ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

HB 2425: auditor general; state lands; audit

Sponsor: Representative Griffin, LD 19

Committee on Natural Resources, Energy & Water

Overview

Directs the Auditor General to conduct a special audit of the Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) and outlines items for the special audit to examine.

History

The ASLD administers laws related to lands owned by, belonging to and under control of the state, which includes both trust land and sovereign land. The ASLD also manages and controls the products and uses of state land including timber, stone, gravel, grazing and farming (A.R.S. § 37-102).

The Auditor General must perform special audits designated pursuant to law if they determine there are adequate monies appropriated to complete such an audit. Based on information provided by the Auditor General, Joint Legislative Budget Committee staff must notify all members of the Legislature as soon as practicable of the cost to conduct a special audit for any legislative measure that requires one be performed (A.R.S. § 41-1279.03).

Provisions

1. Directs the Auditor General to conduct a special audit of the ASLD. (Sec. 1)

2. Requires the special audit to examine all the following:

a. vacancy on State Trust lands with a slope of less than 15%, including:

i. an analysis of whether any parties have submitted applications or letters of interest for the land parcels;

ii. reasons provided by the ASLD for denial of any application or letter of interest;

b. any Commissioner-initiated land sale in counties with a population over 400,000 that received only one bid, including:

i. reasons why one bid was received on the land sale;

ii. an evaluation of the appraised value of the land sold;

c. any solar leases and sales on State Trust lands that went to public auction and received only one bid, including:

i. reasons why one bid was received on the land lease or sale;

ii. an evaluation of the appraised value of the land leased or sold; and

d. an evaluation of the reclamation requirements the SLD requires of any solar lease or sale to restore the lands to previous conditions at the end of the solar project's useful life. (Sec. 1)

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h. Initials CW/RS HB 2425

i. 2/5/2026 Page 0 Natural Resources, Energy & Water

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