The Arizona Capitol may be closed today for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but the rest of the week is business as usual and two bills from Buckeye legislators are set to be heard in their respective committees.
Sen. Timothy Dunn and Rep. Nick Kupper have bills slated for committee hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectfully.
Dunn’s Senate Bill 1083 will go before the Senate Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 21. The bill would appropriate $3.5 million in Fiscal Year 2026 from the state general fund to the University of Arizona’s Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA). YCEDA is a public-private partnership focused on desert agriculture research and grant funding for projects addressing issues like disease management, food safety, and soil health. The appropriation is intended to provide ongoing funding in future years.
Kupper’s House Bill 2113 is scheduled for a hearing in the House Government Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The bill proposes restrictions on the display of flags on public property, limiting them to official government flags such as the U.S. flag, Arizona state flag, military service flags, and others recognized under federal or state law. This proposal follows past controversies, including instances in 2019 and 2023 when then-Secretary of State and later Governor Katie Hobbs displayed LGBTQ pride flags on the Arizona Executive Tower to mark Pride Month. In 2019, the flags were removed shortly after being hung due to objections from the GOP-majority Legislature.
Both bills mark significant legislative efforts by the Buckeye representatives, addressing funding for agricultural innovation and regulations on public property displays. House Majority Leader Michael Carbone sponsored four bills so far, but none have been scheduled to be heard in committee.
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