SB1285 - 531R

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

Section 1. Title 17, chapter 2, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 17-265, to read:

START_STATUTE17-265. Game and fish in‑lieu fee program restoration endowment trust fund; exemption; definition

A. The game and fish in‑lieu fee program restoration endowment trust fund is established to be used to fulfill the department's obligations as an in‑lieu fee sponsor pursuant to sections 401 and 404 of the clean water act. The commission shall administer the trust fund as trustee.

B. The trust fund is a permanent endowment fund that consists of monies deposited from proceeds received by the department as an in‑lieu fee sponsor pursuant to sections 401 and 404 of the clean water act, and interest and investment income earned on those monies, including:

1. Compensatory mitigation monies received from federal in‑lieu fee permittees through the purchase of in‑lieu fee mitigation credits.

2. Monies received from the United States army corps of engineers for other approved in‑lieu fee programs.

3. Monies received from the United States army corps of engineers as a resolution of unauthorized activities under a completed federal enforcement action pursuant to sections 401 and 404 of the clean water act.

C. Monies in the trust fund are continuously appropriated. Monies in the trust fund do not revert to the state general fund and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.

D. The state treasurer shall accept, separately account for and hold in trust any monies deposited in the state treasury, which are considered to be trust monies as defined in section 35‑310 and which may not be commingled with any other monies in the state treasury except for investment purposes. On notice from the commission, the state treasurer shall invest and divest, as provided by section 35-313, 35-314 or 35‑314.03, any trust fund monies deposited in the state treasury, and monies earned from interest and investment income shall be credited to the trust fund.

E. The beneficiaries of the trust are the in‑lieu fee projects sponsored by the department pursuant to sections 401 and 404 of the clean water act. Monies in the trust fund shall be spent by the commission solely for the purposes authorized under any enabling instrument between the commission, the United States army corps of engineers and the United States environmental protection agency.

F. For the purposes of this section, "clean water act" has the same meaning prescribed in section 49‑201. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 35-142, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE35-142. Monies kept in funds separate from state general fund; receipt and withdrawal

A. All monies received for and belonging to the state shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the state general fund except the following, which shall be placed and retained in separate funds:

1. The unexpendable principal of monies received from federal land grants shall be placed in separate funds and the account of each such separate fund shall bear a title indicating the source and the institution or purpose to which such the fund belongs.

2. The interest, rentals and other expendable money received as income from federal land grants shall be placed in separate accounts, each account bearing a title indicating the source and the institution or purpose to which the fund belongs. Such expendable monies shall be expended only as authorized, regulated and controlled by the general appropriation appropriations act or other act of the legislature.

3. All private or quasi‑private monies authorized by law to be paid to or held by the state treasurer shall be placed in separate accounts, each account bearing a title indicating the source and purpose of such the fund.

4. All monies legally pledged to retirement of building indebtedness or bonds issued by those institutions authorized to incur such indebtedness or to issue such bonds shall be placed in separate accounts.

5. Monies of a multi‑county water conservation district authorized by law to be paid to or held by the state treasurer shall be placed in separate accounts, each account bearing a title indicating the source and purpose of such the fund.

6. All monies collected by the Arizona game and fish department shall be deposited in a special fund known as the state game and fish protection fund for the use of the Arizona game and fish commission in carrying out the provisions of title 17.

7. All federal monies that are received by the department of economic security for family assistance benefits and medical eligibility as a result of efficiencies developed by the department of economic security and that would otherwise revert to the state general fund pursuant to section 35‑190 shall be retained for use by the department of economic security in accordance with the terms and conditions imposed by the federal funding source in an account or accounts established or authorized by the state treasurer.

8. Monies designated by law as special state funds shall not be considered a part of the general fund. Unless otherwise prescribed by law, the state treasurer shall be the custodian of all such funds.

9. All monies received and any accounts established and maintained by the director of the Arizona state retirement system or the administrator of the public safety personnel retirement system, the corrections officer retirement plan and the elected officials' retirement plan.

10. Monies received by a state agency or institution as a gift, devise or donation shall not be considered a part of the state general fund or transferred to the state general fund unless the gift, devise or donation specifically authorizes a general state use for the monies. A state agency or institution that receives a monetary gift, devise or donation shall account for those monies separately.

11. All monies received by the Arizona game and fish commission in connection with clean water act in‑lieu fee projects shall be deposited in a special trust fund known as the game and fish in‑lieu fee program restoration endowment trust fund, established by section 17‑265, for the use of the Arizona game and fish commission for the purposes authorized under any enabling instrument between the commission, the United States army corps of engineers and the United States environmental protection agency.

B. No money shall be received or held by the state treasurer except as authorized by law, and in every instance the treasurer shall issue a receipt for money received and shall record the transaction in the statewide accounting system. No money shall be withdrawn from the treasury except on the warrant or electronic funds transfer voucher of the department of administration.

C. Monies received for and belonging to the this state and resulting from compromises or settlements by or against this state, excluding restitution and reimbursement to state agencies for costs or attorney fees, shall be credited to the state general fund unless specifically credited to another fund by law. A fund consisting of monies other than monies received for restitution, costs or attorney fees shall not be established on the basis of a court order without prior legislative authorization. For the purposes of this subsection, "restitution" means monies intended to compensate a specific, identifiable person, including this state, for economic loss.

