REFERENCE TITLE: appropriations; applied research centers; technology

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

2025

HB 2383

Introduced by

Representatives Wilmeth: Gress, Hernandez A, Hernandez C, Hernandez L, Martinez, Tsosie;  Senators Bravo, Leach

AN ACT

appropriating monies to the Arizona Commerce Authority.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Appropriation; Arizona commerce authority; applied research centers; technology; reports; exemptions; intent

A. The sum of $8,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2025-2026 to the Arizona commerce authority to be distributed as follows:

1. $3,000,000 to applied research centers located in this state that specialize in medical technology, including hardware or software components that monitor, enhance or improve the delivery of health care or human performance.

2. $2,000,000 to applied research centers located in this state that specialize in  technology that produces or stores energy by reducing carbon emissions or enhances water sustainability.

3. $2,000,000 to applied research centers located in this state that specialize in semiconductor or semiconductor-adjacent technology.

4. $1,000,000 to applied research centers located in this state that specialize in any other technology that the authority determines will benefit this state.

B. The authority shall distribute the monies appropriated in subsection A of this section to any applied research center located in this state in increments of up to $250,000 within thirty days after the applied research center notifies the authority in writing that the applied research center has received a matching amount from sources other than this state.

C. For the purpose of distributing the monies appropriated in subsection A of this section, the authority is exempt from the requirements of title 41, chapter 23, Arizona Revised Statutes.

D. An applied research center that receives a distribution pursuant to this section:

1. Shall collaborate with universities, nonprofit business associations, health science research centers, institutes or other technology businesses that do business in this state.

2. May collaborate with community colleges and universities in this state to train the workforce on skills relevant to technologies described in subsection A of this section.

E. For each fiscal year that an applied research center located in this state receives monies pursuant to this section, the applied research center shall submit an expenditure and performance report to the authority. On or before February 1 of each year, the authority shall transmit the reports to the joint legislative budget committee and the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting.

F. The appropriation made in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section 35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations, except that any monies that remain unexpended and unencumbered on June 30, 2027 revert to the state general fund.

G. The legislature intends that the appropriation made in subsection A of this section be considered ongoing funding in future years.