2025 LEGISLATIVE OVERVIEW
(57TH LEGISLATURE, 1st REGULAR SESSION)
The 2025 legislative session began on January 13th and adjourned sine die on June 27th, lasting 165 days. The legislature proposed 1724 bills and 130 resolutions, an increase from last session. Of those, 439 bills and 35 resolutions passed, with 265 bills signed by the Governor and enacted into law and a record setting 174 vetoed. The general effective date for enacted legislation is September 26, 2025.
FY 2025 BUDGET OVERVIEW
APPROPRIATIONS TO ARIZONA’S UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
SPEED BONDING:
The universities received a $325M increase to their SPEED bonding capacity to address infrastructure needs, divided between FY26 and FY27. The distribution of the bonding capacity will be determined by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR), but not one university may receive more than 45% or less than 25% of the total bonding authority.
PROMISE:
In addition to the $20M baseline appropriation for the Arizona Promise Program, the universities received an additional one-time appropriation of $16M.
OTHER FUNDING:
The FY26 budget includes changes to the Spouses of Military Veterans Tuition Scholarship, which receives an annual appropriation of $10M. Moving forward, on June 30th any unexpended and unencumbered money in the fund shall be distributed as follows:
- $500k to the Spouses and Dependents of Law Enforcement Officers Tuition Scholarship Fund
- Of the remaining amount:
- 30% will go to the Arizona Teachers Academy (adding about $9M to the Academy for a FY 26 total of approximately $24M)
- 60% will go to the Arizona Promise Program Fund (adding nearly $18M to the Fund for a FY 26 total of approximately $54M)
- 10% will go to the Arizona Community Colleges Program Fund
Additionally, the tri-u police departments received the following funding to expand participation in a law enforcement records management system:
FINAL DISPOSITION OF ABOR/ UNIVERSITY PRIORITY BILLS
ABOR AND THE UNIVERSITIES WERE FORMALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE FOLLOWING BILLS:
SB1615 – student athletes; employment status; restrictions (Shope)
Expands rights for collegiate student athletes by allowing them to earn compensation for their name, image, or likeness (NIL), and permits postsecondary institutions to support and facilitate such compensation through third-party entities. Prohibits institutions and regulators from penalizing or restricting student athletes for engaging in NIL activities. Bars classification of student athletes as employees based solely on participation or receipt of compensation. Allows injunctive relief for violations and designates related records as confidential. Emergency clause. (Signed by the Governor)
SB1623 – appropriations; graduate medical education program (Werner)
Appropriates $10 million from the state general fund and $18.8 million in expenditure authority in FY2025-26 to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System Administration for graduate medical education programs to address the state’s physician shortage (Held awaiting House Appropriations, negotiated as part of larger budget package)
SB1727 – medical schools; admissions; in-state students (Werner)
Requires medical schools at universities under the jurisdiction of the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) to post admissions information online and in promotional materials, including minimum qualifications, fees, deadlines, and interview dates. Requires these medical schools to offer an interview to any in-state applicant who meets admission requirements and submits a timely application. Gives priority consideration in the first round of admissions interviews to qualified in-state applicants. Requires medical schools to report the number of in-state applicants, interviews, and admissions to ABOR annually. Effective January 1, 2027. (Signed by Governor)
ABOR AND/ OR THE UNIVERSITIES WERE FORMALLY NEUTRAL ON THE FOLLOWING BILLS:
HB2018 – private universities; Arizona teachers academy (Gress)
Allows degree-granting private postsecondary educational institutions in Arizona offering postbaccalaureate teacher preparation programs to participate in the Arizona Teachers Academy and receive funding. Specifies that reimbursement for scholarships provided by these institutions cannot exceed the average in-state tuition and fees charged by public universities, after deducting other aid awarded to students. Appropriates $10 million to the Arizona Teachers Academy Fund for FY2025-26. (Held awaiting floor in Senate)
SB1021 – ROTC cadets; in-state student status (Rogers)
Students enrolled in a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program at a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona Board of Regents are granted in-state student status for tuition purposes. (Signed by Governor)
ABOR AND THE UNIVERSITIES FORMALLY OPPOSED THE FOLLOWING LEGISLATION (NONE ENACTED):
SB1020 – disruption; educational institution; concealed weapon (Rogers)
