Staff Open Meeting - January 21, 2026

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Arizona Corporation Commission 14 min 3 agenda items transcribed 3 days ago official recording ↗

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Who are the commissioners and staff present at the opening of the meeting?

Kevin Myers 0:00

All right, good afternoon everybody. So it looks like we've got Commissioner Lopez online, Commissioner Marcus Peterson is showing. I do not see Commissioner Thompson, but I'm sure he'll be here soon if he's coming. So thank you all for joining us today. This is hopefully going to be a fairly short meeting. Let's see. So today's staff meeting is primarily to discuss, consider, and possibly vote on bills that were introduced at the legislature. As we move through this legislative session, I'd like to have regular staff meetings to discuss the bills, but I want to have the meetings primarily focus on bills that we're ready to take some kind of action on, whether it be for signing in for the bill, against the bill, or even directing the Dementas to go have an outreach to the sponsor or something.

Kevin Myers 1:06

I'm not necessarily looking to have massively long conversations in this particular meeting. And what that means is that I'm kind of expecting each of the offices to do their own outreach and do their own due diligence and talk to the Dementas and talk to staffs, talk to legal. And then we'll make... have the meeting to have any votes if we choose. And because it's early in the process, we're all probably still doing most of our research. I know I am on these bills. And I doubt there's going to be any bills that we need to take any action on today. I already know that I need to follow up with the Domenas, the Office of General Counsel. ACC staff, so yeah, everybody basically. That being said, I would like to hand it over to Ryan Domenna to kind of give us his opening comments and thoughts about the session, whatever he needs to let us know today.

Kevin Myers 2:14

Still not hearing, seeing your lips move, but no audio.

Kevin Myers 2:24

No, sorry. You're not muted as far as I can tell.

Marcus-Peterson 2:29

And Chairman Myers, this is Leah. Hey,

Kevin Myers 2:32

yes.

Marcus-Peterson 2:34

Yes, just a quick process question. I noticed we're still doing our research also, certainly. So I totally support your process. But wanted to ask, are our division directors aware of the bills that might impact them? Or can we add a way in which they're looped in? Because oftentimes, we're gonna have to rely on their interpretation. I think of some of these legislative

Kevin Myers 2:53

Yeah, I mean, everybody's going to be looped in, obviously. But I think the point that I was trying to make was, you know, if you have concerns you want to bring up to them, you know, go talk to them and we'll all kind of do the same thing. And they will, you know, they will disseminate the same information to all of us separately. If there is a reason to have them on the agenda to say something publicly, then we can discuss that. But, you know, the fundamental groundwork would all be on our own.

Marcus-Peterson 3:23

Okay, sounds good.

3:23

Thank

Kevin Myers 3:24

Mr. Domenna.

Ryan Domenna 3:26

Mr. Chairman, can you hear me now?

Kevin Myers 3:28

We can. Thank you.

Ryan Domenna 3:29

Okay. I think I had some competing Bluetooth devices. So, Mr. Chairman, Madam Vice Chair and Commissioners, Ryan Domenna, Domenna Public Affairs, we work for you. As you all know, session began last Monday, January 12th. Today is the 10th day of the 2026 legislative session. Opening week of the legislative session always kicks off with the governor's state of the state address. That's the Monday of opening week. Sort of bookended by Friday of opening week, the governor releases her executive budget proposal for the coming fiscal year, and the joint legislative budget committee releases its baseline. And I want to note that the baseline is not actually a budget proposal. It's an estimate of available resources after accounting for statutory spending requirements.

Ryan Domenna 4:33

So it's worth noting that we are on track for an historic number of bills to be introduced. To put that into context very quickly, last session in total, lawmakers introduced 1,724 bills and 130 memorials and resolutions. As of about 90 seconds ago, lawmakers have introduced 1,213 bills along with 79 memorials and resolutions. So Mr. Chairman, to your point earlier, I know everybody is still sifting through bills, still doing their research, trying to figure out what may require commission engagement.