Justice Reform in Action: Updates from Arizona, Minnesota, New Mexico & Oklahoma
Friends,
Legislative sessions are now in full swing in three of our priority states: Arizona, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. In New Mexico, the legislature has already concluded its fast-paced 30-day session.
Across these states, the legislation we’re supporting is gaining traction, sparking robust discussions, and opening pathways for change.
None of this progress happens without strong leadership. The legislative sponsors championing these bills have been extraordinary partners, and their commitment, persistence, and willingness to push these efforts forward are what turn good ideas into lasting impact. We are grateful for the work they are doing to move these bills across the finish line and to improve the lives of individuals and communities across their states.
Below, you’ll find a snapshot of where things stand in each state and why we're genuinely optimistic that this could be a big year for reform.
It has been an eventful month in Arizona. In addition to everything happening at the Capitol, last week, a federal judge ordered the appointment of a receiver to oversee all health care services in Arizona prisons, following more than a decade of federal litigation.
This finding underscores why making the Independent Correctional Oversight Office operational is so urgently needed.
As our Executive Director, Lauren Krisai, said in Reason, “Proactive, independent oversight is a far smarter investment of taxpayer dollars than costly federal intervention when conditions have deteriorated.”
We’re encouraged to see all six of JAN’s priority bills in Arizona are moving through the legislative process, with three already passing their chamber of origin. Here’s an update of where each bill is at:
1. Prison Oversight Funding: Senate Bill 1032, sponsored by Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R), which appropriates $1.5 million for the office’s operational needs, received a unanimous Senate vote (29-0) this month.
JAN Senior State Policy Manager, Estrella López, testifying in favor of SB 1032
The unanimous vote in the Arizona Senate for SB 1032, February 12
An identical House version, House Bill 2063, is on the way to the House floor after having received extremely favorable votes in its three House Committee hearings.
Rep. Walt Blackman introducing HB 2063 in the House Appropriations Committee
Updates on other JAN-supported bills in Arizona
2. Ending incarceration as a sanction for nonpayment of court debt:
House Bill 2825, sponsored by Rep. Chris Lopez (R) received a unanimous vote on the House floor (56-0) and now heads over to the Senate, where co-sponsor Analise Ortiz (D) will pick up the mantle.
3. Narrowly tailored conditions of probation supervision:
Senate Bill 1662, sponsored by Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R) passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously this month and will soon be heard for a Senate floor vote.
Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R) introducing SB 1662 in the Senate Judiciary committee hearing.
4. Misdemeanor expungement:
Senate Bill 1140, sponsored by Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R), received unanimous 7-0 support in the Senate Judiciary Committee. We’re happy to be supporting the effort alongside Alliance for Safety and Justice.
5. Fee elimination:
House Bill 2265, sponsored by Representative Neal Carter (R), eliminates certain fees associated with the exercise of constitutional rights. The bill received favorable committee hearings and passed with a strong vote in the House 55-2. JAN is supporting the effort led by the Fines and Fees Justice Center and Stand for Children Arizona.
Police Reform Legislation
We are very pleased to be supporting landmark legislation allowing Minnesotans to sue for civil and monetary damages for constitutional violations committed by federal or state law enforcement.
Bills introduced in the House and Senate are authored by House Majority Floor Leader Jamie Long (DFL), Senate President Bobby Joe Champion (DFL), and Senator Omar Fateh (DFL). In a joint op-ed prior to session, Rep. Long and Sen. Champion explained that they intended to file legislation as a response to the many civil rights violations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and other federal authorities in the state.
This legislation addresses a significant accountability gap in existing law and provides a clear, meaningful pathway for individuals to seek redress when their rights are violated. By creating a state-level remedy, it fills a critical void and reinforces longstanding constitutional principles.
The bills have received hearings in both chambers, and ultimately will be considered for inclusion in an omnibus bill after the conference committee deliberates. The Institute for Justice is also playing a key advocacy role in support of this effort.
Rep. Jamie Long introducing HF 3477 in the House Judiciary Committee
Earlier this month, we were grateful to attend the 2026 Minnesota Justice For All Coalition's Legislative Preview, organized by the Minnesota Justice Research Center. It was meaningful to gather with so many Minnesota partners and to hear from lawmakers including Rep. Kelly Moller (DFL), with whom we’ve been fortunate to collaborate with on legislation over the years.
