These new Arizona laws took effect this weekend

For Tucson residents, several new Arizona laws taking effect Sept. 12 will change everyday rules involving driving, home improvements, public events, religious services, food labeling and criminal penalties. The measures include higher fines for repeat texting while driving, new limits on personal drones near concerts and sporting events, and protections for homeowners who want to install shade structures. They are among dozens of laws approved during a legislative session that produced a record number of proposals.

The Arizona Legislature introduced more than 2,100 bills this year, the highest total in state history. Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed 151 bills and signed 264. Most of the measures she approved become effective 90 days after lawmakers finish their work, which happened in mid-June following a late-night partisan dispute over education issues. Other bills moved more quickly because lawmakers included emergency clauses. Those earlier measures included the repeal of César Chavez Day and a law allowing businesses to round prices to the nearest 5 cents after pennies stopped being minted.

One of the changes with a direct effect on Tucson area homeowners is House Bill 2342, which limits what homeowners associations can do with shade structures. HOAs may no longer prohibit most umbrellas, awnings, gazebos and canopies. They can establish reasonable rules governing where the structures go and how large they may be, but those rules cannot undermine the structure’s use or impose unreasonable costs on the homeowner. Height and setback requirements also cannot be stricter than the applicable local zoning rules. For residents dealing with Tucson’s intense summer heat, the law could make it easier to add shade without facing an HOA ban.

Drivers face higher penalties under House Bill 2109, which increases fines for repeat cellphone use behind the wheel. Arizona’s first offense for using a cellphone while driving carries a fine between $75 and $149. The fine for a second offense will now be $400, replacing the previous range of $150 to $250. The law also adds a $150 penalty when a distracted driving crash involves a motorcycle. The change comes as Tucson roads remain heavily used by motorists, motorcyclists and other travelers who share busy corridors across the region.

House Bill 4117 creates new criminal penalties for intentionally disrupting a religious service. Blocking the entrance or exit of a place of worship, or engaging in disorderly conduct to interfere with a service, can lead to a Class 1 misdemeanor charge. The offense can become a Class 6 felony if the person has a prior conviction for disrupting a religious service, makes threats during the incident or acts with a group to prevent people from entering or leaving. The measure does not apply to law enforcement officers or people engaged in peaceful picketing.

Another law increases potential prison time in certain fentanyl cases. House Bill 2132 applies to people who intend to sell more than 100 grams of fentanyl. Under existing Arizona law, intending to sell a narcotic drug can result in a Class 2 felony charge, with a first-time offender facing a sentence ranging from five to 15 years. The new law adds five years when the person previously was convicted of possessing more than 100 grams of fentanyl. The threshold for triggering the additional penalty previously was 200 grams.

People operating drones near large public events will face new restrictions under Senate Bill 1160. Knowingly flying a drone within one mile of a ticketed entertainment event can result in a Class 1 misdemeanor unless an exemption applies. The rule covers events such as concerts and sporting competitions, including gatherings that may draw large crowds in Arizona. Exceptions allow people to fly drones over their own property for personal use or when they have written permission from the event host. Venue workers and utility company employees also may operate drones for official duties.

House Bill 2665, called Cade’s Law: If You See Something Say Something, expands Arizona’s manslaughter law to cover adults who intentionally encourage a minor to die by suicide and whose conduct results in the child’s death. The law is named for Cade Keller, a 16-year-old Arizona resident who died by suicide in 2022 after posting online that he intended to take his own life. The provision applies to advice or encouragement delivered verbally or online. Manslaughter is a Class 2 felony in Arizona. It does not cover general public commentary, artistic expression or discussions of suicide and mental health that are not specifically directed at the child who dies.

A separate labeling law focuses on cultivated cell foods, including lab-grown meat. House Bill 2762 requires manufacturers to identify those products on their packaging. The Food and Drug Administration describes cultivated cell food as a product made by taking a small number of cells from living animals and growing them in a controlled setting. Such meat is not currently sold in American grocery stores, but other states have moved to restrict or prohibit it. Arizona lawmakers previously considered a ban, but that proposal failed in the House. The new law is named for Andy Groseta, a late Arizona cattleman who served as president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.