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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED #2
Arizona beef
council; continuation (NOW: beef council; veterinary board; continuation)
Purpose
Continues the Arizona Beef Council (Council) and the Arizona State Veterinary Medical Examining Board (Board) for eight years.
Background
Laws 1970, Chapter 87 established the Council to provide the cattle industry with authority to establish a self-financed program to help market, develop, maintain and expand the state, national and foreign markets for beef and beef products. The Council consists of nine members that include: 1) three producers of range cattle; 2) three cattle feeders; and 3) three dairymen. Members are appointed by the Governor to serve a three-year term without compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for subsistence and travel. The primary duty of the Council is to enhance the demand for and profitability of beef through state-level marketing, scientific research, consumer education and industry information programs (A.R.S. §§ 3-1232 and 3-1233).
The Board consists of nine members that include: 1) five licensed veterinarians who have an established practice location in Arizona or are employed by a university or political subdivision and have resided and practiced in Arizona for at least five years immediately preceding appointment, with no more than three veterinarians having attended the same veterinary college; 2) two non-veterinarian members that represent the general public; 3) one non-veterinarian member that represents the livestock industry; and 4) one certified veterinary technician who has held the designation for at least five years, is currently employed in the veterinary field in Arizona and has practiced and resided in Arizona for at least five years immediately preceding appointment. Members are appointed by the Governor to serve four-year terms. The primary duty of the Board is to protect the public from unlawful, incompetent, unqualified, impaired or unprofessional practitioners of veterinary medicine through licensure and regulation of the profession in Arizona (A.R.S. §§ 32-2202 and 32-2207)
The Senate
Natural Resources Committee of Reference (COR) held a public meetings on
Tuesday, January 13, 2026, to review and consider the Council's responses to
the statutorily outlined sunset review factors and Tuesday, January 20, 2026,
to review the Auditor General's performance audit and sunset review reports on
the Board. The COR recommended that the Council and Board be continued for
eight years until July 1, 2034. The Council and Board terminate on July 1,
2026, unless continued by the Legislature (A.R.S. § § 41-3026.02;
41-3026.02;
and 41-3026.05).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Continues, retroactive to July 1, 2026, the Council and Board for four years until July 1, 2034.
2. Repeals the Council and Board on January 1, 2035.
3. Contains purpose statements.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date, with a retroactive provision as noted.
Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives
1. Continues, retroactive to July 1, 2026, the Board for four years until July 1, 2034.
2. Continues, retroactive to July 1, 2026, the ASLD for one year until July 1, 2027.
3. Repeals the Board on January 1, 2035.
4. Repeals the ASLD on January 1, 2028.
5. Prohibits JLBC from directing the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit on the ASLD.
6. Repeals the prescribed performance audit prohibition on January 1, 2028.
7. Adds purpose statements.
Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives #2
1. Removes the one-year ASLD continuation.
2. Removes the moratorium on JLAC directing the Auditor General to conduct a performance audit on the ASLD.
3. Removes a purpose statement relating to the ASLD.
Senate Action House Action
NR 1/27/26 DP 7-0-1 LARA 3/23/26 DPA 4-3-1-0
3rd Read 2/12/26 23-6-1 3rd Read 6/11/26 48-7-5
3rd Read* 6/12/26 5 0-5-5
*on reconsideration
Prepared by Senate Research
June 12, 2026
SB/NG/hk