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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session |
House: APPROP DP 11-7-0-0 |
HB 2952: environment; 2025-2026
Sponsor: Representative Livingston (with permission of committee on Rules), LD 28
House Engrossed
Overview
Contains provisions relating to the environment needed to implement the FY 2026 budget.
History
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. Statutory changes necessary to reconcile the appropriations made in the feed bill and other changes are drafted into separate budget bills. These bills are prepared according to subject area.
Provisions
Agriculture and Water Innovation Pilot Program and Fund
1. Establishes the Agriculture and Water Innovation Fund Pilot Program (Pilot Program) and the Agriculture and Water Innovation Fund (Fund). (Sec. 1)
2. Repeals the Pilot Program and Fund January 1, 2029. (Sec. 2)
3. Allows the Arizona Department of Agriculture (ADA) to a administer monies from the fund to qualified applicants to acquire or contract for implementing technology that improves water use efficiency by improving soil health subject to certain criteria. (Sec. 1)
4. Requires ADA, on or before December 31 of each year, to submit a report describing the activities of the ADA for the preceding fiscal year related to the Fund and prescribes required contents of the report. (Sec. 1)
Arizona State Land Commissioner (Commissioner) Powers and Duties
5. Requires the Commissioner to contract with qualified third parties to review any application submitted to the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD). (Sec. 3.)
6. Prescribes requirements of a qualified third party that reviews an application. (Sec. 3)
Groundwater Withdrawal Fee
7. Extends the Pinal AMA exemption to a groundwater withdrawal fee for water banking purposes through calendar year 2027. (Sec. 4)
Temporary Groundwater and Irrigation Efficiency Projects Fund
8. Requires any unencumbered monies in the Temporary Groundwater and Irrigation Efficiency Projects Fund (Fund), on June 30, 2029, to be proportionally distributed to the Fund's contributors by December 31, 2029. (Sec. 5)
9. Extends the repeal date of the Fund to April 1, 2030. (Sec. 6)
Hazard Mitigation Revolving Fund
10. Repeals the delayed fiscal year 2028 repeal of the Hazard Mitigation Revolving Fund. (Sec. 7)
Fire Incident Management Fund (Incident Fund) (Session Law)
11. Extends the Fire Incident Management Fund until June 30, 2027. (Sec. 8)
Nuclear Emergency Management Fund (Session Law)
12. Increases the amount appropriated from the nuclear emergency management fund to $2,667,991 for fiscal year 2025 and $2,761,339 for fiscal year 2026. (Sec. 9)
13. Increases the assessment against each consortium of public service corporations and municipal corporations engaged in constructing or operating a commercial nuclear generating station to $2,667,991 for fiscal year 2025 and &2761,339 for fiscal year 2026. (Sec. 10)
Arizona Water Protection Fund (AWPF) (Session Law)
14. Authorizes the AWPF Commission to grant to the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) up to $336,000 of the unobligated balance in AWPF for ADWR administrative costs in FY 2025. (Sec. 11)
Underground Storage Tank Revolving Fund (USTR Fund) (Session Law)
15. Authorizes the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to use up to $6,531,000 from the USTR Fund in FY 2025 for ADEQ administrative costs and to remediate sewage discharge issues in Naco and other border areas of Arizona. (Sec. 12)
Arizona Navigable Stream Adjudication Commission (Commission) (Session Law)
16. Allows monies appropriated to the Commission from the Arizona Water Banking Fund to be used to pay legal fees in FY 2026. (Sec. 13)
Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF) (Session Law)
17. Limits to $15,000,000 the amount of corporate income tax monies and various revenues transferred to the WQARF in FY 2026. (Sec. 14)
Vehicle Emission Testing Fees (Session Law)
18. Directs the ADEQ Director to reduce vehicle emissions testing fees in area A in FY 2026 so that vehicle emissions testing fee revenues collected in area A are reduced by 5% from FY 2024. (Sec. 15)
19. Exempts ADEQ from rulemaking requirements until July 1, 2026 for setting vehicle emissions testing fees. (Sec. 15)
Arizona Department of Agriculture (ADA) Fees (Session Law)
20. Authorizes ADA, subject to the review of the ADA Advisory Council, to lower existing fees for any funds held in trust by ADA. (Sec. 16)
21. Requires the ADA, through July 1, 2026, to adopt emergency rules, in conjunction with the industry, to modify fees deposited in the Dangerous Plants, Pests and Diseases Trust Fund. (Sec. 16)
22. States that the rules must be reviewed by the ADA Advisory Council. (Sec. 16)
Arizona State Land Department (ASLD)(Session Law)
23. Requires the Arizona State Parks Board (ASPB) to apply to ASLD to purchase state lands for the Arizona Veterans Memorial State Park. (Sec. 17)
24. Requires the Commissioner of ASLD to hold an auction for such lands upon receipt of a valid application from the ASPB. (Sec. 17)
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28. HB 2952
29. Initials CW Page 0 House Engrossed
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