D. All federal monies granted and paid to the this state by the federal government shall be accounted for in the accounts or funds of the this state in the necessary detail to meet federal and state accounting, budgetary and auditing requirements, and all appropriations for matching such federal monies shall be transferred from the state general fund to such separate funds as needed, except as otherwise required by the federal government.

E. Nothing in this section requires the establishment of separate accounts or funds for such federal monies unless otherwise required by federal or state law. The department of administration has the authority to use the most efficient system of accounts and records, consistent with legal requirements and standard and necessary fiscal safeguards.

F. Nothing in this section precludes the creation by the department of administration of a clearing account or other acceptable accounting method to effect prompt payment of claims from an approved budget or appropriation. The department of administration shall report each account or fund established or cancelled to the directors of the joint legislative budget committee and the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting.

G. Nothing in this section or any other section precludes the use of monies kept in funds separate from the state general fund, the interest from which accrues to the state general fund, for payment of claims against the state general fund, provided sufficient monies remain available for payment of claims against such funds.

H. The department of administration may issue warrants for qualified expenditures of federal program monies before they are deposited in the state treasury. The receipt of federal monies shall be timed to coincide, as closely as administratively feasible, with the redemption of warrants by the state treasurer. The department of administration shall limit expenditures to the amount that has been made available for the use under the grant award by the federal government. The state agency initiating the expenditures is responsible for ensuring that expenditures qualify for coverage under the guidelines of the federal grant award.

I. The department of administration shall establish the policies and procedures for all state agencies for drawing federal monies. When the established method results in federal monies being held by this state, the department of administration may use the interest earned on the monies to pay the federal government for any related interest liability. If an interest liability is incurred due to a state agency varying from the established policies and procedures, the department of administration shall charge the appropriate agency account or fund. Any federal interest liability owed to this state as a result of the delayed federal disbursements shall be used to offset this state's interest liability to the federal government. Any remaining interest earnings shall be deposited in the state general fund.

J. Any state agency or authorized agent of a state agency may accept credit cards pursuant to an agreement entered into by the state treasurer pursuant to section 35‑315 for the payment of any amount due to that agency or agent or this state.

K. Except for the department of revenue, agencies or authorized agents on behalf of state agencies that accept credit cards shall deduct any applicable discount fee and processing fee associated with the transaction amount before depositing the net amount in the appropriate state fund. No other reduction is permitted against the transaction amount. The net amount deposited in the appropriate state fund shall be considered as the full deposit required by law of monies received by the agency or the authorized agent. Payment of any applicable discount fee and processing fee shall be accounted for in the annual report submitted to the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting in accordance with section 41‑1273. The transaction amount of any credit card transaction shall not be reduced by any discount fee or processing fee in an amount in excess of the merchant card settlement fees reflected in the state banking contract with the state treasurer's office.

L. Any state agency that contracts with an authorized agent for the electronic processing of transactions pursuant to title 41, chapter 23 may include a provision in the contract to allow the authorized agent to impose a convenience fee. If allowed, the convenience fee shall be charged to the cardholder in addition to the transaction amount, except for the following:

1. Except as provided in subsection R of this section, any permits, licenses or other authorizations needed to pursue a trade or occupation in this state.

2. Except as provided in subsection R of this section, any permits, licenses or other authorizations needed to establish, expand or operate a business in this state.

3. Except as provided in subsection R of this section, any permits, licenses or other authorizations needed to register a vehicle or license a driver in this state.

M. Each state agency or its authorized agent shall:

1. Deduct the amount of the convenience fee before depositing the transaction amount or the transaction amount reduced by the discount fee or the processing fee, or both, into the appropriate state fund.

2. Not deduct any part of the convenience fee from the transaction amount before depositing the net amount into the appropriate state fund.

3. Deduct the amount of the discount fee or the processing fee, or both, from the transaction amount before depositing the net amount into the appropriate state fund.

N. The net amount deposited in the appropriate state fund pursuant to subsection L or M of this section shall be considered as the full deposit of monies that is required by law and that is received by the agency.

O. Notwithstanding section 35‑142.01, convenience fees received by a state agency or its authorized agent are limited to, and may be used to offset, the costs imposed by the authorized agent in processing the transactions.

P. When the percentage of electronic transactions first exceeds at least thirty percent of a state agency's total transactions, the state agency shall perform a cost benefit report, including costs of convenience fees, the amount of revenue generated and any realized cost savings.

Q. Nothing in this section or any other provision of law authorizes any state agency, authorized agent of any state agency or budget unit to establish a bank account for any government monies. All monies received by or on behalf of this state shall be deposited with and in the custody of the state treasurer or in an account that is authorized by the state treasurer pursuant to this section. This subsection does not apply to monies received and any accounts established and maintained by the director of the Arizona state retirement system or the administrator of the public safety personnel retirement system, the corrections officer retirement plan and the elected officials' retirement plan.

R. If a state agency provides an alternative method of payment, the convenience fee may be charged to the cardholder in addition to the transaction amount. END_STATUTE