Arizona House transportation committee advances dozen bills on road funding, licensing and safety
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Summary
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee met Jan. 26 and advanced a package of bills covering EV-charger tax routing, driver licensing changes, lemon-law updates and motorcycle safety funding. The committee adopted an amendment directing EV charging-related TPT revenue to the Highway User Revenue Fund and held one culturally charged cruising bill for further negotiation.
The Arizona House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure advanced a slate of bills on Jan. 26 addressing transportation funding, driver licensing, consumer protection and vehicle safety.
Key committee actions included an amendment to HB2259 directing transaction-privilege-tax revenue tied to electric-vehicle (EV) charging stations to the state Highway User Revenue Fund (HEERF); the committee adopted the sponsor's amendment and returned the bill with a due-pass recommendation. Representative (sponsor) told the committee that tax revenues collected from EV chargers are "being generated from electric charging stations ... that should go to HEERF," arguing the money should follow road use.
Other bills returned with due-pass recommendations included HB2574 (stay of ADOT enforcement while appeals are pending), HB2057 (reduced fleet fee for Centennial specialty plates), HB2109 (increased distracted-driving penalties, with committee agreement to pursue a committee amendment adding an education component), HB2003 (changes to instruction-permit ages and minimum supervised periods), HB2323 (expanding lemon-law protections to lessees), HB2111 (add motorcycle-awareness questions to the driver test), HB2112 (a contested "conservative grassroots" specialty plate), HB2443 and HB2446 (commercial driver and motor-carrier English-proficiency measures), HB2398 (boat rental insurance requirement), and HB2114 (motorcycle safety fund spending and registration endorsement provisions).
Votes and notable decisions recorded in committee included: - HB2057: returned with due pass (vote recorded 7 ayes, 0 nays). Representative Gail Griffin said the change would help raise funds for the Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resource Education Museum. - HB2109: returned with due pass after lengthy debate; members asked the sponsor to work on an amendment adding an education pathway in lieu of or alongside higher fines. - HB2259: committee adopted an amendment increasing the share of EV-charger TPT revenue to be deposited into HEERF (chair amendment dated 01/26/2026) and returned the bill with a due-pass recommendation; DOR/Ways & Means staff noted DOR currently does not separately track these receipts. - HB2323 (lemon law, lessee): committee returned the bill with a due-pass recommendation after several lessees testified they lack remedies under current Arizona law.
One bill was held for further work. HB2317, which would bar local governments from enacting ordinances that prohibit "cruising" (repetitive driving past a location without a destination), drew sustained public comment and opposition from municipal police and neighborhood residents concerned about blocked streets, illegal vending and threats to emergency access; the chair held the bill to allow the sponsor and cities to pursue negotiated language.
What happens next: Most bills the committee returned will be eligible for floor consideration, with the expectation that sponsors will work on technical and policy changes requested in committee (for example, an education amendment for HB2109 and city-safety language for HB2317). Several items require follow-up with agencies (ADOT, DOR) or county/tribal stakeholders to refine implementation details and revenue tracking.