HB4144

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 the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to use up to $6,531,000 from the USTR Fund in FY 2027 for ADEQ administrative costs and to remediate sewage discharge issues in Naco and other border areas of Arizona. Arizona Navigable Stream Adjudication Commission (Commission) (Session Law), allow monies appropriated to the Commission from the Arizona Water Banking Fund to be used to pay legal fees in FY, and arizona Water Protection Fund (AWPF) (Session Law).

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 authorize the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to use up to $6,531,000 from the USTR Fund in FY 2027 for ADEQ administrative costs and to remediate sewage discharge issues in Naco and other border areas of Arizona. Arizona Navigable Stream Adjudication Commission (Commission) (Session Law), and would also allow monies appropriated to the Commission from the Arizona Water Banking Fund to be used to pay legal fees in FY, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.