Assigned to APPROP                                                                                          AS PASSED BY COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session

 

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2580

 

grants; invasive vegetation eradication

(NOW: appropriation; invasive vegetation eradication; grants)

Purpose

Establishes the Nonnative Vegetative Species Eradication Fund (Fund) and appropriates $5 million in each of FYs 2020 and 2021 from the state General Fund (GF) to the Fund to provide grants for nonnative vegetative invasive species eradication projects.

Background

The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM), as administered by the State Forester, was created to provide for land management and the prevention and suppression of wildland fires on state land and on private property located outside of cities and towns (A.R.S. § 37-1301). Additionally, the DFFM administers several grant programs to support projects at the state, region and local levels. Priority is given to projects that focus on areas of highest risk, maximum impact and greatest level of cooperation.

            H.B. 2580 appropriates $5 million in each of FYs 2020 and 2021 from the state GF to the Fund.

Provisions

1.      Establishes the Fund consisting of legislative appropriations for nonnative vegetative invasive species eradication projects.

2.      Appropriates $5,000,000 in each of FYs 2020 and 2021 from the state GF to the Fund and from the Fund to provide grants for nonnative vegetative invasive species eradication projects.

3.      Reverts monies remaining unexpended and unencumbered in the Fund on December 31, 2021, to the state GF.

4.      Requires the DFFM to provide grants to other state agencies, cities, towns, counties, Indian tribes and other political subdivisions of this state for nonnative vegetative invasive species eradication projects that will assist in preventing fire and flooding, conserving water, replacing nonnative vegetative species with native vegetative species and restoring habitat to wildlife.

5.      Requires the DFFM to coordinate with the Arizona State Land Department on projects conducted on State Trust Land.

6.      Grants the DFFM, in coordination with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the authority to monitor and oversee specific projects for which the Legislature appropriates monies to the Fund.

7.      Requires a grant recipient to follow state and federal laws to preserve endangered species when implementing a nonnative vegetative invasive species eradication project.  

8.      Instructs the DFFM to submit a semiannual report on the work, goals, objectives and funding of the Fund to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the chairpersons of the Senate and House of Representatives Appropriations Committees, or their successor committees, and provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.

9.      Requires the State Treasurer to invest and divest monies in the Fund, on notice from the State Forester and exempts the appropriation from lapsing.

10.  Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments adopted by Appropriations Committee

1.      Appropriates $5,000,000 in each of FYs 2020 and 2021 from the Fund to provide grants for nonnative vegetative invasive species eradication projects.

2.      Makes technical and conforming changes.

House Action                                                           Senate Action

NREW           2/12/19      DPA/SE      12-0-1-0       APPROP         3/19/19      DPA     8-0-1

APPROP       2/20/19      DPA/SE      9-1-0-1

3rd Read         2/28/19                          60-0-0

Prepared by Senate Research

March 19, 2019

KN/LD/gs