Arizona Senate Public Safety Committee advances corrections pay bill, victims’ access to reports and motorcycle safety fund; several other measures move forward

The Arizona Senate Public Safety Committee on Jan. 29 advanced multiple public-safety bills, most notably a proposal to fund a 20% pay increase for Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) employees, a bill directing charging prosecutorial agencies to provide victims with copies of police reports and a measure to continue the motorcycle safety fund.

The committee’s action bundles a mix of oversight, personnel and public-safety policy. Law-enforcement and corrections representatives urged support for the pay-raise proposal, victims’ advocates described delays in access to police records that they said interfere with victims’ constitutional rights, and motorcycle-safety advocates argued the $1-per-registration fund should be made permanent to preserve training and trauma-response programs.

Committee work mattered because the measures affect frontline safety workers, victims’ rights and how the state funds safety and procurement oversight. Several bills received witness testimony and roll-call votes that sent recommendations to the full Senate.

The most contested public hearing item was Senate Bill 1010 (listed in the hearing as “10:10”), a sponsored appropriation to provide ADCRR employees a 20% salary increase. Barry DeFeo, executive president of the Arizona Corrections Association, testified that ADCRR faced a 19.29% vacancy rate—about 1,147 open positions as of Jan. 21, 2025—and argued pay disparities are driving departures. “We are losing skilled, experienced staff at an alarming rate,” DeFeo said. Waldemar Maynor, senior legislative liaison for the Fraternal Order of Police, said a 20% raise would increase starting pay from $21.93 to about $27.41 an hour and argued higher pay could reduce costly overtime. The committee approved SB 1010 as amended on a 6–1 vote; one senator explained a “no” vote was because the amendment did not specify a funding amount.

Victims’ access to charging-agency records drew sustained testimony. Jamie Balson, a designated victims’ rights attorney at a nonprofit law firm, told the committee prosecutors can often provide properly redacted reports faster than law enforcement agencies and that delays of six to eight months at some departments “negatively affect victims” because plea deals or prosecution decisions can occur before the victim has reviewed the report. Senators gave SB 1104 a due-pass recommendation on a unanimous 7–0 vote.

Motorcycle riders and safety instructors urged continuing the motorcycle-safety fund. Michael Infanzen, representing several state motorcycle organizations, told the committee the fund was created by adding $1 to motorcycle registration and said program monies have sometimes been swept for other uses; he said last year $168,000 was removed from the fund. Registered nurse and rider Theresa Martinez described a trauma-first-responder curriculum and rider scholarships paid in part from the fund. SB 1107, which would remove the fund’s sunset and make the $1 deposit permanent, passed 7–0.

Other measures advanced or were debated with shorter discussion:

- SB 1074: Amends statutes on railroad crossing safety to include on-track equipment and sets stopping distances for drivers and pedestrians. Committee gave it a due-pass recommendation (7–0).

- SB 1059: Creates an eight-member study committee to review Arizona’s “move over” law, adds law-enforcement and towing representatives in an amendment, and requires a report by Dec. 1, 2025. Passed as amended (7–0).

- SB 1082: Requires constables to report appointments of deputies and other staff to county boards of supervisors and to post appointment information; given a due-pass recommendation (7–0).

- SB 1027 (Secure Telecommunications Act of 2025): Would require removal of federally banned telecom equipment and allow civil penalties for noncompliance; motion received a due-pass recommendation (4–2, 1 not voting).

- SB 1078: Clarifies use of manufacturer “unladen truck” or test license plates and requires drivers to have assignment/contract records in the vehicle; due-pass recommendation (6–0, 1 not voting).

- SB 1086: Revises ADOT transportation performance-factor weighting and prohibits the department from adopting motor-vehicle-mile-reduction targets or demand-management policies; passed to the Senate with a due-pass recommendation (4–3).

- SB 1089: Requires ADOT to report quarterly when the lowest responsible bidder is not selected for a construction contract; due-pass recommendation (4–3).

- SB 1055 (volunteer retired police officers at roadwork sites) drew opposition from the Arizona Police Association, which warned retired officers would not have authority and raised liability and safety concerns. The measure failed in committee on a 3–4 vote.

- SB 1104: Requires charging prosecutorial agencies to provide victims with free copies of police reports, video recordings and transcripts; passed (7–0).

- SB 1143 (Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act): Prohibits government entities from creating registries of privately owned firearms or firearm owners and bars assigning merchant-category codes that distinguish firearm retailers; the committee gave it a due-pass recommendation (4–3).

Quotes from the hearing illustrated key points. Barry DeFeo said ADCRR “is facing a staggering 19.29 percent vacancy rate, over 1,147 unfulfilled positions,” and urged a salary increase to retain staff. Jamie Balson said when victims receive police reports months late “it forecloses the victim’s ability to meaningfully confer with the prosecution regarding the plea,” and argued prosecutors can often provide redacted reports to victims faster than law enforcement. Michael Infanzen said the motorcycle fund has been used for purposes other than rider training and safety and that riders “only got $168,000” last year from the fund after a sweep.

What’s next: bills that received due-pass recommendations go forward to the full Senate and will be scheduled for floor consideration and fiscal review as appropriate. Several members asked for fiscal specifics on appropriation bills—in particular SB 1010—before final floor votes.

Votes at a glance (committee recommendation and final roll-call tally at this hearing): SB 1074 — Due pass (7–0); SB 1059 — Due pass as amended (7–0); SB 1082 — Due pass (7–0); SB 1010 — Due pass as amended (6–1); SB 1027 — Due pass (4–2, 1 not voting); SB 1078 — Due pass (6–0, 1 not voting); SB 1086 — Due pass (4–3); SB 1089 — Due pass (4–3); SB 1055 — Failed (3–4); SB 1104 — Due pass (7–0); SB 1107 — Due pass (7–0); SB 1104 (victims’ records) — Due pass (7–0); SB 1143 — Due pass (4–3).

Committee attendance and participation: the hearing included sponsors, multiple subject-matter witnesses and representatives from law enforcement, corrections, motorcyclist groups and victims’ advocates. Several sheriffs and county law-enforcement leaders entered the room and were acknowledged by the chair during the hearing. The committee concluded and adjourned after final votes.

The committee record shows additional bills were held for later consideration (including SB 1144, SB 1147 and SB 1148), and some witnesses who signed up were not present when called.

— Reported from the Arizona Senate Public Safety Committee on Jan. 29, 2025.