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House Judiciary Committee recommends 8-year continuation of Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board
Summary
The House Judiciary Committee recommended continuing the Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board for eight years after a presentation by Executive Director Leslie Ross outlining the board’s statutory role, membership rules and recent projects including hate-crime work and a 2023 report on service animals.
The Arizona House Judiciary Committee recommended on Jan. 8, 2026, that the Arizona Civil Rights Advisory Board be continued for eight years following a sunset review presentation by the board’s executive director.
Leslie Ross, executive director, told the committee the board was created in 1972 with the Civil Rights Division and operates under ARS 41-1401. She said the volunteer board has seven gubernatorial appointees (no more than four from any single political party) serving three-year terms and is member-driven: “Members create their agendas, their priorities, and they conduct their research and draft their reports,” Ross said.
Ross summarized recent work, including leading HB 2116 (civil remedies for human-trafficking victims), a 2023 report on assistance and service animals intended to reduce public confusion, and a 2024 subcommittee on hate-based crimes and antisemitic incidents formed after community and law-enforcement briefings.
The committee had no outside speakers signed in for the item. Vice Chair moved that the committee of reference recommend continuation of the board for eight years; members responded in the affirmative and the chair closed the committee of reference on the matter.
The recommendation does not itself change statute; it forwards the committee’s advice to the full legislature for consideration. The board’s enabling statute, cited in the presentation, is ARS 41-1401. The committee record showed the motion to continue and a voice affirmation by members; there was no roll-call contest on this item during the hearing.
