REFERENCE TITLE: commerce authority; gas; prices; prioritization

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2696

Introduced by

Representative Willoughby

AN ACT

providing for the Arizona commerce authority to reduce fuel and gas prices.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Arizona commerce authority; fuel and gas prices; delayed repeal

A. Notwithstanding any other law, the Arizona commerce authority shall use all available resources to reduce fuel and gas prices in this state. The Arizona commerce authority shall consider the reduction of fuel and gas prices in this state as its primary objective and shall prioritize the use of any existing program or incentive to advance the objective and reduce fuel and gas prices in this state.

B. This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2029.

Sec. 2. Arizona commerce authority; study; report

A. The Arizona commerce authority shall collaborate with members of the oil and gas industry to study all of the following:

1. The impact of and process for the repeal of this state's cleaner burning gasoline blend, including an evaluation of potential alternative lower cost blends for this state.

2. The construction of additional refined products pipelines in this state and establishment of a strategic oil and gas reserve in this state.

3. The opportunity to construct one or more potential refineries in this state, including restarting and reevaluating, a proposed oil refinery in Yuma county.

B. The Arizona commerce authority shall meet at least three times between the effective date of this act and the date of the final report deadline in subsection C of this section with the chairpersons of the senate's natural resources committee and the house of representative's natural resources, energy and water committee, or their successor committees, to provide status updates on the price of fuel and gas in this state and the progress of the study required by subsection A of this section.

C. On or before October 1, 2026, the Arizona commerce authority shall submit a report on findings related to the study prescribed in subsection A of this section and any legislative recommendations to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state.