Arizona : 2026 Regular Session : BILL HB2042
Solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement
Sponsor: Rep Lisa Fink & Rep Ralph Heap & Rep Rachel Keshel & Rep David Marshall & Rep Teresa Martinez & Rep Khyl Powell & Rep Michael Way
Bill Details
Solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement
GeoLawWatch Bill Summary
HB2042 is identical in text to its companion bill, SB1278. It creates a new section, 49-119, within Title 49 (Environment) of the Arizona Revised Statutes, narrowly targeting solar radiation management activities.
Prohibition: No person may intentionally inject, release, or dispense, or cause the injection, release, or dispensation of any material within Arizona's borders for solar radiation management. The "notwithstanding any other law" preface establishes this prohibition as overriding any conflicting state authority.
Grant funding ban: Political subdivisions of Arizona, including public universities and any private entity receiving public monies, are prohibited from providing any grants for the development of solar radiation management technologies.
Citizen complaint mechanism: Any Arizona resident may file a complaint with the Attorney General alleging a violation. Complaints must include the resident's name and contact information, the dates of the alleged violation, a description of the alleged violation, including location, method, and substances used (if known), and any supporting evidence or documentation.
Attorney General enforcement: The AG is required to investigate all credible complaints and may independently investigate any conduct the AG has reasonable suspicion of violating the section. The AG may file an action in the superior court.
Remedies: If a court finds a violation, it must award injunctive relief and reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party. The court may also award other relief it finds necessary.
No criminal penalties: Enforcement is entirely civil, through injunctions and attorney fees.
Definition: Solar radiation management means the modification or attempted modification of atmospheric reflectivity that modifies the amount or intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth.
Notable absences: The bill does not affect Arizona's existing weather-control and cloud-modification licensing regime under Title 45, Chapter 9 (A.R.S. sections 45-1601 through 45-1605). Cloud seeding operations licensed by the Arizona Department of Water Resources remain lawful.
History
HB2042 was prefiled on December 11, 2025 and formally introduced in the House on January 12, 2026, the first day of the session. It was assigned to the Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee and the Rules Committee. NREW passed the bill on January 27 by a 6-4 vote, and Rules unanimously (8-0) found it constitutional and in proper form on February 2. After placement on the consent calendar and do-pass recommendations from both caucuses on February 3, the bill cleared the Committee of the Whole on February 25 and passed the House on third reading the following day with a 31-23 vote (six members absent).
HB2042 was transmitted to the Senate and introduced there on March 3. In a key procedural move, the Senate substituted HB2042 for its own companion bill, SB1278 — a common legislative technique in which one chamber adopts the other chamber's version of an identical or near-identical bill to streamline passage and avoid a conference committee. The Senate then immediately passed HB2042 on third reading by a 17-13 vote and transmitted it back to the House. Because the House originated HB2042 and the Senate passed it without amendment, the bill now proceeds to the Governor for signature or veto.
- Thu 11 Dec 2025 Prefile
- Mon 12 Jan 2026 Introduced in House and read first time
- Mon 12 Jan 2026 Assigned to House NREW Committee
- Mon 12 Jan 2026 Assigned to House RULES Committee
- Tue 13 Jan 2026 House read second time
- Tue 27 Jan 2026 House NREW Committee action: Do Pass, voting: (6-4-0-0-0-0)
- Tue 27 Jan 2026 MEETING Natural Resources, Energy & Water Committee
- Mon 02 Feb 2026 House RULES Committee action: constitutional and in proper form, voting: (8-0-0-0-0-0)
- Mon 02 Feb 2026 House consent calendar
- Tue 03 Feb 2026 House majority caucus: Do pass
- Tue 03 Feb 2026 House minority caucus: Do pass
- Wed 25 Feb 2026 House Committee of the Whole action: Do Pass
- Thu 26 Feb 2026 House third reading PASSED voting: (31-23-6-0)
- Thu 26 Feb 2026 Transmit to Senate
- Tue 03 Mar 2026 Introduced in Senate and read first time
- Tue 03 Mar 2026 Senate miscellaneous motion: HB 2042 substituted for SB 1278. Motion carried.
