Regulatory Bill of Rights

On July 20, 2011, a “Regulatory Bill of Rights” for cities, counties, and county flood control districts (collectively, “municipalities”) went into effect in Arizona. This “Regulatory Bill of Rights” grants to regulated private parties a series of rights in their dealings with cities, counties, and flood control districts, and will notably change municipal procedures regarding applications for permits and licenses, as well as the conduct of compliance inspections. The rights granted by SB 1598 to regulated private parties are very similar to rights already granted such entities in their dealings with most state agencies. Ultimately, SB 1598 will likely impact many businesses in Arizona that are required to obtain any type of license or inspection from municipalities, and will hopefully create a faster, more uniform, and more transparent regulatory process.