Legislative committee reports multiple local charter, planning and housing bills; votes at a glance

A legislative committee met and voted to report a block of Senate bills to the next stage of the legislative process, advancing local charter amendments, planning and zoning changes, and housing measures.

The committee referred Senate Bill 851 to the ACNR committee and reported multiple bills out of committee after brief presentations and routine motions. Senator Diggs, the patron of Senate Bill 836, described that bill as a “request by the Pecosun City Council to add some verbiage to their charter that allows them to remove people who they appoint to city boards and commissions,” and said, “This would be the easiest thing you do all day and maybe, for the rest of the session.” The committee reported SB 836 by recorded vote.

Why it matters: The measures advance changes affecting city charters, local land-use rules, affordable-housing authority and environmental-justice planning. Several bills set deadlines or delayed effective dates, and one establishes a new process for locality-initiated conveyance of blighted property to land-bank entities.

Most important actions

- Senate Bill 836 (Pecosun charter amendment): The bill would add language allowing a city council to remove appointees to boards and…