Bill > SB1473

This bill establishes statewide regulations for assisted living homes, meaning that cities and counties (municipalities and counties) cannot impose stricter rules than what is outlined in the bill. Specifically, it prevents them from limiting the number of residents in an assisted living home to fewer than ten, or from preventing a home from operating in a residential zone if it houses ten or fewer residents or is classified as an assisted living use. Furthermore, cities and counties cannot require these homes to obtain special permits or rezone their property solely based on the number of residents. While cities and counties can still enforce general zoning, building, fire, safety, and health codes, these cannot result in occupancy limits that are more restrictive than what the assisted living home's license allows. The bill also allows individuals to sue if these provisions are violated and may award legal fees to the winning party, clarifying that occupancy limits are a statewide concern that preempts any conflicting local regulations, though it does not affect existing distance requirements between such facilities. An "assisted living home" is defined as it is in section 36-401 of Arizona Revised Statutes, and these new rules apply to all licensed assisted living homes.