The proposed bill, if enacted, would amend current statutes regarding the annexation of territory by municipalities in Arizona. Under the current law, municipalities must publish a notice of annexation in a newspaper and post it in public places, with specific requirements for the waiting period and public hearings. The bill introduces new provisions that allow municipalities to publish annexation notices electronically if the newspaper has an online platform, and it simplifies the posting requirements for smaller parcels of land (up to 160 acres) by permitting a single visible notice on the site. Additionally, it allows municipalities to waive the 30-day waiting period and public hearing requirements if the annexation involves a property owner who owns 100% of the property being annexed.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the process for filing annexation petitions and clarifies that annexation becomes final once the governing body adopts the annexation ordinance. It also makes technical changes to existing language and clarifies that certain provisions do not apply to territories already surrounded by the municipality. Overall, these updates aim to streamline the annexation process, particularly for single-property owners, while maintaining necessary public notification and compliance measures.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 9-471