The Arizona Legislature passed a bipartisan bill Monday intended to increase the state’s housing supply while conserving water.
The bill is known as “ag-to-urban.” It allows developers to buy water rights from farmers who give up their agricultural land for homes in metro Phoenix and Pinal County.
The homes would use only a percentage of the water the farms had used.
The bill was prompted by a moratorium Hobbs set on new housing construction in the Phoenix suburbs due to low groundwater levels. This legislation would give developers a new pathway to build homes in those restricted areas.
Rep. Gail Griffin (R-Hereford) called it a win-win-win.
“Win for the farmers who are ready to retire and it's strictly voluntary, it’s a win for the Arizona families that want the American dream of homeownership. It’s a win for the aquifers,” Griffin said.
The bill, SB 1611, passed 35-20 with some bipartisan support and some bipartisan opposition. It’s the culmination of two years of negotiations between lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs - who finally reached an agreement last week.
Rep. Chris Mathis (D-Tucson) lamented the fact the legislature didn’t consider other water conservation policies like a bipartisan rural groundwater proposal that was introduced in January and never got a hearing.
“We have once again failed to provide any legislative relief this session to address the current acute water security crisis faced by our rural communities.”
The Senate still must transmit the bill to the governor.
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