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Maricopa County supervisors adopt 2025 legislative package, including pursuit of jail excise tax authorization
Summary
The board adopted a four-item 2025 legislative package: seek authorization for a 20-year jail excise tax extension at the current rate; continue efforts to reverse the state's juvenile corrections cost shift on the county; require animal-bite owner contact information exchange; and a medical examiner statute cleanup on training requirements.
The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt its proposed 2025 legislative package, which includes four priorities the county will pursue during the state legislative session beginning January 13, 2025.
The package's lead item is the Public Safety Funding Committee's recommendation: to seek legislative authorization and voter approval for a 20-year extension of the county's detention excise sales tax at the current rate of one-fifth of one cent. County staff told supervisors Arizona law requires legislative authorization before counties may ask voters to levy or extend this sales tax.
The second priority asks the legislature to permanently repeal an ongoing state cost shift that requires Maricopa County to make annual payments to the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections; county staff described that as the last remaining ongoing cost shift and said the county is the only one still required to pay it.
The package also includes two department-driven, narrower statutory items: an animal-care bill to require an animal owner to provide contact information to the victim of an animal bite (staff said current statute requires reporting but not a required exchange of owner contact information) and a cleanup change requested by the Office of the Medical Examiner clarifying that forensic pathologists who teach trainees need not be board certified pathologists for the limited training role.
County staff outlined the legislative timeline and deadlines for the session; opening day is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2025, and the House's early bill limit and other deadlines will apply in the first week of session. Staff said departments will receive training on the county's legislative tracking and engagement tools and that outreach materials will be prepared to support the priorities.
The board moved to adopt the legislative package; the motion carried.
What's next: County staff said they will proceed with legislative outreach, prepare materials for the legislature and provide departmental support for tracking and stakeholder engagement during the 2025 session.
