Tucson, Ariz.- This week, Governor Katie Hobbs signed HB 2742 into law, allowing prosecutors across Arizona to charge a felony endangerment for those who assault the operator of major transport vehicles, including buses, trains, and airport equipment.
“In late 2022, I was at the El Pueblo Neighborhood Center alongside the Tucson Police Department, Division 1, listening to neighborhood concerns. At that meeting, a large group of Tucson bus drivers and their union leadership approached me with cases of physical assault on a bus driver. Luckily, most of these handful of assaults had only resulted in minor injury, but the danger to the passengers, the driver, and the public out on the streets surrounding the bus was profound. The idea for legislation was born,” said Pima County Attorney Laura Conover.
After consulting further with drivers, the union, law enforcement, and internal prosecutors with criminal charging expertise, Conover helped draft the original text for what would become HB 2742.
Conover wishes to thank her fellow colleagues on the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys Advisory Council (APAAC) who answered her call for support and helped to lobby for passage of the bill at the State legislature.
“Thank you to APAAC, to those who chose to sponsor and support the bill, and to Governor Hobbs for signing this safety measure into law. Each step we take to make our streets safer is a step forward for the community.”
Pima County Attorney’s Office
Link to the bill
The Pima County Attorney’s Office is committed to restorative justice, transparency, and accountability as the focus of a mission that also seeks alternatives to incarceration when appropriate, provides support for victims, and strives to be inclusive and equitable to all segments of the communities we serve in the pursuit of public safety and wellbeing.
Media Contact: Shawndrea Thomas
Director of Communications
Pima County Attorney’s Office
(520) 724-5738 (Office)
(520) 310-4720 (Mobile)
Shawndrea.Thomas@pcao.pima.gov