HB2418 - 561R

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

Section 1. Title 9, chapter 4, article 8, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 9-500.49, to read:

START_STATUTE9-500.49. Law enforcement; response time requirements

A. each city or town shall provide for enough law enforcement patrol officers to achieve a response time to each law enforcement emergency call of not more than five minutes.

b. The arizona criminal justice commission shall establish policies and procedures that define law enforcement emergency response time.

c. The city or town shall report annually to the arizona criminal justice commission the city's or town's law enforcement emergency response time.

D. The auditor general shall perform an annual audit of the city's or town's processes and the data used in compiling and determining the City's or town's average law enforcement emergency RESPONSE time. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Repeal

Section 41-1279.03, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by Laws 2021, chapter 405, section 25, is repealed.

Sec. 3. Section 41-1279.03, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by Laws 2019, chapter 3, section 11, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE41-1279.03. Powers and duties

A. The auditor general shall:

1. Prepare an audit plan for approval by the committee and report to the committee the results of each audit and investigation and other reviews conducted by the auditor general.

2. Conduct or cause to be conducted at least biennial financial and compliance audits of financial transactions and accounts kept by or for all state agencies subject to the single audit act of 1984 (P.L. 98-502). The audits shall be conducted in accordance with generally accepted governmental auditing standards and accordingly shall include tests of the accounting records and other auditing procedures as may be considered necessary in the circumstances. The audits shall include the issuance of suitable reports as required by the single audit act of 1984 (P.L. 98-502) so that the legislature, the federal government and others will be informed as to the adequacy of financial statements of the this state in compliance with generally accepted governmental accounting principles and to determine whether this state has complied with laws and regulations that may have a material effect on the financial statements and on major federal assistance programs.

3. Perform procedural reviews for all state agencies at times determined by the auditor general. These reviews may include evaluation of administrative and accounting internal controls and reports on these reviews.

4. Perform special research requests, special audits and related assignments as designated by the committee and conduct performance audits, special audits, special research requests and investigations of any state agency, whether created by the constitution or otherwise, as may be requested by the committee.

5. Annually on or before the fourth Monday of December, prepare a written report to the governor and to the committee that contains a summary of activities for the previous fiscal year.

6. In the tenth year and in each fifth year thereafter in which a transportation excise tax is in effect in a county as provided in section 42-6106 or 42-6107, conduct a performance audit that:

(a) Reviews past expenditures and future planned expenditures of the transportation excise revenues and determines the impact of the expenditures in solving transportation problems within the county and, for a transportation excise tax in effect in a county as provided in section 42-6107, determines whether the expenditures of the transportation excise revenues comply with section 28-6392, subsection B.

(b) Reviews projects completed to date and projects to be completed during the remaining years in which a transportation excise tax is in effect. Within six months after each review period, the auditor general shall present a report to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate detailing findings and making recommendations.

(c) Reviews, determines, reports and makes recommendations to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate whether the distribution of Arizona highway user revenues complies with title 28, chapter 18, article 2.

7. If requested by the committee, conduct performance audits of counties and incorporated cities and towns receiving Arizona highway user revenue fund monies pursuant to title 28, chapter 18, article 2 to determine whether the monies are being spent as provided in section 28-6533, subsection B.

8. Perform special audits designated pursuant to law if the auditor general determines that there are adequate monies appropriated for the auditor general to complete the audit. If the auditor general determines the appropriated monies are inadequate, the auditor general shall notify the committee.

