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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
House: APPROP DP 15-1-2-0 |
HB 4159: environment; 2026-2027
Sponsor: Representative Livingston, LD 28
Caucus & COW
Overview
Contains provisions relating to the environment needed to implement the FY 2027 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
Pinal Active Management Area (AMA) groundwater withdrawal fee exemption extension
1. Extends, by four years:
a. the exemption from a groundwater withdrawal fee of not more than $2.50 per acre-foot in the Pinal AMA for water banking purposes; and
b. the groundwater withdrawal fee of not more than $2.50 per acre-foot in the Pinal AMA for groundwater and irrigation efficiency projects. (Sec. 1)
2. Extends the deadline for remaining monies in the Fund to be proportionally distributed to the Temporary Groundwater and Irrigation Efficiency Projects Fund's contributors by five years, until June 30, 2032. (Sec. 2)
3. Extends the repeal of the:
a. Arizona System Conservation Fund, by four years, until March 31, 2031; and
b. Temporary Groundwater and Irrigation Efficiency Projects Fund, by five years, until March 31, 2033. (Sec. 3, 4)
Underground Storage Tank Revolving Fund (USTR Fund) (Session Law)
4. Authorizes the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) to use up to $6,531,000 from the USTR Fund in FY 2027 for ADEQ administrative costs and to remediate sewage discharge issues in Naco and other border areas of Arizona. (Sec. 5)
Arizona Navigable Stream Adjudication Commission (Commission) (Session Law)
5. Allows monies appropriated to the Commission from the Arizona Water Banking Fund to be used to pay legal fees in FY 2027. (Sec. 6)
Arizona Water Protection Fund (AWPF) (Session Law)
6. 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 2027. (Sec. 7)
Vehicle Emission Testing Fees (Session Law)
7. Requires the ADEQ Director to maintain vehicle emissions testing fees in area A in FY 2027 so that vehicle emissions testing fees collected are at the area A emission fee level as of June 30, 2025. (Sec. 8)
Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF) (Session Law)
8. Limits to $15,000,000 the amount of appropriated monies transferred to the WQARF in FY 2027. (Sec. 9)
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12. Initials CW/DS HB 4159
13. 6/9/2026 Page 0 Caucus & COW
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