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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
county supervisors; population; membership
Purpose
Decreases the population threshold, from 150,000 to 125,000 persons, for a county to submit to the electors the question on whether to change from a three-member to a five-member county board of supervisors (county BOS).
Background
The powers of a
county must be exercised only by the county BOS or by agents and officers
acting under its authority and authority of law. The county BOS has the power
to: 1) sue and be sued; 2) purchase and hold lands within its limits; 3) make
such contracts and purchase and hold such personal property as may be necessary
to the exercise of its powers; 4) make such orders for the disposition or use
of its property as the interests of the inhabitants of the county require;
5) levy and collect taxes for purposes under its exclusive jurisdiction as are
authorized by law; and 6) determine the budgets of all elected and appointed
county officers.
Statute
specifies that a county with a population of 175,000 or more persons must have
a county BOS of five members and a county with a population of fewer than
175,000 persons must have a county BOS of three members. Any county with a population
of fewer than 150,000 persons but more than 100,000 persons must call an
election to change from a three-member to a
five-member county BOS, or from a five-member to a three-member county BOS, on
receipt by the county BOS of a petition containing signatures of qualified
electors equal to at least 10 percent of the votes cast in the county at the
preceding general election.
A county with a population of at least 150,000 persons but not more than 175,000 persons that has a county BOS consisting of three persons must submit to the electors in the county, at the next general election after the release of the population estimate from the Office of Economic Opportunity, the question of whether the county shall elect five members to the county BOS. The ballots must contain the words: "Five supervisors, yes. Five supervisors, no." If the question is approved, the county BOS must redistrict the county and elect the prescribed number of members to the county BOS who meet the required qualifications at the next general election as prescribed. (A.R.S. §§ 11-201 and 11-211).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Decreases the population threshold, from 150,000 to 125,000 persons, for a county with a county BOS of three persons to submit to the electors in the county the question on whether the county should elect five members to the county BOS.
2. Allows, rather than requires, the county to submit to the electors the question on whether the county should elect five members to the county BOS.
3. Makes a technical change.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
MOE 1/31/24 DP 7-1-0-1
3rd Read 2/14/24 41-16-1-0-2
Prepared by Senate Research
February 26, 2024
JT/MA/slp