Arizona Revised Statutes, Transportation Code
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I read all these laws so you don't have to! There are a raft of new laws every session -- that is at least once a year!
Preface: There doesn't appear to be any way from the Arizona State Legislature's website to track the history of statutes -- the statues are simply shown in their present form. In order to keep some of this straight in my own mind, I began to manually comb through the a session's chaptered (i.e. passed into law) bills, and make a synopsis of the ones I found most important. After each legislative session, there is a document called the "Table of Sections Affected" which is available on the main website for each session as a pdf. This document acts as a cross-reference between the chapter number and a particular section of A.R.S. Then the chapter number can be cross-referenced back to a bill number via the session laws page for a particualar session.
NOTE: I list bills from what I consider most important first, and I only synopsize bills which I deem relevent...there are many more bills which make uninteresting (to me) changes, see the session laws document for a complete list.
So far I have only covered one legislative session:
HB2208 - Chapter 297: Amends §28-672 "version 2" (I don't understand the two version business -- see also 28-672 possibly conflicting with HB2389, below? UPDATE: 48R1 HB2052 is apparently an attempt to rectify the inconsistencies). This is an ambitious bill that criminalizes specific moving violations when death or serious injury occurs, albeit only a class 3 misdemeanor. Strangely, the violator can "buy his way out" by paying restitution. Also, the penalties seem wrong, I mean may need technical correction(? see 28-672(H), the "except" wording if funny. Is there no fine for serious injury? What is criminal category when death involved?). Then it adds two new statutes, §28-675 and §28-676, making the same specific moving violations more serious crimes (low level felonies) when the violator's license is suspended or revoked (but strangely, not if they don't have any license).
HB2389 - Chapter 276: Changes school bus rules, §28-857. De-criminalizes illegally passing a school bus, and sets up a separate civil fine schedule. Drops requirements to conceal school bus markings when bus is not transporting school students. It also amends 28-672, so there is some confusion, see HB2208, above.
HB2796 - Chapter 292: Changes definitions of Neighborhood electric vehicle §28-101. Adds a new statute §28-2516 that defines of motorized bicycle and makes it more or less equivalent to a bicycle: no VLT, no insurance/registration/licencse required. May use bike lanes or paths. This bill was controversial in the cycling community.
SB1166 - Chapter 84: Amends §28-873 Amends 28-873 to allow public tranportation vehicles to load/unload passengers on a state highway
---------------- BELOW ARE SOME BILLS THAT DON'T AFFECT OPERATION, BUT I THOUGHT WERE INTERESTING ANYWAY --------------
HB2322 - Chapter 23: Amends §28-3395 to limit defensive driving school to 4 1/2 hours. (it typically was a full day).
HB2083 - Chapter 104: Amends (affects felony only?) sentancing guidelines Amends §13-702 to make hit-and-run an aggravating factor in sentancing -- ie. in the event of other crimes, e.g. DUI. Conversely, no hit-and-run is made a mitigating factor.
HB2615 - Chapter 286: Amends §28-797 to double the civil fine for school crossing zone violations.
SB1560 - Chapter 395: Makes a bunch of changes to DUI and implied consent penalties. Lenghtens the suspension period for repeat offenses, lenghens the repeat offense time-window.
SB1274 - Chapter 312: More fiddling around with DUI interlocks, minimum incarceration periods.
SB1275 - Chapter 271: DUI and admissibility of certain evidence.
HB2239 - Chapter 299: Technical corrections: changes some stuff about repeat DUI penalties, ignition interlocks.
HB2174 - Chapter 188: Definitions and signage requirements for photo-radar enforcement. In 2005-2006 the city of Scottsdale operated photo radar which was controversial in some circles. This caused a big buzz in the legislature, even going so far as (failed) attempts to legislatively bar cities from operating photo radar on highways.
SB1218 - Chapter 219: Adds rules about "Escort Vehicle" -- not to be confused with escort services.
HB2614 - Chapter 304: Adds pages and pages of stuff about bulk records, opt-in, and allowances for MVD to sell personall data
Not mentioned here: several bills for special license plates, some commercial vehicle things...
HB2469 - Chapter 139: Adds details to §28-775 about exactly how to operate around a police vehicle when it is responding to an emergency lights. For example, if the police vehicle is stopped, passing drivers in addition to exhibiting caution, are required to change lanes if a lane is available.
---------------- BELOW ARE SOME BILLS THAT DON'T AFFECT OPERATION, BUT I THOUGHT WERE INTERESTING ANYWAY --------------
SB1420 - Chapter 113: Requires impoundment of vehicles involved in a collision if driver is unlicensed/suspended AND vehicle lacks insurance, §28-3511 (this seems like the vehicle should be impounded regardless of status of the driver's license!) Also makes mandatory -- removing judicial discretion -- a stiffer schedule of fines and license and registration suspensions, §28-4135 for any driving without insurance.
HB2635 - Chapter 234: Release of records for organ donation
HB2254 - Chapter 181: Release of MVD information of peace officers
SB1047 - Chapter 187: Replaces "community service" with "community restitution" in many (all?) statutes.
SB1240 - Chapter 312: DUI interlocks.
SB1254 - Chapter 313: Immobilizing and impounding (mainly DUI)
SB1160 - Chapter 307: Creates new (additional to existing fines) assessments ranging from $500 to $1500 per conviction for operation of motor\par vehicles, motorized watercraft and aircraft while intoxicated
Not mentioned, several bills for special license plates, changes to auto parts, auto dealers, MVD records, new size for trailer plates, historic fire engine exemptions.
Release of records for organ donation
Amends §28-672 "version 2"
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