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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
state lands; solar score; maps
Purpose
Requires the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) to suspend the use of solar scores or other similar solar evaluators and develop a mining resource scoring map and a housing resource scoring map every 10 years, or earlier if determined by the ASLD Commissioner (Commissioner).
Background
The ASLD must
administer all laws relating to lands owned by, belonging to and under control
of Arizona and the ASLD has the charge and control of all lands owned by
Arizona and the timber, stone, gravel and other products of such lands (A.R.S.
§ 37-102). The Commissioner must: 1) exercise and perform all powers and
duties vested in or imposed on the ASLD and prescribe such rules as are
necessary to discharge those duties; 2) make long-range plans for the future
use of state lands in cooperation with other state agencies, local planning
authorities and political subdivisions; 3) have the authority to lease for
commercial purposes and sell all land owned or held in trust by Arizona; and 4)
fulfill all other statutorily prescribed duties (A.R.S.
§ 37-132).
The Commissioner is responsible for creating five-year disposition plans for all state trust land in Arizona, based at a minimum on market demand and anticipated transportation and infrastructure availability. The Commissioner must: 1) review and update each plan each year as may be necessary; 2) consult with the city, town or county in which the land is located and with any regional planning organization; and 3) submit each plan and revision to the Urban Land Planning Oversight Committee to ensure conformity with the outlined conceptual land use plan (A.R.S. § 37-331.03).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the ASLD, on the general effective date, to suspend the use of solar scores or other similar solar evaluators.
2. Prohibits the Commissioner from using solar scores or other similar solar evaluators in the decision making of the ASLD.
3. Requires the ASLD, every 10 years or earlier as determined necessary by the Commissioner, to develop:
a) a mining resource scoring map that takes known and proven resources into consideration; and
b) a housing resource scoring map that takes development into consideration.
4. Requires the ASLD to cooperate with stakeholders to create and update the resource scoring maps.
5. Allows the ASLD, during the stakeholder process, to consider comments only from the applicable industry when updating the resource scoring maps.
6. Requires the Commissioner to consider the resource scoring maps when creating the ASLD's conceptual land use plans and five-year disposition plans
7. Requires the Commissioner, on the adoption of a new resource scoring map, to submit a copy of the updated resource scoring map to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of State.
8. Requires the ASLD to post each map on the ASLD's website.
9. Requires the Commissioner, not later than two years after the general effective date, to develop, provide copies of and post the maps on the ASLD's website.
10. Specifies that the outlined requirements relating to solar, mining and housing scores do not prohibit the ASLD from processing any application for the disposition of state lands or for permits for housing or mining before the adoption of a map.
11. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
NREW 2/12/26 DPA 6-4-0-0
3rd Read 2/26/26 31-22-7
Prepared by Senate Research
March 13, 2026
SB/NRG/hk