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Read. Follow. Verify.Arizona Bill SB 1650 Creates Civil Rights Exception to Judicial Immunity for Public Entities
Last action · February 18, 2026: DPSponsor: Mark Finchem
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What This Bill Proposed
Arizona SB 1650 creates an exception to absolute judicial immunity for public entities, allowing liability if a judicial officer performed a while knowing or having reason to know that their actions violated the civil rights of a litigant or affected person.
Changes whether public entities are shielded from lawsuits when judicial officers violate civil rights, potentially altering legal exposure and liability for state and local government operations.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Public entities
Public entities lose absolute immunity protection for judicial functions if a judicial officer violates a litigant's or affected person's civil rights.
Litigants and affected persons
Adult and minor litigants or affected persons gain the ability to hold public entities liable when judicial actions violate their civil rights.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SB 1650 eliminate judicial immunity entirely?
Who can be affected by the civil rights violation exception?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in Senate committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Feb 18, 2026SenateCommitteeDP
- Feb 10, 2026SenateFloorSenate Second Reading
- Feb 9, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate First Reading
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
apps.azleg.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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