AZ HB2650

Amends Arizona Revised Statutes section 11-352 regarding county employee merit systems and exemptions for administrative positions.

For counties with populations under 2 million, elected officers may request that the board remove certain administrative positions from the merit system by resolution; for counties over 2 million, the board has discretionary authority to approve such removals.

Positions eligible for removal from the merit system include county managers, deputy managers, assistant managers, chief deputies, department directors, deputy directors (up to 3 per department), and one additional position per department.

Increases the maximum number of administrative positions that can be declared exempt from the merit system from 10 percent to 25 percent of total county appointive officers and employees.

Employees already covered by the merit system when assuming their current position may elect to remain in the merit system even if their position becomes exempt, and must be offered another qualified vacant position within the merit system if terminated.