This bill establishes a new state fund to help Arizona communities pay for the upfront costs of applying for federal transportation grants. It directly affects local governments and organizations in counties and cities of all sizes by providing money for grant applications, engineering design, and matching funds. The program allocates money equally among five categories based on population size, with specific rules to exclude the largest urban areas from certain funding pools. Applicants must first get approval from local planning groups before receiving funds, and they must repay the money if they fail to secure the federal grant or receive duplicate funding elsewhere. Additionally, the bill repeals an existing statute regarding highway revenue distribution to make room for this new funding mechanism.
SB 1848 updates Arizona's regulations for boxing, fantasy sports, and liquor licensing for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. For boxing promoters, the bill requires a 4% tax on gross ticket receipts and mandates financial audits by certified public accountants to verify revenue. It also clarifies that license fees and withheld payments from sham contests go into a specific state fund. Additionally, the law establishes a new fee for fantasy sports operators, capped at 10% of their adjusted monthly revenues. Finally, the bill modifies rules for liquor license funds and clarifies the expiration dates for combatant medical examinations.
SB 1859 outlines the powers and duties of the Arizona state department for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, focusing on improving information technology management across state agencies. The bill requires agencies to adopt statewide technical standards, submit annual technology plans, and undergo strict review for projects costing between $25,000 and $1 million, with larger projects needing independent third-party reviews. It also grants the department authority to temporarily suspend funding for at-risk projects and mandates the use of unrestricted federal monies for essential government services starting in July 2026.
This bill establishes the 2026-2027 budget for Arizona's Department of Corrections, allocating approximately $1.6 billion to fund state prisons, private prisons, and correctional programs. It mandates that the department submit detailed monthly and annual reports to the legislature regarding spending, staffing levels, bed capacity, and inmate healthcare performance. The legislation also requires that any plans to open or close one hundred or more prison beds be reviewed by the joint legislative budget committee before implementation. Additionally, it sets specific rules for how funds from various correctional funds must be used and transferred to support the department's operations and retirement contributions.
HB 4165 updates Arizona's education funding distribution rules for the 2026-2027 fiscal year and establishes a fee system to modernize the state's tax collection technology. The bill directs specific amounts of state revenue to schools, universities, community colleges, and tribal colleges for purposes such as basic aid, technology research, workforce development, and school safety. Additionally, it requires local governments and regional transportation authorities to pay fees to the Department of Revenue to cover the costs of upgrading the integrated tax system. If local entities fail to pay these fees by the deadline, the state will withhold future revenue distributions until the debt is satisfied.
This bill allows Arizona counties with fewer than 250,000 residents to use money from specific local taxes for general county expenses in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. Under this rule, a county can use up to $1.25 million from any designated revenue source for purposes other than what that source was originally intended for. To ensure transparency, the law requires these smaller counties to submit a report to the state budget committee by October 1, 2026, detailing how they plan to use these funds. The measure applies only to counties based on their 2020 population counts and does not affect larger jurisdictions.
This bill amends Arizona statutes to increase fees and assessments related to traffic violations and court fines. It requires a $9 surcharge on all court-authorized diversion programs, such as defensive driving schools, and adds a $4 penalty assessment to every civil or criminal traffic fine. Additionally, the legislation strengthens the court's ability to address nonpayment by allowing judges to issue arrest warrants or order jail time for willful failure to pay fines, fees, or restitution. The bill also mandates annual reporting on the collection rates of these monetary obligations to state officials.
This bill allows Arizona counties with fewer than 250,000 residents to use up to $1.25 million from any designated revenue source to cover general county expenses in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. It specifically permits these counties to utilize funds from countywide special taxing jurisdictions, provided the money is not used for purposes other than what the original revenue source was intended for. Counties must submit a report to the joint legislative budget committee by October 1, 2026, detailing whether they exercised this authority and specifying the revenue sources and amounts used. The legislation applies only to smaller counties and sets a strict limit on the amount of flexible funding available for that specific fiscal year.
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Local Government
SB 1858 outlines how specific state tax revenues collected in Arizona will be distributed for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The bill directs these funds to various education-related accounts, including basic state aid for schools, technology and research grants for universities, workforce development programs for community colleges, and support for tribal-operated colleges. Additionally, it allocates money for school safety initiatives, failing school tutoring, and reimbursement for income tax credits. The legislation also establishes fees for local governments to help cover the costs of modernizing the state's integrated tax system.
This bill sets specific rental rates for state-owned buildings in Arizona for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, establishing a charge of $17.87 per square foot for office space and $6.43 per square foot for storage space. Additionally, it requires the Department of Administration to submit a detailed report within ten days of selling any state property located in the governmental mall, listing the address, square footage, sale price, and the fund receiving the proceeds. The legislation directly affects the state's management of its real estate assets and the legislative leadership who receive the required sales reports.
