Arizona lawmakers tackled several issues that matter to truck drivers this year. Bills targeting non-domiciled CDLs, predatory towing and cargo theft all cleared the Legislature.
Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed multiple trucking-related bills. She approved just one major measure.
Non-domiciled CDLs
Hobbs rejected a bill aimed at truck drivers using non-domiciled CDLs.
SB1511 would have required drivers to prove they were legally in the country during traffic stops. A foreign or out-of-state CDL alone would not have been enough.
Drivers who couldn’t provide proof could have been placed out of service immediately.
The penalties didn’t end there.
SB1511 also would have allowed officers to impound the truck. If the freight stayed on board for more than 24 hours, the cargo could have been impounded, too. The truck would stay parked until the violations were cleared, leaving owners stuck with the bill.
Sen. Frank Carroll, R-Sun City West, said CDL holders should be held to a higher standard.
Carroll argued that some drivers are staying behind the wheel even after the visas tied to their licenses have expired. He said the result is a serious safety risk.
Carroll pointed to deadly crashes involving drivers whose visas had expired. His message was clear: If someone is no longer here legally, they shouldn’t be driving an 80,000-pound truck.
Hobbs said, “The bill is unnecessary and redundant, as Arizona is committed to following federal guidelines set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.”
Predatory towing
Truck drivers also lost another fight at the governor’s desk.
Hobbs vetoed HB2305. The bill was designed to crack down on predatory towing.
One statewide towing standard would have been created. Cities and counties would no longer have been allowed to set their own towing rates for vehicles removed from private property.
The bill also would have made it tougher for towing companies to hook a vehicle.
Warning signs would have had to meet state standards. Tow operators would have been required to document the parking violation with photos or other evidence. The bill also required notifying law enforcement within one hour.
Truck drivers were part of the plan. The bill called for a study committee to review heavy-duty towing practices and recommend improvements.
It also directed the Department of Public Safety to examine whether Arizona needs a dedicated towing compliance and enforcement unit.
In her veto message, Hobbs said another towing study wasn’t needed because one is already underway.
She wrote that lawmakers should review the first study before launching another.
Rep. Leo Biasiucci, R-Kingman, blasted the veto. He called the decision “stupid” and accused the governor of siding with bad actors instead of drivers hit with outrageous towing bills.
“If she would have actually read the bill,” Biasiucci said, “she would have understood what the bill does.”
Cargo theft
One truck driver’s bill did make it into law.
Hobbs signed SB1452. The new law creates a statewide task force to go after organized cargo thieves.
The new team will bring together federal, state and local law enforcement to investigate thefts across Arizona’s supply chain. They will work with the trucking industry to stop theft before it happens.
The law targets more than stolen loads.
It also goes after freight fraud, identity theft, load diversions and other scams used to steal cargo.
The crackdown covers commercial trucks, trailers, railcars, intermodal containers, warehouses, freight hubs and distribution centers. Other parts of the supply chain are also covered.
Sen. Kevin Payne, R-Peoria, said organized cargo theft is becoming smarter and more aggressive. As a result, costs are driven up for businesses and families while threatening the flow of essential goods.
“Cargo theft is not a victimless crime,” Payne said. “When organized criminals steal truckloads of merchandise, food, medical supplies, or other goods moving through our supply chains, the cost doesn’t simply disappear.”
The Attorney General must provide annual reports to the governor and lawmakers detailing the task force’s work. LL
🚨FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Senator Payne Delivers New Laws to Back First Responders, Fight Organized Crime, Protect Arizona Communities
Full Press Release: https://t.co/NVgAPZ1MST@KevinPayne4AZ pic.twitter.com/TetL3YUq3r
— AZSenateRepublicans (@AZSenateGOP) June 25, 2026
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