ARA Legislative Accomplishments
| 2021 | SB 1167 - Amended state statute to add a criminal penalty for the purposeful contamination or attempted contamination of a food product in a licensed food establishment. HB 2772 - Beginning October 1, 2021, allows restaurants, bars, and liquor stores to sell mixed cocktails for off-premises consumption. Allows bars (series 6) and beer and wine bars (series 7) to lease their existing packaged goods off-premises privilege to restaurants (series 12) in the same county. Allows for delivery of alcohol using a third-party delivery service that is registered with the Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. Please see the To-go Alcohol Summary document for a complete overview.To-go Alcohol Summary Document SB 1377 - Provides significant liability protection for businesses from COVID-19 related lawsuits, provided the businesses followed federal and state rules and industry best practices while responding to the pandemic. |
| 2020 | See COVID-19. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the legislative session was ended early and the majority of the ARA's advocacy efforts was focused on the Executive Branch and Congress. |
| 2019 | HB 2178 - Removes most restaurant operations from the Department of Agriculture's regulation related to ice cream manufacturing. BYOB (included in the liquor omnibus) - Clarifies that restaurants that were granted a BYOB exemption while relying on an incorrect official government form will continue to be eligible for the exemption. HB 2360 - Increases the TPT liability threshold for businesses required to pre-pay their sales tax in June from $1 million to $4.1 million by 2023. |
| 2018 | HB 2484 - Prevents local sales tax codes from treating various food and drinks items separately for tax rate purposes. Requires all tax rates levied on food and drink items to apply equally. |
| 2017 | HB 2047 - Reduces the legal age for handling alcoholic beverages from 19 to 18. HB 2214 - Allows individuals and businesses to deduct, from their AZ taxes, eligible costs resulting from retrofitting real property to comply with the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA). SB 1406 - Makes various changes related to violations of public accommodation and services in response to the drive-by lawsuits that have plagued many operators. |
| 2016 | Made regulating plastic bags, food containers, and auxiliary containers a matter of statewide concern, preventing local governments from adopting further rules. Ensured local government compliance with state law by reallocating state shared revenue of cities in violation of state law. Restored and expanded funding for Joint Technical Education Districts (JTEDs), many of which support culinary programs. Preempted city regulation of non-wage compensation, such as vacation pay, commissions, and severance pay. Preempted city regulations dealing with employee scheduling. |
| 2015: | Extended the amount of time an employer has to review and protest unemployment insurance claims to ten business days. Ensured any regulation made on restaurant auxiliary containers or plastic bags not be done at the city level, allowing statewide consistency. Stopped legislation from becoming law that would prohibit the use of electronic benefit cards in quick service restaurants. |
| 2014: | Standardized the acceptance of online access to county food handler training programs while maintaining the same high standards of food safety. |
| 2013: | Limited the definition of service animal to coincide with the Americans with Disabilities Act, limiting the use of service animals to specific types of animals that perform specific functions. Preempted legislation to preclude local jurisdictions from passing ordinances or policies that mandate employee leave, vacation time and other benefits. |
| 2012: | Dramatically amended an ordinance proposed by Maricopa County to regulate play areas. |
| 2011: | Prohibited local governments from adopting policies that would disallow restaurants from including a toy in a kid’s meal. |
| 2009: | Amended the language of a bill, giving restaurant owners discretion in allowing guns in their establishment. |
| 2007: | Defeated a Pima County effort to impose increased impact fees on restaurants with drive-thrus. |