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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
Maricopa county; new counties; division
Purpose
Effective January 1, 2027, prescribes new boundaries to Maricopa County and establishes the formation of Hohokam County, Mogollon County and O'odham County. Outlines procedural requirements relating to the division of Maricopa County.
Background
Arizona is comprised of 15 counties and statute prescribes the boundaries that encapsulate each county. Counties may be formed or divided by a legislative enactment, statewide initiative or county initiative (A.R.S. Title 11, Chapter 1). According to the 2020 U.S. Decennial Census, the population of Maricopa County is estimated to be 4,420,568 persons (U.S. Census Bureau).
In 2025, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) published a fiscal note on S.B. 1101, an identical measure to S.B. 1434, which estimated that S.B. 1101 may impact the state General Fund as some of the new counties established by the bill may qualify for state assistance not currently received by Maricopa County. JLBC noted that the legislation would have a larger fiscal impact at the county level and the potential impacts on property tax rates (JLBC fiscal note).
Provisions
County Transition
1. Modifies the boundaries of Maricopa County and establishes Hohokam County, Mogollon County and O'odham County, as prescribed.
2. Requires Maricopa County operations to continue in its existing form through a transition period for up to three years after January 1, 2027, under the supervision of the Intercounty Oversight and Accountability Board (Board).
3. Requires the Board to make intercounty decisions and enter into mutually beneficial shared use or intergovernmental agreements for the continuation of services for Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County and terminates the Board at the end of the transition period.
4. Allows the Board to continue past the transitionary period if there is approval by a majority of the county board of supervisors (BOS) of Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County.
5. Requires the Maricopa County BOS to retain control over the operation of Maricopa County during the transition until the BOS of Hohokam County, Mogollon County and O'odham County are sworn into office and requires the swearing in to take place by June 15, 2027.
6. Requires the Maricopa County BOS to continue in their elected capacities for the remainder of the supervisors' terms and stipulates that if an elected Maricopa County supervisor's supervisory district is located with Hohokam County, Mogollon County or O'odham County, the supervisor must complete the term in the new county in which the supervisory district is located.
7. Requires the county BOS to approve supervisorial districts within 180 days after being sworn into office.
8. Requires the chairperson of each county's BOS to serve on a Board during the three-year transition period.
9. Requires the control of existing special districts to be assumed by the county in which the special district is located.
10. Requires the counties, for a special district located in more than one county, to enter into an intergovernmental agreement regarding control of the special district within one year after the election of the county BOS.
11. Allows Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County to enter into a 10-year shared use agreement for the use of existing shared capital assets.
12. Requires Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County to divide furniture, fixtures and equipment on a pro-rata basis based on the furniture, fixtures and equipment located in each county.
13. Requires, beginning January 1, 2027, Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County to enter into an intergovernmental agreement for the continued operation for community colleges for a period of at least 10 years
County Elections
14. Requires the BOS for Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County to be elected in a special election within 120 days after January 1, 2027, and requires the supervisors to be elected to staggered, abbreviated terms in which they will serve until the next presidential election.
15. Requires supervisors to be elected by the entire county for an initial term and by the supervisorial district at subsequent elections.
16. Requires, for the election of the unfilled elected county seats, Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County to hold the election at the same time as the election for the county BOS and requires current elected officials to finish their current terms in the county that they reside in.
17. Requires the elected BOS in Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County to determine an application process for municipalities to apply to be the county seat.
18. Requires a special election for the county seat to take place within 120 days after the election of the BOS in Hohokam County, Maricopa County, Mogollon County and O'odham County.
Miscellaneous
19. Requires the Legislative Council Staff to prepare proposed legislation conforming the Arizona Revised Statutes to the formation of the new counties for consideration in the Fifty-Eighth Legislature, First Regular Session.
20. Makes conforming changes.
21. Becomes effective on January 1, 2027.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 6, 2026
AN/KP/ci