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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
REVISED
AMENDED
agency accounts; technical correction
(NOW: state employees; remote work; prohibition)
Purpose
Prohibits full-time state employees from working remotely with prescribed exemptions.
Background
The State of Arizona Telework Program was first established as a pilot program in 1990 with a goal of improving air quality by reducing commute-related pollution as required under the environment statute (A.R.S. § 49-588). The State of Arizona Telework Program was formally established by Executive Order in 1993 (Executive Order 93-4). The initial Executive Order was updated over the years with the most recent in 2003. The 2003 Executive Order required every State agency, board and commission to implement the State of Arizona Telework Program with the goal of achieving a 20 percent active participation rate among State employees in Maricopa County (Executive Order 2003-11).
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee fiscal note states that the fiscal impact will depend on how the Executive implements S.B. 1237. The Executive will need to determine how many state workers are currently fully remote or share their office space on alternating days and would need new space. The fiscal note provides additional context for potential circumstances that may affect implementation costs (JLBC fiscal note).
Provisions
1. Prohibits full-time state employees from working remotely.
2. Authorizes supervisors to allow employees who are sick to work remotely.
3. Requires each state agency to require a full-time employee to perform the employee’s assigned duties at the state agency’s office during the employee’s regularly scheduled work hours.
5. States that virtual meetings and conference calls do not constitute remote work.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
· Adopted the strike-everything amendment.
Amendments Adopted by the Committee of the Whole
1. Authorizes supervisors to allow employees who are sick to work remotely.
2. Requires each state agency to require a full-time employee to perform the employee’s assigned duties at the state agency’s office during the employee’s regularly scheduled work hours.
3. Exempts a full-time employee, from the remote work prohibition, whose duties require the employee to perform any site visits or inspections or provide services at a location other than the state agency’s office if the employee is performing the duties at the location of the site visit or inspection or where the employee is providing services during the employee's regularly scheduled work hours.
4. States that virtual meetings and conference calls do not constitute remote work.
5. Makes a conforming change.
Revisions
· Updates the fiscal impact statement.
Senate Action
RAGE 2/20/25 DPA/SE 4-2-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 31, 2025
JT/ci