State Senator Wendy Rogers has introduced a set of bills to make bitcoin legal tender in Arizona and allow state agencies to accept bitcoin.

The proposed legislation aims to recognize bitcoin as a legal form of currency in Arizona, allowing it to be used to pay for debts, taxes, and other financial obligations. This would mean that all transactions that are currently done in U.S. dollars could potentially be done with bitcoin, and individuals and businesses would have the option to use bitcoin as they see fit.

The Republican senator has also introduced a bill that would amend the current list of acceptable legal tender in the state, and add prominent crypto to the list.

The bill is titled SB 1235 and is seeking to enact a Chapter 9 amendment on the list of legal tender the state accepts. The legislation also lists off what qualifies as legal tender within the state, and it adds Bitcoin to that list.

Specifically mentioning bitcoin alone, the legal tender bill defines bitcoin as, “the decentralized, peer-to-peer digital currency in which a record of transactions is maintained on the Bitcoin blockchain and new units of currency are generated by the computational solution of mathematical problems and that operates independently of a central bank.”

Additionally, Senator Rogers has introduced a bill titled SB 1239, which would allow the payment of various civil duties to be paid in crypto. The bill specifically allows state agencies the chance to enter into agreements with cryptocurrency issuers. Thus, developing a pathway for crypto to become an acceptable method of payment. Specifically, listing Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin cash as acceptable cryptocurrency issuers.

This development follows a similar action taken by Rogers a year ago. Then, the Republican senator enacted a similar amendment, SB 1341, to fulfill the same purpose. Conversely, the United States Constitution Article 1, Section 10, prohibits the creation or issuance of legal tender on the state level. Thus, it is not likely for Rogers’ bill to pass through the Arizona State senate and house.

Although it may appear there are slim chances of the bill passing this time, recent actions in states like Texas, New Hampshire, Missouri, and Mississippi all indicate increasing U.S. state interest in bitcoin and its benefits.