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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
study committee; county boundaries; appropriations
Purpose
Establishes the Joint Study Committee on County Boundaries (Study Committee) to research and report on the fiscal and related impacts of a change in the boundary between Apache County and Navajo County. Appropriates ______ from the _____ Fund in FY 2022 to the Study Committee to commission a land survey to determine the metes and bounds of a new Sitgreaves County.
Background
Interim committees operate between legislative sessions and may be created by legislation or by the President of the Senate (President) or Speaker of the House of Representatives (Speaker), or both (Legislative Manual).
Statute outlines the boundaries and county seat for each of Arizona's 15 counties. Apache County and Navajo County are located in the Northeast corner of the state and share a common boundary (A.R.S. Title 11, Chapter 1, Article 1). Arizona counties may be formed or divided by legislative enactment, statewide initiative or county initiative (A.R.S. § 11-132).
S.B. 1653 appropriates _____ from the ______ Fund in FY 2022 to the Study Committee.
Provisions
1. Establishes the 13-member Study Committee, which includes:
a) 3 members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker;
b) 3 members of the Senate, appointed by the President;
c) 6 public members, 3 appointed by the Speaker and 3 appointed by the President, who are knowledgeable about county boundaries and fiscal and other problems that exist or may exist in the future as a result of county boundary changes; and
d) 1 member who is appointed by the Governor.
2. Prohibits more than 2 of the 3 Study Committee members from the House of Representatives or Senate from being of the same political party.
3. Requires the Study Committee to research and report on the fiscal and related impacts of a change in the county boundary line between Apache County and Navajo County to create a new Sitgreaves County.
4. Requires the Study Committee to commission a land survey to determine possible metes and bounds of the new Sitgreaves County.
5. Allows the Study Committee to use the services of legislative staff to provide necessary administrative and operational services.
6. Requires any state agency or political subdivision, on request of the Study Committee, to provide the Study Committee with its services, equipment, documents, personnel and facilities to the extent possible without cost to the Study Committee.
7. Requires the Study Committee to elect a chairperson of the Study Committee and meet at any place deemed necessary or convenient by the chairperson.
8. Specifies that a majority of Study Committee members constitutes a quorum.
9. Requires the Study Committee, by June 30, 2022, to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, President and Speaker, and provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.
10. Appropriates_____ from the ______Fund in FY 2022 to the Study Committee to commission a land survey to determine the metes and bounds of a new Sitgreaves County.
11. Repeals the Study Committee on October 1, 2023.
12. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 18, 2021
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