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HB 2276

technical correction; obstructing governmental operations

57th Legislature - Second Regular Session Introduced by Rachel Keshel

Clarifies and tightens language in obstructing governmental operations statute without changing penalties, preserving a Class 1 misdemeanor.

House First Reading.
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2276

Overview

HB 2276 (Arizona, 57th-2nd-regular session) seeks a technical correction to the statute governing obstructing governmental operations. The bill clarifies wording in the existing statute but does not appear to alter the substantive punishment or core elements of the offense beyond clarifying terms.

Main purpose and intent

  • To refine the language of Section 13-2402 in the Arizona Revised Statutes to improve clarity regarding what constitutes obstructing governmental operations.
  • The reform appears aimed at correcting typographical or phrasing issues to ensure consistent application by public officials and the courts.

Key provisions and changes

  • Section 13-2402, Obstructing governmental operations, is amended.
  • Provisions detail that a person commits this misdemeanor by using or threatening violence or physical force to knowingly obstruct, impair, or hinder:
    • (A)(1) the performance of a governmental function by a public servant acting under color of the public servant’s official authority; or
    • (A)(2) the enforcement of the penal law or the preservation of the peace by a peace officer acting under color of the officer’s official authority.
  • The bill clarifies exclusions:
    • (B) The offense does not apply to hindrance related to making an arrest.
  • Classification:
    • (C) Obstructing governmental operations remains a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Who/what is affected

  • Individuals who knowingly obstruct, impair, or hinder governmental functions or law enforcement actions, through violence or threats of violence or physical force.
  • Public servants and peace officers acting within their official authority are the operable actors described in the statute for the purposes of defining the offense.
  • The provision expressly excludes hindrance related to the actual making of an arrest.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The action history indicates the bill received its first reading in the House on June 13, 2026.
  • No other procedural steps, deadlines, or timeline specifics are provided in the available text excerpt.
  • As a technical correction, the bill may proceed through standard committee review, potential amendments, and floor votes, consistent with the normal legislative process for the session.

Practical implications and impacts

  • Clarified terminology may reduce ambiguity in how obstructing governmental operations is charged and prosecuted.
  • By preserving the Class 1 misdemeanor classification, the bill maintains the current level of punishment while potentially reducing interpretive disputes.
  • The explicit exclusion for hindrance of an arrest could limit prosecutions in that narrow situation, aligning with common prosecutorial practice to avoid duplicative or inappropriate charges.

If you would like, I can compare the precise revised language to the prior statute to highlight exact phrasing changes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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