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The Arizona Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (AZ-AI-Workforce)

Arizona state companion to AI Workforce. Builds on A.R.S. Title 10 (Corporations), A.R.S. Title 43 tax credits, Arizona Commerce Authority / Quality Jobs, and Arizona Innovation Challenge.

THE ARIZONA PRO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP & AI WORKFORCE ACT (AZ-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. Arizona Legislature, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Commerce / Finance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Arizona Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (AZ-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The Legislature finds that A.R.S. Title 10 governs corporations; that A.R.S. Title 43 contains income-tax credits, including the Quality Jobs Tax Credit under A.R.S. Sec. 41-1525; that the Arizona Commerce Authority operates under A.R.S. Title 41 Ch. 10; that Arizona operates the Arizona Innovation Challenge and the Arizona Computer Science Initiative; and that A.R.S. Sec. 41-5601 established the Arizona Regulatory Sandbox for financial-product innovation. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH ARIZONA LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Qualified Arizona AI Workforce Training” means training toward an AZRMC or Federal FRAC in AI fields.
  2. (b) “Arizona Innovation Sandbox” means a regulatory sandbox under Title III.
  3. (c) “Qualified small business” has the meaning given in A.R.S. Title 10.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Arizona Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • A.R.S. Title 10 (corporations).
  • A.R.S. Title 43 (income tax).
  • A.R.S. Sec. 41-1525 (Quality Jobs Tax Credit).
  • A.R.S. Title 41 Ch. 10 (Arizona Commerce Authority).
  • A.R.S. Sec. 41-5601 et seq. (Regulatory Sandbox).

TITLE II — ARIZONA AI WORKFORCE TRAINING CREDIT

Sec. 201. Income-Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to A.R.S. Title 43 for qualified AI workforce training expenditures.
  2. (b) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45BB; aggregate cap.
  3. (c) Credit equals 30% of eligible expenditures capped at $3,000 per employee / $150,000 per employer annually.
  4. (d) Arizona Department of Revenue administers.

Sec. 202. Coordination with ACA

  1. (a) The Arizona Commerce Authority shall publish a list of qualifying AZRMC and Federal FRAC pathways.

TITLE III — ARIZONA INNOVATION SANDBOX

Sec. 301. Expansion of the Regulatory Sandbox

  1. (a) A.R.S. Sec. 41-5601 et seq. is expanded to cover occupational-licensure activities under A.R.S. Title 32 in addition to financial-product innovation.
  2. (b) Twenty-four-month terms; renewable.

Sec. 302. Scope

  1. (a) Covers state-licensed activities in occupational-licensure boards under A.R.S. Title 32 and financial activities under A.R.S. Title 6 and Title 44, to the extent not preempted.

TITLE IV — SMALL-BUSINESS FORMATION

Sec. 401. Expedited Formation Pathway

  1. (a) The Arizona Corporation Commission shall implement an expedited formation pathway for A.R.S. Title 10 entities within 24 hours.

Sec. 402. Single-Portal Licensing

  1. (a) Business.az.gov shall operate a single-portal licensing system for state-level occupational licenses under A.R.S. Title 32.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect the general effective date following the legislative session, except that Sec. 201 shall apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce. Other Arizona bills: AZ-ACSA, AZ-MEWRA, AZ-GT&P.