Bill Commons
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-REFERENCE TITLE: employment; rural fire districts; exception
+ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
-State of Arizona
+57th
+ Legislature, 2nd Regular Session
-House of Representatives
+Majority Research Staff
-Fifty-seventh Legislature
+HB
+2349: employment; rural fire districts; exception
-Second Regular Session
+Sponsor:
+Representative Diaz, LD 19
-2026
+Committee
+on Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs
-HB 2349
+Overview
-Introduced by
+Exempts
+certain rural fire districts from being subject to workers compensation
+requirements.
-Representatives
- Diaz: Gillette, Heap
+History
-AN
-ACT
+Article XVIII,
+section 8 of the Arizona Constitution requires the Legislature enact a workmen's
+compensation law applicable to workmen engaged in manual or mechanical labor in
+all public employment and in such private employments as the legislature
+may prescribe by which compensation shall be required to be paid to any such
+workman.
-amending section 23-902, arizona
-revised statutes; relating to workers' compensation.
+Title 23,
+chapter 6 of the Arizona Revised Statutes prescribes the scope
+of worker's compensation, its administration, required procedures, a worker's
+right to compensation, and entities subject to compliance with the regulations
+of worker's compensation. Current law lists employers subject to compliance and
+exempts domestic servants (A.R.S. � 23-902).
-(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
+Provisions
-Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
+1.
+Exempts
+rural fire districts, in a county with less than one million persons, from being
+required to comply with workers compensation statute(s). (Sec. 1)
-Section 1. Section 23-902, Arizona Revised
-Statutes, is amended to read:
+2.
+Makes
+technical changes. (Sec. 1)
-START_STATUTE23-902. Employers subject to chapter; exceptions
+3.
-A. Employers subject to this chapter are the this state, each county, city, town,
-municipal corporation and school district and every person who employs any
-workers or operatives regularly employed in the same business or establishment
-under contract of hire, including covered employees pursuant to a professional
-employer agreement, except domestic servants and rural fire
-districts that are located in a county with a population of less than one
-million persons. Exempted employers of domestic servants may come
-under this chapter by complying with its provisions and the rules of the
-commission. For the purposes of this subsection, "regularly
-employed" includes all employments, whether continuous throughout the year,  or for only a portion of the year, in the usual trade,
-business, profession or occupation of an employer.
+4.
-B. When an employer procures work to be done for the
-employer by a contractor over whose work the employer retains supervision or
-control,  and the work is a part or process in the
-trade or business of the employer, then the contractors
-and the contractor's employees,  and any
-subcontractor and the subcontractor's employees, are,
-within the meaning of this section, are employees of the
-original employer.� For the purposes of this subsection, "part or process
-in the trade or business of the employer" means a particular work activity
-that in the context of an ongoing and integral business process is regular,
-ordinary or routine in the operation of the business or is routinely done
-through the business' business's own
-employees.
+5.   ---------- DOCUMENT
+FOOTER ---------
-C. A person engaged in work for a business, and who
-while so engaged is independent of that business in the execution of the work
-and not subject to the rule or control of the business for which the work is
-done, but is engaged only in the performance of a definite job or piece of
-work, and is subordinate to that business only in effecting a result in
-accordance with that business design, is an independent contractor.
+6.   Initials CW��������������������� HB
+2349
-D. A business that uses the services of an
-independent contractor and the independent contractor may prove the existence
-of an independent contractor relationship by executing a written agreement that
-complies with this subsection. The written agreement shall evidence
-that the business does not have the authority to supervise or control the
-actual work of the independent contractor or the independent contractor's
-employees. A written agreement executed in compliance with this
-subsection creates a rebuttable presumption of an independent contractor
-relationship between the parties if the written agreement contains a disclosure
-statement that the independent contractor is not entitled to workers'
-compensation benefits from the business. Unless the rebuttable
-presumption is overcome, no premium may be collected by the carrier on payments
-by the business to the independent contractor if a fully completed written
-agreement that satisfies the requirements of this subsection is submitted to
-the carrier.� The written agreement shall be dated and contain the signatures
-of both parties and, unless otherwise provided by law, shall state that the
-business:
+7.   2/13/2026� Page 0 Land,
+Agriculture & Rural Affairs
-1. Does not require the independent contractor to
-perform work exclusively for the business. This paragraph shall is not be construed as
-conclusive evidence that an individual who performs services primarily or
-exclusively for another person is an employee of that person.
+8.
-2. Does not provide the independent contractor with
-any business registrations or licenses required to perform the specific
-services set forth in the contract.
-
-3. Does not pay the independent contractor a salary
-or hourly rate instead of an amount fixed by contract.
-
-4. Will not terminate the independent contractor
-before the expiration of the contract period,  unless
-the independent contractor breaches the contract or violates the laws of this
-state.
-
-5. Does not provide tools to the independent
-contractor.
-
-6. Does not dictate the time of performance.
-
-7. Pays the independent contractor in the name
-appearing on the written agreement.
-
-8. Will not combine business operations with the person
-performing the services rather than maintaining these operations separately.
-
-E. A business that uses the services of a sole
-proprietor who has waived the sole proprietor's rights to workers' compensation
-coverage and benefits pursuant to section 23-961, subsection N is not
-liable for workers' compensation coverage or the payment of premiums for the
-sole proprietor.
-
-F. The written agreement executed in compliance with
-subsection D of this section shall be null and void and create no presumption
-of an independent contractor relationship if the consent of either party is
-either:
-
-1. Obtained through misrepresentation, false
-statements, fraud or intimidation.
-
-2. Obtained through coercion or duress.
-
-G. If any agreement is found to be null and void
-under subsection F of this section the insurance carrier is entitled to collect
-a premium. END_STATUTE
+9.   ---------- DOCUMENT
+FOOTER ---------

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