Representative Griffin said the committee of the whole recommended that House Bill 22-98 be returned with a "do pass" recommendation after adoption of a floor amendment.

The bill, Griffin said, addresses irrigation grandfathered rights for the Phoenix and Pinal active management areas (AMAs), establishes licensing time frames, and creates a voluntary mechanism for irrigators to pledge "groundwater savings credits" to assured water supply applications. "It's a win win," Representative Griffin said, adding the program would "give value of ag land and gives property rights to farmers that want to relinquish the pumping" and help address a housing shortfall.

The bill sets key dates for program reliance and agency action: an applicant may rely on pledged groundwater savings credits through Dec. 31, 2030, and the director must identify quantified groundwater to be withdrawn and used by Dec. 31, 2033, the sponsor said. Griffin said the program is expected to save 9,600,000 acre-feet of water over the next 100 years and cited Department of Housing figures showing a shortage of about 270,000 housing units.

Representative Gillette raised concerns about the bill's future scope if other basins are designated AMAs. "Since it is not an AMA now, it doesn't apply. But if it does become an AMA, this bill could be changed down the road and the tenants of this bill would apply to the Hualapai Basin," Gillette said, warning the bill could "create an incentive to make an AMA if you could extract water and move it to Maricopa County." Gillette also named national groups and foundations she said have sought to influence basin designations.

Griffin and other supporters characterized the proposal as voluntary for agriculture, a property-rights recognition, and a tool to support housing: "Most recent data available to the Department of Housing estimates there's a shortage of 270,000 housing units," Griffin said, arguing the credits could help meet housing demand while conserving aquifers.

On procedure, the committee approved the Griffin floor amendment and then moved the bill as amended to be returned with a do-pass recommendation; an additional committee later recommended HB22-98 as amended do pass, and the report was adopted and the bill referred to engrossing. The record in the transcript shows committee recommendations and referral to engrossing; it does not show a final, floor passage vote in open session in the provided excerpt.

The bill includes provisions that, as described on the floor, prohibit municipalities from imposing certain additional water-use requirements for parks and similar uses, allow a person to pledge groundwater savings credits to an assured water supply application, and prescribe limits on acreage within a mile of associated uses.

Supporters named stakeholders and staff involved in negotiations, and Griffin thanked "the stakeholders, the legislators, the farmers, the builders, the agriculture industries, the water communities, and the agencies and departments," specifically mentioning Dan Schwager and Grant Hannah.

The committee action advances the bill to the next legislative step; lawmakers debating the measure emphasized both water conservation goals and concerns about future geographic scope if basin designations change.