House Engrossed

appropriation; homeless veterans; shelter services

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2620

AN ACT

Appropriating monies to the department of veterans' services.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Appropriation; department of veterans' services; emergency shelters; fiscal years 2026-2027, 2027-2028, 2028-2029, 2029-2030 and 2030-2031; reports; exemption; delayed repeal

A. The sum of $300,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in each of fiscal years 2026-2027, 2027-2028, 2028-2029, 2029-2030 and 2030-2031 to the department of veterans' services to distribute as grants to emergency shelters.

B. Grant monies shall be distributed to emergency shelters that do not require a pre-scheduled intake appointment and that provide the following:

1. Low-barrier, single adult, emergency shelter.

2. One hundred or more beds.

3. Aid for homeless veterans in this state.

C. On or before June 30, 2026 and each year thereafter, the department of veterans' services shall submit a report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the chairperson and the vice chairperson of the joint legislative audit committee of all of the following information for each organization that is a grant recipient pursuant to subsection A of this section:

1. All expenditures of monies granted to aid homeless veterans in this state.

2. The metrics used to analyze the success of each expenditure of monies pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection.

3. The military discharge status of each veteran who is served by the organization. Each organization shall inquire with the United States department of veterans affairs if additional federal services are available for the veteran and shall provide that information to the department of veterans' services.

D. On or before June 30, 2031, the department of veterans' services shall submit a final report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the chairperson and vice chairperson of the joint legislative audit committee that contains all of the following information:

1. Activities funded by the appropriation made pursuant to subsection A of this section and associated expenditures by each grant recipient organization.

2. Outcomes of all expenditures from the appropriation made pursuant to subsection A of this section.

3. The total number of persons aggregated by military discharge status who were served by a grant funded by the appropriation made pursuant to subsection A of this section by each grant recipient organization.

4. Any recommendations by each grant recipient organization.

E. The appropriation made in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.

F. This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2031.