9. Establish a schoolwide audit team in the office of the auditor general to conduct performance audits and monitor school districts to determine the percentage of every dollar spent in the classroom by the school district. Each school district shall prominently post on its website home page a copy of its profile pages that displays the percentage of every dollar spent in the classroom by that school district from the most recent status report issued by the auditor general pursuant to this paragraph. The performance audits shall determine whether school districts that receive monies from the Arizona English language learner fund established by section 15-756.04 and the statewide compensatory instruction fund established by section 15-756.11 comply with title 15, chapter 7, article 3.1. The auditor general shall determine, through random selection, the school districts to be audited each year, subject to review by the joint legislative audit committee. A school district that is subject to an audit pursuant to this paragraph shall notify the auditor general in writing whether the school district agrees or disagrees with the findings and recommendations of the audit and whether the school district will implement the findings and recommendations, implement modifications to the findings and recommendations or refuse to implement the findings and recommendations. The school district shall submit to the auditor general a written status report on the implementation of the audit findings and recommendations every six months for two years after an audit conducted pursuant to this paragraph. The auditor general shall review the school district's progress toward implementing the findings and recommendations of the audit every six months after receipt of the district's status report for two years. The auditor general may review a school district's progress beyond this two-year period for recommendations that have not yet been implemented by the school district. The auditor general shall provide a status report of these reviews to the joint legislative audit committee. The school district shall participate in any hearing scheduled during this review period by the joint legislative audit committee or by any other legislative committee designated by the joint legislative audit committee.

10. Notwithstanding any other law, review the processes and statutory requirements for maintaining the statewide voter registration database, county early voting lists and the county voter registration databases for counties with a population of more than one million persons. THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE COUNTY RECORDERS SHALL NOTIFY THE AUDITOR GENERAL IN WRITING OF THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES MADE FOR VOTER REGISTRATION PROGRAMS AND EVENTS AND SHALL PROVIDE A DESCRIPTION OF THOSE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS, INCLUDING ANY POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION. THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE COUNTY RECORDERS ALSO SHALL SPECIFY THEIR ATTENDANCE AT THESE PROGRAMS, EVENTS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND WHETHER THEY USED ANY THIRD-PARTY DATA IN CONDUCTING THESE PROGRAMS, EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES. On or before June 30 each even-numbered year, the auditor general shall submit a report on its findings to the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and shall submit a copy of the report to the secretary of state.

10. 11. Annually review per diem compensation and reimbursement of expenses for employees of this state and members of a state board, commission, council or advisory committee by judgmentally selecting samples and evaluating the propriety of per diem compensation and expense reimbursements.

12. Annually perform an audit of the processes and data used in compiling and determining cities' and towns' law enforcement emergency response times as prescribed in section 9-500.49.

B. The auditor general may:

1. Subject to approval by the committee, adopt rules necessary to administer the duties of the office.

2. Hire consultants to conduct the studies required by subsection A, paragraphs 6 and 7 of this section.

C. If approved by the committee, the auditor general may charge a reasonable fee for the cost of performing audits or providing accounting services for auditing federal funds, special audits or special services requested by political subdivisions of this state. Monies collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited in the audit services revolving fund.

D. The department of transportation, the board of supervisors of a county that has approved a county transportation excise tax as provided in section 42-6106 or 42-6107 and the governing bodies of counties, cities and towns receiving Arizona highway user revenue fund monies shall cooperate with and provide necessary information to the auditor general or the auditor general's consultant.

E. The department of transportation shall reimburse the auditor general as follows, and the auditor general shall deposit the reimbursed monies in the audit services revolving fund:

1. For the cost of conducting the studies or hiring a consultant to conduct the studies required by subsection A, paragraph 6, subdivisions (a) and (b) of this section, from monies collected pursuant to a county transportation excise tax levied pursuant to section 42-6106 or 42-6107.

2. For the cost of conducting the studies or hiring a consultant pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 6, subdivision (c) and paragraph 7 of this section, from the Arizona highway user revenue fund. END_STATUTE

Sec. 4. Section 41-2405, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE41-2405. Arizona criminal justice commission; powers and duties; staff

A. The Arizona criminal justice commission shall:

1. Monitor the progress and implementation of new and continuing criminal justice legislation.

2. Facilitate research among criminal justice agencies and maintain criminal justice system information.

3. Facilitate coordinated statewide efforts to improve criminal justice information and data sharing.

4. Prepare for the governor a biennial criminal justice system review report. The report shall contain:

(a) An analysis of all criminal justice programs created by the legislature in the preceding two years.

