House passes bill creating state compensation for wrongful convictions after emotional floor remarks

The Arizona House passed Senate Bill 1,500 on third reading after the Committee of the Whole reported the bill as amended and floor supporters urged passage as a measure to compensate people who were wrongfully convicted.

Representative Powell, who moved the floor adoption in committee, framed the bill as a compassion and justice measure and said the state would join other states in providing statutory compensation. "We will now be the fortieth state in the union that is now doing this," Powell said on the floor after committee action.

Proponents portrayed the bill as correcting an obvious wrong: paying people whose lives were disrupted by erroneous convictions. Representative Liguori praised Representative Powell's work in bringing the bill forward and said the statute would restore some fairness to the justice system. Opponents were limited on the floor; the bill drew broad bipartisan support in final passage.

The House recorded final passage with the clerk noting 55 ayes and 1 nay. Members moved that the bill be engrossed and that the clerk transmit the measure to the Senate for signature processing.

Ending: With the House's vote, SB 1,500 was transmitted to the Senate. Supporters said the law will provide a defined state remedy for people cleared after wrongful convictions; the bill's precise benefits and administrative details were those in the bill text as amended in committee.