway.

Ryan Peters, the city’s strategic initiatives director, and Cherie Stone, Chandler’s government relations senior program manager, presented to the Chandler City Council, in a Dec. 9 work session, an overview of a few things to watch for and expect during upcoming state and federal legislative sessions.
They took a few questions from council as well.

Last year, almost 1,800 bills were introduced in the Arizona Legislature, with 332 reaching Gov. Katie Hobbs’ desk. She signed 259 and vetoed 73 — far fewer than the record 143 vetoes she issued in her first year in office, 2023.

One of the failed 2024 bills that Peters said is likely to resurface in 2025 is the “Yes, in God’s Backyard” bill. The use-by-right development act would have allowed housing development on religious group-owned land without zoning reviews; HB 2815 passed the House easily but wasn’t taken up by the Senate.

Mayor Kevin Hartke’s concerns about such a state law change echo municipal concerns about zoning and development changes in general. Hartke said he’d oppose state legislation that appears to give “carte blanche” approval to build things inconsistent with a neighborhood.

Peters said he isn’t sure what other types of development, zoning or housing proposals will be filed and pursued by the legislature.

Regarding water, Peters said there might be proposals for both new ways for land owners and developers to meet 100-year-supply rules and proposals that would incentivize rezoning agricultural land into housing.

Peters acknowledged education funding and other school-related topics often soak up much limelight and lawmakers’ time and energy during the Arizona sessions. That certainly was the case this past year with the long path to Gov. Hobbs signing a $16.1 billion annual state budget in mid-June.

Peters said not only will the annual K-12 aggregate expenditure limit need to be visited, but also, Proposition 123 is a school-funding mechanism that expires in the summer of 2025 and needs legislative action to be continued.

Peters also said there could be reforms proposed on public safety pensions. He said having not read any specific proposals yet, local control will still be cities’ priority, but each proposal will be analyzed and discussed with Mayor Hartke.

Vice Mayor O.D. Harris said he’d like to see Chandler FLEX and other transportation options expand, especially in the southern third of the city. The Maricopa Area Council of Governments, where Hartke is the Regional Council chair though June, is heading up a number of priority lists and plans that would affect Chandler.

Transportation’s a realm where Chandler, like many other U.S. cities, are hitched to various federal funding streams. Regarding federal executive action and Congress, Stone said

President-elect Trump’s statements about abolishing or remaking various agencies would still take time to see what those changes become.

“I think we will see some change in the form and function of the agencies we’re used to dealing with, but how that looks, is still to be determined,” Stone said.

We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this topic. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.  Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org.

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.