Arizona SB 1353: internet materials; harmful to minors

Bill Text

SB1353 - 572R - I Ver 

 REFERENCE TITLE: monitoring program; fish contaminants; appropriation

 State of Arizona

 Senate

 Fifty-seventh Legislature

 Second Regular Session

 2026

 SB 1353

 Introduced by 

 Senators 
 Kuby: Alston, Gabald�n, Hatathlie, Miranda;� Representatives Garcia, 
 Gutierrez, M�rquez, Sandoval, Stahl Hamilton

AN 
ACT

amending title 49, chapter 2, article 1, 
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 49-210.01; appropriating monies; 
relating to water quality control.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 49, chapter 2, article 1, 
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 49-210.01, to read:

START_STATUTE49-210.01. Fish contaminant monitoring program; health assessments; report; 
notice; definition

A. The department shall develop a 
comprehensive water quality monitoring and assessment program to evaluate 
pesticides, metals and other contaminants of concern in sport fish as part of 
the fish contaminant monitoring program. The program shall identify 
and monitor chemical contamination in sport fish and assess the health risks of 
consuming sport fish caught by members of the public. 

B. The department of environmental 
quality shall consult with the Arizona game and fish department, the United 
States environmental protection agency and local or regional political 
subdivisions or private entities with jurisdiction over water bodies to 
determine acceptable contaminant thresholds, protocols for selecting sampling 
locations, sampling frequency and number and the type of species to be 
monitored under the program. The program developed by the department 
of environmental quality shall include all of the following:

1. Sampling and analyzing fish for 
pesticides and metals from all waters in this state that support recreational 
fisheries without regard to the water body's designation under the clean water 
act, with a special emphasis on monitoring water and fish in urban areas. 

2. Conducting the sampling and 
monitoring of fish as prescribed by paragraph 1 of this subsection at each site 
at least once every three years as part of the United States environmental 
protection agency triennial water quality reviews.

3. Conducting annual screenings to 
identify new aquatic areas where fish have the potential for accumulating 
contaminants that can pose significant risks to ecosystems and human 
health. Screening sites that show contaminant levels of potential 
concern shall be reassessed at least once every three years.

C. The department of environmental 
quality shall contract with the department of health services to prepare 
comprehensive health risk assessments for sport fish monitored in the program 
as follows:

1. The assessments shall be based on 
the data collected by the program and information on fish consumption and food 
preparation. 

2. After each triennial water quality 
review, the department of environmental quality shall submit a health risk 
assessment report for this state's fisheries to the Arizona water protection 
fund commission established by section 45-2103 and the Arizona game and fish 
commission.

D. The department of environmental 
quality shall issue health advisories when the department of environmental 
quality, in cooperation with the department of health services, determines that 
consuming fish from a monitoring site presents a significant health risk.� The 
advisories shall contain information for the public and particularly the 
population at risk concerning health risks from consuming the fish.� The 
department of environmental quality shall notify the appropriate local health 
departments or districts, the department of health services and the Arizona 
game and fish department before issuing a health advisory.� The notification 
shall provide sufficient information for the purpose of posting signage. 

E. The department of environmental 
quality shall conspicuously post health advisory signs in areas where 
contaminated fish may be caught, including piers and parks and on commercial 
passenger fishing vessels and shore areas where fishing occurs.� The Arizona 
game and fish department shall publish the department of environmental 
quality's health warnings in its sport fishing regulations booklet and shall 
conspicuously post health warnings in its online weekly fishing 
reports. All signage and health advisories shall be provided in both 
English and Spanish.

F. For the purposes of this section, 
"sport fish" means game fish as defined in section 17-101.END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Appropriation; 
department of environmental quality; fish contaminant monitoring program; 
exemption� 

A. The sum of $500,000 is 
appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the 
department of environmental quality for the purposes provided in section 
49-210.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act. 

B. The appropriation made 
in subsec