Assigned
to NREW & APPROP FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
water infrastructure; commerce grant fund
Purpose
Delays, by one year, the date after which projects are eligible to receive grants, and the date by which grants must be allocated and distributed, from the Water Infrastructure and Commerce Grant Fund (Fund). Appropriates $8 million from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2024 to the Fund.
Background
The Arizona Commerce Authority's (ACA's) mission is to provide private sector leadership in growing and diversifying Arizona's economy, creating high quality employment in Arizona through expansion, attraction and retention of businesses and marketing Arizona for the purpose of expansion, attraction and retention of businesses. The ACA is governed by a Board of Directors that consists of: 1) the Governor; 2) the chief executive officer of the ACA; 3) 17 private sector business leaders who are chief executive officers of private, for-profit enterprises; and 4) 12 ex officio members without the power to vote (A.R.S. § 41-1502).
The ACA administers the Fund which consists of legislative appropriations, federal monies and private donations. Monies in the Fund may be used to provide grants to eligible entities for contracting for the design and construction of water infrastructure at the eligible entity's location. Entities eligible to receive a grant are: 1) a public service corporation that provides water service pursuant to a certificate of convenience and necessity issued by the Arizona Corporation Commission and that is acting on behalf of an employer with more than 250 employees that is located in a county with a population of more than 400,000 persons and fewer than 1,000,000 persons; and 2) an employer with more than 250 employees that is located in a county with a population of more than 400,000 persons and fewer than 1,000,000 persons (A.R.S. § 41-1510). The Legislature appropriated $15million to the Fund in FY 2023 (JLBC).
S.B. 1223 appropriates $8 million from the state GF in FY 2024 to the Fund.
Provisions
1. Delays, from January 1, 2022, to January 1, 2023, the date after which a project must begin to be eligible to be awarded a grant from the Fund.
2. Delays, from December 31, 2024, to December 31, 2025, the date by which grants awarded from the Fund must be allocated and distributed.
3. Appropriates $8 million from the state GF in FY 2024 to the Fund.
4. Exempts the appropriation to the Fund from lapsing.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 7, 2023
RA/FB/slp