# Arizona SB 1611: physical availability exemption credit; groundwater

Arizona SB 1611, physical availability exemption credit; groundwater, is a Fifty-seventh Legislature - First Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Thomas "T.J." Shope (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-06-23 (Third Reading: Passed); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-27).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1611-57th-1st-regular
- As of: 2026-10-27
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arizona SB 1611
- State: Arizona
- Session: Fifty-seventh Legislature - First Regular Session
- Title: physical availability exemption credit; groundwater
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-18
- Last action: 2025-06-23, Third Reading: Passed
- Sponsor: Thomas "T.J." Shope (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: adwr (see also: department of water resources), assured water supply, authority, certificates of assured water supply (h), cities and towns - title 9, definition, definitions, delayed repeal, department of water resources (adwr), district, duties and powers, establishment, exception, exemption, groundwater, groundwater savings credit, groundwater savings credits, groundwater savings program, initial active management area, irrigation grandfathered rights, landscaping requirements, legislative findings, legislative intent, permanent relinquishment, phoenix active management area (h), physical availability, physical availability exemption credit, physical availability exemption credits, pinal active management area, prohibition, repealing, replenishment, report, requirements, rulemaking, rules, special taxing districts - title 48, statewide concern, turf and plant installation, waters - title 45
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (65 yes, 27 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 6

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New reserve targets for groundwater replenishment: benefit, low. The district must set a separate groundwater replenishment reserve target for each of its three active management areas. It totals eligible projected replenishment obligations for the 20 years after the plan is submitted, divides by 20, then multiplies by five. Certain resolution costs and category…
- More flexible water rules for projects: benefit, low. Land sales for developments with certain mineral-processing or industrial-use permits are covered by an exemption from assured-water-supply requirements. When reviewing an assured-water-supply application, the state water director may accept required construction assurances as proof of financial ab…
- Subdivision rules protect planned homebuilding: benefit, low. For covered subdivisions using groundwater savings credits, municipalities cannot require a school site unless they provide enough qualifying water and do not make the applicant pay for it. In initial active management areas, several landscaping rules are limited, including minimum turf and some tr…
- Groundwater credits for eligible landowners: mixed, low. Eligible owners in the Phoenix or Pinal area can give up an irrigation right for groundwater savings credits. The land must have been legally irrigated in 3 of the past 5 years, and owners must meet reporting and other requirements. Credits are 150 acre-feet per acre in Phoenix or 100 in Pinal, cap…
- New limits on turf and water features: mixed, low. Through December 31, 2035, covered providers and community associations cannot use certain groundwater or stored water for nonqualifying turf, water parks, or decorative water features on relinquished acres or within 1 mile. Community associations also cannot require that turf or require those feat…
- Water credits ease some supply reviews: mixed, low. Certain water tied to groundwater savings credits does not have to pass one physical-availability test for some assured-water-supply applications. For a designation or change, the application must be filed within 2 years after credits are issued and meet service-area rules. For a certificate, the p…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Thomas "T.J." Shope (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Warren Petersen (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-06-23 | Senate | THIRD: Passed | pass | 35 | 20 |   |
| 2025-06-19 | Senate | THIRD: Passed | pass | 26 | 4 |   |
| 2025-02-18 | Senate | DP | pass | 4 | 3 |   |

## Actions (5)

- 2025-06-23: Third Reading: Passed (Senate)
- 2025-06-19: Third Reading: Passed (Senate)
- 2025-06-19: Committee of the Whole: do pass amended (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: undefined: PFC (Senate)
- 2025-02-18: undefined: DP (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered Version: [HTML](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/1R/laws/0252.htm), [PDF](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/531428)
- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/1R/bills/SB1611P.htm), [PDF](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/522793)
- Senate Engrossed Version: [HTML](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/1R/bills/SB1611S.htm), [PDF](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/531080)

## Related bills

- SB 1537: transitional housing; reentry programs; licensure (signed)
- SB 1529: municipal housing; preapproved design (signed)
- SB 1496: tax credit; qualifying charitable organizations (signed)
- SB 1281: adjutant general; duties (signed)
- HB 2015: EORP; CORP; funded ratio (signed)
- HB 2077: ASRS; long-term disability (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered Version (HTML)](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/1R/laws/0252.htm)
- [Chaptered Version (PDF)](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/531428)
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/1R/bills/SB1611P.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/522793)
- [Senate Engrossed Version (HTML)](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/1R/bills/SB1611S.htm)
- [Senate Engrossed Version (PDF)](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/531080)

## Related
- [SB 1537: transitional housing; reentry programs; licensure](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1537-57th-1st-regular)
- [SB 1529: municipal housing; preapproved design](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1529-57th-1st-regular)
- [SB 1496: tax credit; qualifying charitable organizations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1496-57th-1st-regular)
- [SB 1281: adjutant general; duties](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1281-57th-1st-regular)
- [HB 2015: EORP; CORP; funded ratio](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-HB2015-57th-1st-regular)
- [HB 2077: ASRS; long-term disability](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-HB2077-57th-1st-regular)
- [Arizona bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arizona/bills)
- [Arizona state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arizona)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1611-57th-1st-regular (as of 2026-10-27).