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
Bill Details
Solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement
Bill summary (AI generated)
Prohibition of Solar Radiation Management (SRM) • Core Ban: The bill prohibits any person from intentionally injecting, releasing, dispensing, or causing the injection, release, or dispensation of any material within the borders of Arizona for the purpose of solar radiation management. • Definition: For the purposes of this law, "solar radiation management" is defined as the modification or attempted modification of atmospheric reflectivity that modifies the amount or intensity of sunlight that reaches the Earth. • Grant Prohibition: It prohibits any political subdivision of the state, including any public university or any private entity that receives public monies, from providing grants for the development of solar radiation management technologies. Enforcement and Penalties The law grants authority to the Arizona Attorney General (AG) to enforce these prohibitions: • Complaints and Investigation: Any resident of the state may submit a complaint to the Attorney General alleging a violation, providing details such as the date(s), location, and method/substances used, along with any supporting evidence. • The Attorney General is required to investigate all credible complaints submitted. The AG may also investigate any conduct they have reasonable suspicion to believe violates the section. • Judicial Action: The Attorney General may file an action in the Superior Court. If the court finds a violation, it shall award injunctive relief (an order requiring the cessation of the prohibited activity) and reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party. The court may also award any other relief it finds necessary. HB2042's reference title is "solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement". This focus on SRM contrasts with other similar bills, such as the expired HB2056, which aimed to broadly ban various forms of geoengineering, including cloud seeding.
History
The bill HB2042, titled "Solar Radiation Management; Prohibition; Enforcement," was prefiled on December 11, 2025. As the bill is currently in the very early stages of its legislative process, there have been no committee reviews, debates, or votes yet. Next, the bill will need to go through several steps to advance in the legislative process. Typically, this involves being referred to relevant committees for discussion and potential amendment, followed by a series of votes in both the House and Senate. If it successfully passes through these stages, it would then be sent to the governor for approval. The timeline for further activity will depend on the legislative calendar and the priorities of the committees involved. Since it has not yet progressed beyond the prefile stage, there are no indications of whether it will ultimately fail or pass at this time.
- Thu 11 Dec 2025 Prefile
Bill text (Transcribed)
PREFILED Dec 11 2025
REFERENCE TITLE: solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HB 2042
Introduced by
Representatives Fink: Heap, Keshel, Marshall, Martinez, Powell, Way
AN ACT
AMENDING TITLE 49, CHAPTER 1, ARTICLE 1, ARIZON 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.
REFERENCE TITLE: solar radiation management; prohibition; enforcement
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HB 2042
Introduced by
Representatives Fink: Heap, Keshel, Marshall, Martinez, Powell, Way
AN ACT
AMENDING TITLE 49, CHAPTER 1, ARTICLE 1, ARIZON 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.