Prohibits the governing boards of universities, colleges, or community colleges from enacting or enforcing any rule that prohibits a person with a valid concealed carry permit from carrying a concealed weapon on the property of the educational institution, and from enacting or enforcing any rule that prohibits the transportation or storage of a firearm on the property of the educational institution. (Vetoed by Governor)
SB1722 – civil liability; fraudulent scientific research (Rogers)
Allows individuals to bring civil actions against researchers, research institutions, or funding agencies for fraudulent scientific research if proven by clear and convincing evidence. Provides exemptions from liability if research institutions preregister hypotheses, report errors, share study information for replication, or post data on open-access sites. Establishes civil liability for failing to disclose funding sources, financial conflicts of interest, methodologies, or raw data. Requires recipients of government or private research grants to disclose all raw data, protocols, and methods in public databases. (Held in Senate awaiting floor)
SB 1453 – university presidents; ABOR; maximum compensation (Farnsworth)
Limits the annual compensation of university presidents under the Arizona Board of Regents to $500,000 and limits the maximum aggregate value of bonuses and other compensation to 15 percent of the annual salary. Applies to employment contracts entered or renewed after this legislation’s effective date. (Held in Senate Education)
OTHER NOTEWORTHY LEGISLATION- NO OFFICIAL POSITION TAKEN BY ABOR OR UNIVERSITIES
HB2058- immunizations; proof; exemptions; higher education (Fink)
Requires higher education institutions to disclose immunization requirements and exemptions to prospective students. Allows students aged 18 and older to opt out of immunization requirements by submitting a signed statement citing personal or religious beliefs or by providing a medical exemption certified by a physician or nurse practitioner. Limits medical exemptions to the duration of the condition preventing immunization. (Vetoed by Governor)
HB2880 – unauthorized encampments; higher education institutions (Hernandez, A.)
Prohibits individuals from establishing or occupying encampments on university or community college campuses. Requires university or community college administrators to direct violators to immediately dismantle encampments and vacate the campus, and to advise violators that failure to leave constitutes criminal trespass. Requires administrators to initiate legal action, including reporting to law enforcement and petitioning courts for removal, if violators refuse to comply. Requires universities and community colleges to discipline students who refuse to comply. Requires law enforcement and campus security to enforce removal. (Signed by Governor)
HB2867 – antisemitism; public schools; prohibition; penalties (Way)
Prohibits public schools, higher education institutions, including teachers, administrators, employees, volunteers, and contractors from teaching, promoting, or training students in antisemitic conduct that constitutes harassment or discrimination. Bans the use of public or private funds to support antisemitic instruction or materials. Prohibits adverse employment actions against school employees for refusing to participate in antisemitic instruction. Establishes civil liability for violations and allows students or parents to seek damages. Requires the Arizona Department of Education to investigate complaints and impose disciplinary actions, including reprimands, suspension, or revocation of teaching certifications. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules for enforcement. (Vetoed by Governor)
HCR2042- preferential treatment; discrimination; prohibited acts (Montenegro)
Proposes an amendment to the Arizona Constitution to prohibit the state from compelling applicants, employees, students, or contractors to endorse or support preferential treatment or discrimination based on race or ethnicity as a condition for decisions related to admissions, graduation, hiring, promotions, or scholarships. Bans spending public funds on offices or positions in public education institutions that promote preferential treatment or discrimination and prohibits disciplinary policies or practices that differentiate individuals based on race or ethnicity. Some exceptions. If passed by the Legislature, this legislation will be submitted to the voters at the 2026 general election. (Held awaiting Senate Rules)
SB1694 – higher education; withholding state monies (Farnsworth)
Prohibits higher education institutions from receiving state funds in any fiscal year in which they offer “courses on diversity, equity, and inclusion.”. Bars the State Treasurer, Arizona Board of Regents, and the Department of Administration from distributing state funds to such institutions. (Vetoed by Governor)
HB2765 – Arizona teachers academy; community colleges (Taylor)
Allows any community college in Arizona, instead of only community colleges that offer postbaccalaureate programs that lead to teacher certification, to participate in the Arizona Teachers Academy and receive funding. (Signed by Governor)