Committee advances Senate Bill 1133 to reduce duplicate financial-disclosure filings

A committee of the Arizona Legislature returned Senate Bill 1133 with a due-pass recommendation after members said the measure would let a single annual financial-disclosure satisfy both candidate and officeholder filing requirements.

The presenter told the panel, “Senate Bill 11 33 is an emergency measure that specifies certain candidates are deemed to be in compliance with the financial disclosure requirements for filing nomination papers. If the candidate has filed the financial disclosure statement required for public officers for that year and an additional filing is not required.” The presenter indicated the bill is intended to prevent duplicate filings when the same person is both an officeholder and a candidate in the same year.

Committee members asked for clarification about who benefits and how often the relief applies. One member said the current process can require elected officials to file twice—once as an official and again as a candidate—and described that duplication as unnecessary. Another member clarified that officeholders must file by January while candidates file in March, and added, “only for office holders does it reduce it down to 1. Candidates obviously still have to file in March as normal.” The presenter read the bill language and confirmed the change applies on a per-year basis.

Vice chair Lopez moved that the committee return the bill with a due-pass recommendation. The committee then took a roll call vote; Representatives recorded in the roll as voting "aye" were Representative Diasuchis, Representative Peschel Kai, Representative Volk, Vice chair Lopez, and Chair Martinez. By the committee’s tally—5 ayes, 0 nays and 2 absent—the committee passed Senate Bill 1133 and returned it with a due-pass recommendation.

The committee did not receive testimony from a bill sponsor or remote speakers. The chair said the measure is intended to streamline filings and adjourned the meeting after the vote. The bill will proceed per the committee’s rules for a returned bill with a due-pass recommendation.