(b) An analysis of the effectiveness of the criminal code, with a discussion of any problems and recommendations for revisions if deemed necessary.

(c) A study of the level of activity in the several areas of the criminal justice system, with recommendations for redistribution of criminal justice revenues if deemed necessary.

(d) An overall review of the entire criminal justice system, including crime prevention, criminal apprehension, prosecution, court administration and incarceration at the state and local levels as well as funding needs for the system.

(e) Recommendations for constitutional, statutory and administrative revisions that are necessary to develop and maintain a cohesive and effective criminal justice system.

5. Provide supplemental reports on criminal justice issues of special timeliness.

6. In coordination with other governmental agencies, gather information on programs that are designed to effectuate community crime prevention and education using citizen participation and on programs for alcohol and drug abuse prevention, education and treatment and disseminate that information to the public, political subdivisions, law enforcement agencies and the legislature.

7. Make recommendations to the legislature and the governor regarding the purposes and formula for allocation of fund monies as provided in section 41-2401, subsection D and section 41-2402 through the biennial agency budget request.

8. Adopt rules for the purpose of allocating fund monies as provided in sections 41-2401, 41-2402 and 41-2407 that are consistent with the purposes set forth in those sections and that promote effective and efficient use of the monies.

9. Make reports to the governor and the legislature as they require.

10. Oversee the research, analyses, studies, reports and publication of crime and criminal justice statistics prepared by the Arizona statistical analysis center, which is an operating section of the Arizona criminal justice commission.

11. Prepare an annual report on law enforcement activities in this state that are funded by the drug and gang enforcement fund or the criminal justice enhancement fund and that relate to illicit drugs and drug related drug-related gang activity. The report shall be submitted by October 31 of each year to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and a copy shall be submitted to the secretary of state. The report shall include:

(a) The name and a description of each law enforcement program dealing with illegal drug activity or street gang activity, or both.

(b) The objective and goals of each program.

(d) The name of the agency or entity that administers each program.

(e) The effectiveness of each program.

12. Compile and disseminate information on best practices for cold case investigations, including effective victim communication procedures. For the purposes of this paragraph, "cold case" means a homicide or a felony sexual offense that remains unsolved for one year or more after being reported to a law enforcement agency and that has no viable and unexplored investigatory leads.

13. Beginning January 1, 2019, Submit an annual recidivism report to the legislature that compares the recidivism rate for a person who serves a term of mandatory incarceration in a county jail pursuant to section 28-1383 and a person who serves that term of mandatory incarceration in prison.

14. Adopt policies and procedures to define law enforcement emergency response time as provided in section 9-500.49.

15. Receive and review annual reports of cities' and towns' law enforcement emergency response times as prescribed in section 9-500.49.

B. The Arizona criminal justice commission, as necessary to perform its functions, may:

1. Request any state or local criminal justice agency to submit any necessary information.

2. Form subcommittees, make studies, conduct inquiries and hold hearings.

3. Subject to chapter 4, article 4 of this title, employ consultants for special projects and such staff as deemed necessary or advisable to carry out this section.

4. Delegate its duties to carry out this section, including:

(a) The authority to enter into contracts and agreements on behalf of the commission.

(b) Subject to chapter 4, article 4 and, as applicable, articles 5 and 6 of this title, the authority to appoint, hire, terminate and discipline all personnel of the commission, including consultants.

5. Establish joint research and information facilities with governmental and private agencies.

6. Accept and expend public and private grants of monies, gifts and contributions and expend, distribute or allocate monies appropriated to the commission for the purpose of enhancing efforts to investigate or prosecute and adjudicate any crime and to implement this chapter. END_STATUTE