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Senate committee advances bill to remove some statutory protections for Arizona Rangers amid accountability debate

Arizona State Senate Committee on Public Safety · February 18, 2026

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Summary

Senate Public Safety committee gave SB 10-71 a due‑pass recommendation after testimony that split law‑enforcement partners and volunteer Rangers over transparency, training records and community trust.

Sen. Mark Finchem, sponsor of SB 10-71, told the Senate Public Safety Committee the bill would repeal certain Title 41 protections for the Arizona Rangers to "increase accountability and transparency," saying multiple law‑enforcement organizations had requested training and firearms‑qualification records that were never delivered.

Major Robert Shirey, Community Relations Officer for the Arizona Rangers, opposed the bill in a two‑minute statement, describing the Rangers as a 501(c)(3) volunteer organization and outlining their service record: "Between 2020 and 2026, Arizona Rangers donated more than 160,000 volunteer hours and drove nearly 5,000,000 miles across Arizona." He urged the committee to consider the human and community impact before removing protections.

Several county sheriffs took the opposite view, urging statutory reform to ensure background checks and training are documented and accessible. La Paz County Sheriff William Ponce said the concern is not the volunteers’ service but the need for "guidelines" and a mandated structure so agencies can safely rely on them. Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes told the committee his office could not use Rangers previously because leadership would not provide background and training records.

Committee members debated whether an amendment could secure oversight, transparency and indemnification; the sponsor said he was open to changes that addressed those three points. After limited further discussion, the committee moved SB 10‑71 with a due‑pass recommendation on a 4–3 vote. The chair asked for and signaled intent to work toward an amendment addressing accountability and indemnification before floor consideration.

Next steps: SB 10‑71 was recommended to pass the committee and is expected to return with amendment language to clarify oversight and indemnity provisions.