REFERENCE TITLE: land department; audit; recommendations; checklist

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2427

Introduced by

Representatives Griffin: Diaz;  Senator Gowan

AN ACT

REQUIRINg the state land department to implement recommendations by the auditor general.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. State land department; auditor general report; recommendations; implementation; checklist; notification; delayed repeal

A. Within two years after the effective date of this section, the state land commissioner shall implement all fifty-one recommendations in the auditor general's July 2025 performance audit and sunset review of the state land department.

B. Until the state land commissioner implements all of the auditor general's recommendations, the state land commissioner shall meet with the auditor general each month and report on the progress of the state land department's implementation of the recommendations.

C. The auditor general shall maintain a checklist of the recommendations and shall update the checklist after each meeting consistent with the completion of any of the recommendations to the satisfaction of the auditor general.

D. The auditor general may enter any premises, conduct any investigation or inspect any documents in possession of the state land department to ensure the state land department implements the recommendations to the auditor general's satisfaction.

E. Each fiscal quarter, the auditor general shall provide an update of the current status of the recommendation checklist to the following:

1. Each member of the joint legislative audit committee.

2. The governor.

3. The chairperson of the committee of reference that the president of the senate tasks with oversight of the state land department.

4. The chairperson of the committee of reference that the speaker of the house of representatives tasks with oversight of the state land department.

F. If the state land department fails to implement the auditor general's recommendations within two years after the effective date of this section, the auditor general shall:

1. Notify the following:

(a) Each member of the joint legislative audit committee.

(b) The governor.

(c) The chairperson of the committee of reference that the president of the senate tasks with oversight of the state land department.

(d) The chairperson of the committee of reference that the speaker of the house of representatives tasks with oversight of the state land department.

2. Request a special meeting of the joint legislative audit committee to evaluate potential remedies and future action.

G. This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2028.

Sec. 2. Legislative findings

The legislature finds that this act is necessary to ensure the best interest of the state land trust, state land trust beneficiaries and this state.