HB2967

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 as session law for FY 2026, continues to allow each dollar raised by the surcharge on student registration fees assessed pursuant to the Arizona Financial Aid Trust Fund to be matched by less than $2 appropriated by the Legislature and as session law for FY 2026, continues to declare science, technology, engineering and mathematics and workforce programs state aid and operating state aid for community college districts are as specified in the General Appropriations Act.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to put public resources toward the named state purpose through an accountable appropriation. It would as session law for FY 2026, continues to allow each dollar raised by the surcharge on student registration fees assessed pursuant to the Arizona Financial Aid Trust Fund to be matched by less than $2 appropriated by the Legislature, and would also as session law for FY 2026, continues to declare science, technology, engineering and mathematics and workforce programs state aid and operating state aid for community college districts are as specified in the General Appropriations Act, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.