Assigned to PS & ATT                                                                                                           FOR COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session

 

FACT SHEET FOR h.b. 2207

 

appropriation; braille transcription program

Purpose

Appropriates $300,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2027 to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) for the Braille Transcription Program.

Background

ADCRR provides supervisory staff and administrative functions at the state level on all matters relating to the institutionalization or rehabilitation of adult offenders, including educational services for functional literacy, GED preparation and career and technical education and apprenticeships. ADCRR staff consists of more than 100 professional educators with the goal of addressing the educational needs of the offender population incarcerated in 10 ADCRR prison complexes and 7 private prisons contracting with ADCRR statewide (A.R.S. § 41-1602; ADCRR Education).

The Braille Transcription Program trains participants to transcribe materials into Braille, contributing to accessibility for the visually impaired (ADCRR Program Catalog).

H.B. 2207 appropriates $300,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to ADCRR.

Provisions

1.   Appropriates $300,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to ADCRR for the Braille Transcription Program.

2.   Requires ADCRR to submit a report on the Braille Transcription Program by October 15, 2026, 2027 and 2028 to the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor and provide a copy to the Secretary of State.

3.   Requires the annual report to include:

a)   the number of in-state students who were served by the Braille Transcription Program in the prior fiscal year; and

b)   the number of out-of-state students who were served by the Braille Transcription Program in the prior fiscal year.

4.   Declares the Legislature's findings that ADCRR currently allocates $200,000 each fiscal year for the Braille Transcription Program.

5.   Declares the Legislature's intent that the appropriation be considered ongoing funding in future years.

6.   Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

PSLE               1/26/26      DP     9-0-4-2
APPROP         1/28/26      DP     17-0-0-1
3rd Read          2/25/26                 44-10-6

Prepared by Senate Research

March 5, 2026

KJA/SDR/hk