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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
endangered species act; urging reform
Purpose
Urges the U.S. President and the U.S. Congress to work to reform the federal Endangered Species Act and the federal Migratory Bird Conservation Act and urges the federal government to reduce burdensome regulatory requirements on ranchers and prevent unfair lease cancellations and evictions on federally controlled grazing lands.
Background
The federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 establishes protections for fish, wildlife and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered. Federal agencies, in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), must ensure that the actions that the agencies authorize, fund or carry out do not jeopardize the existence of any threatened or endangered species or the habitats of such species (16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.).
The federal Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 1929 requires the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to acquire land and water for the conservation of migratory birds and establishes the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission to approve the land and water acquisitions (16 U.S.C. § 715 et seq.).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. States that the Legislature prays that:
a) the U.S. President and U.S. Congress work to reform the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the federal Migratory Bird Conservation Act; and
b) the Director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service and the Director of the U.S. FWS adopt any policies necessary to:
i. reduce burdensome regulatory requirements on ranchers; and
ii. prevent unfair lease cancellations and evictions on federally controlled grazing lands in the west due to the implementation of the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the federal Migratory Bird Conservation Act.
2. Directs the Secretary of State to transmit copies of the memorial to the U.S. President, the President of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, each member of the U.S. Congress from Arizona, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, the Director of the U.S. BLM, the Chief of the U.S. Forest Services and the Director of the U.S. FWS.
House Action
LARA 2/9/26 DP 5-3-0-0
3rd Read 2/26/26 31-23-6
Prepared by Senate Research
March 12, 2026
AN/TR/ci