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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
state department of corrections; appropriation
Purpose
Appropriates an unspecified amount in FY 2027 from the state General Fund (state GF) to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) for a five percent salary increase for the employees of ADCRR and private prisons under contract with ADCRR.
Background
ADCRR encompasses the various institutions, facilities and programs that comprise the correctional program of Arizona and provides supervisory staff and administrative functions at the state level on all matters relating to the institutionalization, rehabilitation and community supervision of adult offenders (A.R.S. § 41-1602).
Before establishing,
or expanding an existing, minimum or medium security level prison the Director
of ADCRR (Director) must give consideration to contracting for private prisons
for the incarceration of eligible inmates. Before entering into a contract with
a private prison facility contractor, the Director must determine that the
contractor will provide the same or better quality of services as the services
provided by the state at a lower or essentially the same cost by considering
the facility's security, inmate management and control, inmate programs and
services, safety and sanitation, administration, food service, personnel
practices and training, inmate health services and inmate discipline. The
Director may establish other private incarceration facilities that are
dedicated to the confinement of persons who are sentenced to ADCRR (A.R.S.
§ 41-1609.02).
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee fiscal note estimates that providing a five percent salary increase to all correctional officer and civilian positions within ADCRR, excluding vacant positions, and the employees of private prison contractors would cost the state GF $34,000,000 in FY 2027 (JLBC fiscal note).
Provisions
1. Appropriates an unspecified amount in FY 2027 from the state GF to ADCRR for a salary increase of five percent for sworn correctional officers, ADCRR-employed civilians and the employees of private prison contractors that house inmates under contract with ADCRR.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by the Public Safety Committee:
1. Extends the salary increase to include the employees of private prison contractors.
2. Makes conforming changes.
Senate Action
PS 1/21/26 DPA 4-3-0
ATT (awaiting committee hearing)
Prepared by Senate Research
January 27, 2026
KJA/SDR/hk