Last week, Governor Ducey signed HB2447 which eliminates the requirement for new businesses in Maricopa and Pima Counties to purchase advertisements in newspapers to publish their articles of incorporation.
This bill has been tried for the last 15 years without success due to the fact that some conservative lawmakers were gullible and believed that if they supported the newspapers, the newspapers would support them, while liberal lawmakers were merely supporting the newspapers that provide cover for them on a regular basis.
This year the Arizona Free Enterprise Club took the lead in fighting for its passage. Despite the newspaper industry hiring an army of lobbyists to protect their corporate welfare, good public policy ultimately prevailed over entrenched special interests.
The Club’s President, Scot Mussi celebrated the victory, “HB 2447 was a win for Arizona businesses. This is one less cost and impediment to small businesses starting and growing in our state. We appreciate the members of the legislature and Governor Ducey for supporting the bill.”
Arizona joins 46 other states in abolishing this archaic requirement of new businesses. Formation documents instead, will continue to be filed and published on the Arizona Corporation Commission’s website, accessible at no cost to the public and no additional cost to the businesses.
| Member Name | Vote | Member Name | Vote | Member Name | Vote |
| Sylvia Allen | Y | Nancy Barto | Y | Carlyle Begay | Y |
| David Bradley | N | Judy Burges | Y | Olivia Cajero Bedford | N |
| Lupe Contreras | N | Andrea Dalessandro | N | Jeff Dial | Y |
| Susan Donahue | Y | Adam Driggs | Y | Steve Farley | N |
| David C. Farnsworth | Y | Gail Griffin | N | Katie Hobbs | N |
| John Kavanagh | Y | Debbie Lesko | Y | Barbara McGuire | N |
| Robert Meza | N | Catherine Miranda | N | Lynne Pancrazi | N |
| Steve Pierce | N | Martin Quezada | NV | Andrew C. Sherwood | Y |
| Don Shooter | Y | Steve Smith | Y | Bob Worsley | Y |
| Steve Yarbrough | Y | Kimberly Yee | N | Andy Biggs | Y |