 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
ENACTED
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR s.b. 1725/ H.B. 2815
environment; 2023-2024.
Purpose
Makes statutory and session law changes relating to the environment necessary to implement the FY 2024 state budget.
Background
The Arizona Constitution prohibits substantive law from being included in the general appropriations, capital outlay appropriations and supplemental appropriations bills. However, it is often necessary to make statutory and session law changes to effectuate the budget. Thus, separate bills called budget reconciliation bills (BRBs) are introduced to enact these provisions. Because BRBs contain substantive law changes, the Arizona Constitution provides that they become effective on the general effective date, unless an emergency clause is enacted.
S.B. 1725 contains the budget reconciliation provisions for changes relating to the environment.
Provisions
Hazard Mitigation Revolving Fund (HMRF)
1. Establishes the HMRF, administered by the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs and consisting of monies appropriated by the Legislature and monies received from the federal government.
2. Allows HMRF monies to be used in FYs 2024 through 2028 in accordance with the guidelines established by the federal Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation Act.
3. Specifies that HMRF monies are continuously appropriated.
4. Repeals the HMRF on July 1, 2028.
Fire Incident Management Fund (FIMF)
5. Establishes the FIMF for FY 2024, administered by the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) and consisting of legislative appropriations.
6. Requires FIMF monies to be used to provide grants to municipal fire departments and fire districts for hardware and software that:
a) enables the statewide deployment of a secure incident management platform to fire and law enforcement agencies;
b) provides a standardized incident command and management platform based on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards that enable diverse incident management and support entities to work together and ensure;
i. a clearly defined chain of command;
ii. the use of common terminology;
iii. the safety of first responders and others;
iv. the achievement of response objectives; and
v. the efficient use of resources; and
c) provides a collaboration and communications solution to;
i. identify the location, status and assignment of assigned resources;
ii. allow status updates, tracking and management of an incident;
iii. allow secure messaging and file sharing to all users involved in an incident;
iv. allow the sharing of collaborative maps, building floor plans and images between public safety agencies;
v. allow collaboration and information sharing between disparate agencies during a mass casualty incident;
vi. define a FEMA or national incident management systems-based organization structure for the management of incidents;
vii. provide the ability to print standard integrated computer solutions forms for tracking and cost reimbursement;
viii. provide enhanced telemetry-based firefighter safety monitoring;
ix. work in areas without internet access in a disconnected mode;
x. provide a seamless and connected platform for notification, response and rostering;
xi. provide cross-platform functionality; and
xii. provide a smartphone-based application for notification, accountability and situational awareness.
7. Allows each municipal fire department or fire district in Arizona to submit a grant request to ADOA for the costs of the secure incident management system that meets the outlined criteria.
8. Requires ADOA to award grants on first-come, first-served basis.
9. Requires awarded grants to fully fund the costs of the secure incident management system for each municipal fire department or fire district for three years.
10. Specifies that FIMF monies are continuously appropriated.
11. Stipulates that ADOA may not use more than $200,000 of the monies appropriated to the FIMF to administer the FIMF.
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
12. Continues to authorize ADEQ to use up to $6,531,000 from the Underground Storage Tank Revolving Fund for administrative costs and remediating sewage discharge issues in Naco, Arizona and other border areas of Arizona.
13. Continues to cap the FY 2024 state General Fund appropriation to the Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund at $15,000,000.
14. Continues to direct the Director of ADEQ to charge the same emissions testing fees in FY 2024 as FY 2023 for tests conducted in Area A, which is the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area.
15. Exempts ADEQ from rulemaking requirements until July 1, 2024, to establish FY 2024 vehicle emissions testing fees.
Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR)
16. Continues to authorize the Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission to grant up to $336,000 of unobligated monies in the Arizona Water Protection Fund in FY 2024 to ADWR to pay for AWDR’s FY 2024 administrative costs.
17. Continues to include legal fees as an authorized use in FY 2024 of Arizona Water Banking Fund monies appropriated to the Arizona Navigable Stream Adjudication Commission.
Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA)
18. Continues to allow the Director of the AZDA, with the assistance of the AZDA Advisory Council, to increase or lower existing fees from FYs 2022 and 2023 in FY 2024 for agricultural services.
19. Continues to declare that the Legislature intends that generated agricultural service fees in FY 2024 not exceed:
a) $218,000 to the state General Fund;
b) $113,000 to the Pesticide Trust Fund; and
c) $26,000 to the Dangerous Plants, Pests and Diseases Trust Fund.
20. Exempts the AZDA from rulemaking requirements until July 1, 2024, to establish agricultural service fees.
Miscellaneous
21. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
· Stipulates that ADOA may not use more than $200,000 of the monies appropriated to the FIMF to administer the FIMF.
Senate Action House Action
APPROP 5/9/23 DP 6-4-0 APPROP 5/9/23 DP 10-5-0-0
3rd Read 5/10/23 22-8-0 3rd Read 5/10/23 47-12-0-0-1
(S.B. 1725 was substituted for H.B. 2815 on 3rd Read)
Signed by the Governor 5/11/23
Chapter 138
Prepared by Senate Research
May 23, 2023
RA/sr/slp