House Engrossed

abandonment; concealment of body; classification

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2044

AN ACT

amending section 13-2926, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to offenses against public order.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 13-2926, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE13-2926. Abandonment or concealment of a dead body; classification

A. It is unlawful for a person to knowingly move a dead human body or parts of a human body with the intent to abandon or conceal the dead human body or parts.

B. This section does not apply to either of the following:

1B. This section does not apply to [either of the following:

1. The disposition, transportation or other handling of dead human remains for any purpose authorized under title 32, chapter 12, title 32, chapter 20, article 6 and title 36, chapters 3 and 7.

2. The mother of an unborn child if the gestational age of the unborn child at the time of the disposition, transportation or other handling [2. The mother of an unborn child if the gestational age of the unborn child at the time of the disposition, transportation or other handling is less than twenty weeks.

C. A person who violates this section is guilty of a class 5 felony, except that a person who mutilates, disfigures or dismembers a dead human body with the intent to conceal a crime or avoid apprehension for a crime or who causes the death of a person before abandoning or concealing the dead human body or parts is guilty of a class 2 felony. END_STATUTE