2026-09-10 · Arizona · Legislation

Arizona added two categories to the list of flags a community association may not prohibit — in two separate acts that amend the same two statutes without either acknowledging the other. Both take effect September 12, 2026.

SB 1184 became Chapter 154, Laws 2026, signed June 19. SB 1808 became Chapter 243, signed June 22.¹² Each amends A.R.S. § 33-1261 for condominiums and A.R.S. § 33-1808 for planned communities.

What the list already contained

Section 33-1261(A) currently bars an association from prohibiting the outdoor display of eight categories: the American flag or an official or replica flag of the uniformed services of the United States, displayed consistently with the federal flag code; the POW/MIA flag; the Arizona state flag; an Arizona Indian nations flag; the Gadsden flag; a first responder flag; a blue star or gold star service flag; and any historic version of the American flag, including the Betsy Ross flag.³

SB 1184: division flags

SB 1184 does not add a paragraph. It expands the first one, so that it protects the American flag or a uniformed services flag —

including a division flag of the army, navy, marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force or Coast Guard

— which allows a resident to fly the standard of a particular division rather than only the service's own flag. Space Force appears in the enumeration.

SB 1184 also deletes a duplicated subsection, and the duplication is real: § 33-1261 as it stands today carries the identical sentence twice, as subsection J and again as subsection L. Both read that an association or managing agent that violates subsection C forfeits and extinguishes its lien rights under § 33-1256 against that unit for six consecutive months.

Some secondary write-ups describe that deletion as repealing the lien-forfeiture penalty. It does not; one of two identical copies is removed and the penalty survives. Note also what the penalty attaches to: subsection C, the for sale, for rent and for lease sign provision — not the flag list in subsection A.

SB 1808: a ninth category, identified by a founding date

SB 1808 adds a new paragraph 9 to the same subsection:

A flag from a nation that is allied with the United States as a major non-NATO ally and that was established on May 14, 1948.

The enacted text names no country. May 14, 1948 is the date of the establishment of the State of Israel, and Israel holds major non-NATO ally status; the drafting identifies the flag by criteria rather than by name.

1. SB 1184, Chapter 154, Laws 2026 — enacted session law text (approved June 19, 2026) ↩
2. SB 1808, Chapter 243, Laws 2026 — enacted session law text (approved June 22, 2026) ↩
3. A.R.S. § 33-1261, Flag display; signs; political activities — condominiums (text in force before September 12, 2026) ↩
4. A.R.S. § 33-1808, Flag display; signs; political activities — planned communities ↩
5. A.R.S. § 41-1304.03, Legislative Council; blending of amendments ↩