HB2960

THE CONTEXT: The Arizona Legislature adopts a budget for each fiscal year (FY) that contains general appropriations. Article IV, Section 20, Part 2 of the Constitution of Arizona requires the General Appropriations Act (feed bill) to contain only appropriations for the different state departments, state institutions, public schools and interest on public debt.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would instruct the Director of the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) to consult with and accommodate the policies of the budget units of the Legislative Branch in implementing ADOA's personnel and financial management system and applications, state that unrestricted federal monies received by this state beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, must be deposited in the state General Fund and used to pay essential government services, and specifies the Legislature is not required to appropriate or transfer monies from the Budget Stabilization Fund for FY 2026, FY 2027 and FY.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to turn the Legislature's standard for state budget implementation into an enforceable rule. It would instruct the Director of the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) to consult with and accommodate the policies of the budget units of the Legislative Branch in implementing ADOA's personnel and financial management system and applications, and would also state that unrestricted federal monies received by this state beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, must be deposited in the state General Fund and used to pay essential government services, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.