THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WILL BEGIN THE SECOND MONDAY IN JANUARY.  NO BILLS HAVE PASSED WHICH IMPACT EARLY RELEASES FROM PRISON.  IF A SENTENCING REFORM BILL ACTUALLY PASSES DURING THE 2025 SESSION, IT WOULD NOT LIKELY GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL LATE IN THE YEAR, OR EVEN IN 2026.  THIS IS BECAUSE ANY NEW SENTENCING LAWS ALLOWING FOR EARLY RELEASES WOULD TAKE TIME FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO CALCULATE. 

FRANKLY, SINCE THE SAME LEADERS ARE IN CHARGE OF BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE OR PREDICT ANY LARGE SCALE CHANGES IN OUR CRIMINAL CODE.  THERE ARE ALWAYS DOZENS OF "REFORM" BILLS INTRODUCED, BUT IN ORDER TO PASS INTO LAW THEY MUST PASS BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND THEN MUST BE SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR, WHO HAS THE FINAL SAY.

RUMORS ABOUND IN PRISON, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION.  NO LAWS HAVE PASSED TO MAKE FLAT-TIME SENTENCES ANYTHING OTHER THAN FLAT-TIME.  NO LAWS HAVE ELIMINATED THE FELONY MURDER LAW IN ARIZONA.  NO LAWS HAVE PASSED WHICH AUTHORIZE CONSECUTIVE SENTENCES TO BE TREATED AS CONCURRENT.  NO LAWS HAVE PASSED WHICH REDUCE SENTENCES OF ANY TYPE FOR SEX OFFENDERS OR VIOLENT OFFENDERS.  NO LAWS HAVE PASSED GRANTING CONJUGAL VISITS TO PRISONERS WITH THEIR SPOUSES.   NO LAWS HAVE PASSED WHICH REDUCE SENTENCES FROM 85% TOS 65%.    ALL OF THESE HAVE BEEN ASKED OF US AND THEY ARE PURE FALSE RUMORS. 

DURING LAST YEARS' SESSION A LAW WAS PASSED AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR  WHICH  REQUIRES A MANDATORY FLAT SENTENCE OF FROM 5 TO 15 YEARS FOR SOMEONE CONVICTED OF SELLING 200 GRAMS OR MORE OF FENTANYL.  THIS LAW WENT INTO EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER 2024.

DURING THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS IN 2024, A VOTER-APPROVED MEASURE PASSED INTO LAW REQUIRING ANYONE CONVICTED OF CHILD SEXUAL TRAFFICKING WILL BE SENTENCED TO NATURAL LIFE IN PRISON WITH NO POSSIBILITY OF RELEASE ON ANY BASIS -- EVER.

THESE HARSHER LAWS -- NOT MORE LENIENT OR LIBERAL ONES -- ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE GAINED TRACTION AT THE LEGISLATURE.

WE WILL ATTEMPT TO KEEP THIS SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE UPDATED DURING THE 2025 SESSION TO ADVISE OF VARIOUS BILLS, COMMITTEE HEARINGS OR OTHER ACTIVITIES WHICH WILL BE OF INTEREST.  ON YOUR OWN, HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD DO A FEW THINGS:  (1) IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO DO SO, REGISTER TO VOTE.  IT'S THE ONLY WAY YOUR OPINION OR YOUR VOICE REALLY COUNTS; (2) EDUCATE YOURSELF ON WHO YOUR TWO STATE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES AND YOUR ONE STATE SENATOR ARE.  IF THEY REPRESENT YOUR DISTRICT (WHICH IS DETERMINED BY YOUR ADDRESS IN ARIZONA), THEY WILL LISTEN TO YOUR OPINIONS, EVEN IF THEY DON'T AGREE WITH YOU.

REMEMBER, CONGRESS MEMBERS ONLY VOTE ON FEDERAL PRISON ISSUES OR LAWS.  U.S.CONGRESS MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE ANY IMPACT ON STATE OF ARIZONA CRIMINAL LAWS OR SENTENCING.  WRITING TO CONGRESS MEMBERS OR THE U.S. PRESIDENT SHOULD ONLY BE UNDERTAKEN FOR THOSE SERVING FEDERAL PRISON TIME.