We valued the opportunity to connect with fellow advocates as we continue leading multi-year efforts to advance drug-free school zone reform and to establish a clear, fair process for reviewing certain permanent background study disqualifications.
The event was both energizing and encouraging—bringing together dedicated reform leaders and reinforcing that key state lawmakers remain firmly committed to advancing meaningful criminal justice policy change.
Ari Edelman McHenry (Impact Minnesota), Chas Anderson (Park Street Public, JAN's lobbyist), Estrella López (JAN), Sonja Mydels (Park Street Public, JAN's lobbyist)
Incredibly, New Mexico’s 30-day fiscal session has already come to a close. Every other year, New Mexico has a legislative session limited to fiscal issues and any policy matters for which the governor has put out a “call,” which this year included public safety.
In our conversations with lawmakers on the ground and throughout session, we cautioned against regressive policies that make communities less safe in the long term.
Following our outreach, we’re pleased that the legislature did not pass some of the bills that we were most concerned about this session, including those that would result in more children being prosecuted as adults, regressive bail reform, and increasing punitive consequences for merely possessing drugs.
At the same time, we’re encouraged by the passage of a number of bills that seek to bring stakeholders and experts together to study some of the state’s public safety and behavioral challenges. These include:
1. The creation of a task force to develop a ten-year modernization and funding plan for New Mexico’s criminal justice system (HM 13)
2. Require the convening of a statewide youth violence summit and develop a comprehensive, community-based violence prevention strategy (SM 20), and
3. Require a study of the feasibility of creating overdose prevention centers (SM 21).
Session kicked off in early February in Oklahoma, and we already have one significant win for the year: Governor Stitt signed an Executive Order requiring law enforcement in the state track and report data on how they use civil asset forfeiture.
JAN’s Lauren Krisai spoke to news outlets on the significance of the EO and on our advocacy on this issue in Oklahoma and nationwide.
All but one of our supported bills this year are moving through the committee process right now. Below are updates on all of the bills JAN is supporting in Oklahoma this year:
1. Ending cost arrest warrant for unpaid fines and fees: House Bill 3321, sponsored by Rep. Mike Osburn (R), ends the practice of issuing cost arrest warrants for people who have fallen behind on paying their court fines and fees or who fail to appear at a cost hearing, situations that are not criminal offenses. The bill is a work in progress and has passed its first committee stop unanimously.
2. Ending driver’s license suspensions for unpaid court debt: House Bill 4114, sponsored by Rep. Tammy West (R), is being held for the year to pursue a more robust interim hearing strategy to gather data and build support for the bill among all relevant stakeholders.
3. Requiring remaining court debt be waived following consistent payments: Senate Bill 1450, sponsored by Sen. Julie Daniels (R), requires courts waive remaining court debt for defendants who have paid consistently for 24 months. The bill passed its first committee stop unanimously.
4. Further fee elimination: House Bill 4112, sponsored by Rep. Tammy West (R), builds upon her effort with House Bill 1460 (2025), which eliminated six burdensome fees in the criminal justice system. The Fines and Fees Justice Center is leading the coalition of advocacy groups supporting this bill, of which JAN is happy to be a part of. The bill passed its first committee stop unanimously.
5. Clean Slate implementation: Senate Bill 2030, sponsored by Sen. Adam Pugh (R), is a Clean Slate implementation bill that JAN is working in a coalition of advocacy groups such as Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, Right on Crime, and the national Clean Slate Initiative to support the bill. The bill is a work in progress and has passed its first committee stop unanimously.
IN OTHER NEWS
Lauren Krisai at the NBA All-Star game in Los Angeles with Mannone Butler and justice advocates from Jobs for the Future and the NYU Policing Project
This month, JAN was invited to the National Basketball Association All-Star Game by the NBA Social Justice Coalition. It was an incredible opportunity to be in the building with some of basketball’s greatest legends while also connecting with leaders across the criminal justice, technology, and workforce sectors.
Thank you to Mannone Butler and the NBA Social Justice Coalition team for the opportunity to connect and have meaningful conversations with others who are working to advance justice and create lasting impact in their communities.
We’ll continue to share major updates on our JAN priority bills throughout the state legislative sessions. As always, please consider making a donation to support our advocacy efforts – every dollar makes us more effective.
