Assigned to APPROP                                                                                                                        AS VETOED

 

 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session

 

VETOED

FACT SHEET FOR s.b. 1526/H.B. 2573

 

environment; 2023-2024.

Purpose

Makes session law changes relating to the environment necessary to implement the FY 2024 state budget.

Background

The Arizona Constitution prohibits substantive law from being included in the general appropriations, capital outlay appropriations and supplemental appropriations bills. However, it is often necessary to make statutory and session law changes to effectuate the budget. Thus, separate bills called budget reconciliation bills (BRBs) are introduced to enact these provisions. Because BRBs contain substantive law changes, the Arizona Constitution provides that they become effective on the general effective date, unless an emergency clause is enacted.

            S.B. 1526 contains the budget reconciliation provisions for changes relating to the environment.

Provisions

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)

1.   Continues to authorize ADEQ to use up to $6,531,000 from the Underground Storage Tank Revolving Fund for ADEQ administrative costs and remediating sewage discharge issues in Naco, Arizona, and other border areas of Arizona.

Emissions Inspection Fund

2.   Continues to direct the Director of ADEQ to charge the same emissions testing fees in FY 2024 as FY 2023 for tests conducted in Area A, which is the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area.

3.   Exempts ADEQ from rulemaking requirements until July 1, 2024, to establish FY 2024 vehicle emissions testing fees.

Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR)

4.   Continues to authorize the Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission to grant up to $336,000 of unobligated monies in the Arizona Water Protection Fund in FY 2024 to ADWR to pay for AWDR’s FY 2024 administrative costs.

 

Arizona Navigable Stream Adjudication Commission

5.   Continues to include legal fees as an authorized use in FY 2024 of Arizona Water Banking Fund monies appropriated to the Arizona Navigable Stream Adjudication Commission.

Water Quality Assurance Revolving Fund (WQARF)

6.   Continues to cap the FY 2024 state General Fund appropriation to WQARF at $15 million.

Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA)

7.   Continues to allow the Director of AZDA, with the assistance of the AZDA advisory council, to continue to increase or lower existing fees from FYs 2022 and 2023 in FY 2024 for agricultural services.

8.   Continues to declare that the Legislature intends that generated agricultural service fees in FY 2024 not exceed:

a)   $218,000 to the state General Fund;

b)   $113,000 to the Pesticide Trust Fund; and

c)   $26,000 to the Dangerous Plants, Pests and Diseases Trust Fund.

9.   Exempts AZDA from rulemaking requirements until July 1, 2024, for the purpose of establishing agricultural service fees.

Miscellaneous

10.  Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Governor's Veto Message

The Governor indicates in her veto message that S.B. 1526, and the FY 2024 state budget as a whole, does not address her priorities to work together on a budget that addresses the state's housing crisis, lowers costs, prepares the workforce and invests in public education.

Senate Action                                                           House Action

APPROP         1/31/23      DP      6-4-0                    APPROP         2/1/23        DP      9-6-0-0

3rd Read           2/13/23                 16-14-0                3rd Read           2/13/23                31-27-2

         (S.B. 1526 was substituted for H.B. 2573 on 3rd Read)

Vetoed by the Governor 2/16/23

Prepared by Senate Research

February 17, 2023

RA/sr