HB2970

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 authorize a county with a population of fewer than 250,000 persons according to the 2020 US Census to meet any county fiscal obligation from any source of county revenue in FY 2026, including monies of countywide special taxing jurisdictions for which the Board of Supervisors serve as the board of directors, clarify that a county with a population of fewer than 250,000 persons cannot use more than $1,250,000 for purposes other than the purposes of the revenue source, and instruct each county with a population of fewer than 250,000 persons, by October 1, 2025, to report to the director of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee: a) Whether the county used a revenue source for purposes other than the purposes of the revenue source to meet a county fiscal obligation; and b) If so, the specific revenue source and amount of revenues the county intends to use in FY.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to give Arizonans and public officials a defined option for local government under state law. It would authorize a county with a population of fewer than 250,000 persons according to the 2020 US Census to meet any county fiscal obligation from any source of county revenue in FY 2026, including monies of countywide special taxing jurisdictions for which the Board of Supervisors serve as the board of directors, and would also clarify that a county with a population of fewer than 250,000 persons cannot use more than $1,250,000 for purposes other than the purposes of the revenue source, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.