Topics:
August 22, 2023
Arizona Legislative Session Adjourns with Some Wins and No Losses for Small Business
- House Bill 2019, known as the “Permit Freedom Act” and sponsored by Rep. Travis Grantham, will benefit small business owners who are subject to licensing and permitting regulations at the local government level. This bill puts in place three safeguards for permit applicants by requiring the local government to provide:
-
- clear criteria for whether a permit will be granted or denied;
- an explicit deadline for when the government will decide whether to grant or deny the permit, and;
- a meaningful day in court for cases where the applicant thinks the government wrongly denied the permit.
- House Bill 2290, sponsored by Rep. David Cook, sought to increase health care mandates and thereby would have made health care coverage further out-of-reach for many small business owners. Thankfully this bill was defeated with the help of many small business owners who contacted lawmakers to share their distaste for the costly mandates that Rep. Cook was proposing. Fortifying NFIB’s advocacy effort was NFIB member small business owner Cliff Wixson, who authored this column to detail how this policy would harm his small business and his employees health care. Small business owners owe a debt of thanks to leaders in the State Senate for stepping up and holding firm against this detrimental legislation.
- House Bill 2555, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Chaplik, would have mandated that businesses accept cash as a form of payment. While this type of mandate might appear to have popular appeal upon first look, it comes with potentially harmful consequences for small business owners, especially those who are located in areas of greater crime risk and those who do business through transactions of larger dollar amounts. In either case, these businesses are at a greater risk of theft if the would-be assailant knows that there is a state law requiring cash be used in any business. Thankfully, the State Senate served as the final arbiter and although the bill was heard in committee, it did not receive a vote of the full Senate.
- In the legislature, thanks to a 1992 constitutional amendment that NFIB helped champion (Prop 108), any tax increase proposed requires a two-thirds vote of each legislative chamber to pass.
- In 2022, Arizona voters approved Prop 132 which requires a 60% vote for ballot measures to approve tax increases.
State:
Get to know NFIB
NFIB is a member-driven organization advocating on behalf of small and independent businesses nationwide.
Related Articles

February 3, 2025
Register Today for Arizona’s Small Business Day 2025!
Join us in Phoenix on March 5th to strengthen the voice of small businesses…
Read More

February 3, 2025
LISTEN: NFIB Arizona Discusses Small Business Priorities on Win…
NFIB State Director Chad Heinrich discusses small business priorities for t…
Read More

February 3, 2025
Vermont Capitol Update
In his budget address and other public comments, Governor Phil Scott called…
Read More

February 3, 2025
NY Capitol Update: 2025 Executive Budget Proposal
The state has estimated budget gaps of $6.5 billion in 2027, $9.8 billion i…
Read More