- Tue 03 Mar 2026 Senate third reading PASSED voting: (17-13-0-0)
- Tue 03 Mar 2026 Transmit to House
- Tue 10 Mar 2026 Transmitted to Governor
- Thu 12 Mar 2026 Governor Vetoed
Consolidated Bill Text
solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HOUSE BILL 2042
AN ACT
AMENDING TITLE 49, CHAPTER 1, ARTICLE 1, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES, BY ADDING SECTION 49-119; RELATING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 49, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 49-119, to read:
49-119. Solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement; definition
A. Notwithstanding any other law, a person may not intentionally inject, release or dispense or cause the injection, release or dispensation of any material within the borders of this state for solar radiation management.
B. A political subdivision of this state, including any public university or any private entity that receives public monies, may not provide any grants for the development of solar radiation management technologies.
C. Any resident of this state may submit a complaint to the attorney general alleging a violation of this section. Complaints must state the following:
1. The name and contact information of the resident who submits the complaint.
2. The date or dates the alleged violation occurred.
3. A description of the alleged violation and the location, method and substances or compounds used, if known.
4. Any applicable supporting evidence or documentation.
D. The attorney general shall investigate all credible complaints submitted to the department of law pursuant to this section.
E. The attorney general may investigate any conduct that the attorney general has reasonable suspicion to believe violates this section.
F. The attorney general may file an action in the superior court alleging a violation of this section. If the court finds a violation, the superior court shall award injunctive relief and reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party. The superior court may award other relief as the court finds necessary.
G. For the purposes of this section, "solar radiation management" means the modification or attempted modification of atmospheric reflectivity that modifies the amount or intensity of sunlight that reaches the earth.
Supplementary documents
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session
Majority Research Staff
House: NREW DP 6-4-0-0
HB 2042: solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement
Sponsor: Representative Fink, LD 27
Caucus & COW
Overview
Prohibits a person from intentionally injecting, releasing or dispensing any material in the state for solar radiation management. Restricts political subdivisions of the state from providing any grants for the development of solar radiation management technologies.
History
A.R.S. Title 45 Chapter 9 (Weather Control and Cloud Modification) outlines the regulation of weather control and cloud modification in Arizona.
Currently, any person or corporation, other than the U.S. and its administrative agencies or the state, is prohibited from conducting any weather control or cloud modification operations or attempting to artificially produce rainfall without a license from the Arizona Department of Water Resources Director (Director).
For those who are licensed to conduct such activities, a report with a final evaluation of the project must be filed with the Director within 90 days after the conclusion of the project (A.R.S. sections 45-1601 and 45-1604).
Provisions
- Prohibits a person from intentionally injecting, releasing or dispensing or causing the injection, release or dispensation of any material within the boundaries of Arizona for solar radiation management. (Sec. 1)
- Mandates that a political subdivision of the state, any public university or any private entity that receives public monies may not provide any grants for the development of solar radiation management technologies. (Sec. 1)
- Allows any resident of the state to submit a complaint to the Attorney General alleging a violation of the solar radiation management prohibition if they state:
- the name and contact information of the resident who submits the complaint;
- the date or dates the alleged violation occurred;
- a description of the alleged violation and the location, method and substances or compounds used, if known; and
- any applicable supporting evidence or documentation. (Sec. 1)
- Directs the Attorney General to investigate all credible complaints submitted to the Department of Law pursuant to the prohibition on solar radiation management. (Sec. 1)
- Allows the Attorney General to investigate any conduct that the Attorney General has reasonable suspicion to believe violates the prohibition. (Sec. 1)
- Allows the Attorney General to file an action in superior court alleging a violation of the prohibition. (Sec. 1)
- Requires the superior court to, if a violation is found, award injunctive relief and reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party and allows the superior court to award other relief as the court finds necessary. (Sec. 1)
- Defines solar radiation management as the modification or attempted modification of atmospheric reflectivity that modifies the amount or intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth. (Sec. 1)
Initials CW/HC
1/28/2026
Caucus & COW