Caucus reviews bills on wildfire reporting, veterans, bona fide associations and statewide testing windows

In a caucus session the Republican members received brief presentations on several House bills and the Senate amendments attached to them.

House Bill 2013 would add an exceptional-event demonstration submission requirement to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality when a wildfire on federally managed land affects the state; the Senate amendment specifies the wildfire must be larger than 25,000 acres and that attributable smoke or land damage affect Arizona. The sponsor was reported to concur with the Senate amendments.

House Bill 2226 requires courts to inquire about a person's veteran status and outlines procedures for potential alternative programs if the person is confirmed a veteran; the Senate clarified that the court should (rather than the prosecuting agency) provide information to the person regarding the Arizona Department of Veterans Services. Representative Blackman was announced as the bill sponsor and the sponsor was reported to concur.

House Bill 2693 makes revisions to qualify as a bona fide association; the Senate added a requirement that the Arizona Department of Administration conduct a feasibility study on state employee and public school district employee health insurance plans. The sponsor was reported to concur.

House Bill 2032 adjusts the statewide assessment testing window and the dates by which local education agencies must receive statewide assessment scores and data. The Senate amendment increased the length of the testing window from four to six consecutive school weeks and prohibited the statewide testing window from beginning before April. The sponsor was reported to concur.

No formal roll-call votes were recorded in the caucus transcript; each item was presented and sponsors were reported to concur in the recorded remarks.