Assigned to APPROP AS PASSED BY COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2542
appropriations; school safety; interoperability
Purpose
Appropriates $6,427,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2023 to the School
Safety Interoperability Fund (Fund) to be distributed to county sheriffs as outlined. Appropriates
$800,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to the State Treasurer to be distributed to specified law
enforcement agencies to purchase training simulators. Appropriates $3,980,000 from the state GF
in FY 2023 to the State Treasurer for a rural county interoperability communication system.
Background
The Fund, administered by the State Treasurer, consists of monies appropriated by the
Legislature. Fund monies must be distributed to county sheriffs that establish a School Safety Pilot
Program and be used only for those programs (A.R.S. § 41-1733). In FY 2022, the Fund has an
estimated year-end balance of $0 (JLBC Baseline).
In FY 2019, the state appropriated $2,300,000 from the Peace Officer Training Equipment
Fund to the Department of Public Safety for 10 virtual firing ranges and three virtual training
simulators that were allocated to the Tucson Police Department, Pinal County Sheriff and Yuma
County Sheriff (Laws 2018, Ch. 312).
In the General Appropriations Act of 2021 the Legislature appropriated $1,500,000 from
the state GF in FY 2022 to the State Treasurer to implement a rural county interoperability
communication system. The appropriation was allocated to the Gila County Sheriff, Graham
County Sheriff, Greenlee County Sheriff and Pinal County Sheriff (Laws 2021, Ch. 408, Sec 89).
H.B. 2542 appropriates $6,427,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to the Fund and
appropriates $4,780,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to the State Treasurer.
Provisions
School Safety Pilot Program
1. Appropriates $6,427,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to the Fund to be distributed as follows:
a) $100,000 to the Apache County Sheriff;
b) $350,000 to the Cochise County Sheriff;
c) $350,000 to the Coconino County Sheriff; FACT SHEET – Amended
H.B. 2542
Page 2
d) $275,000 to the Gila County Sheriff;
e) $275,000 to the Graham County Sheriff;
f) $225,000 to the Greenlee County Sheriff;
g) $150,000 to the La Paz County Sheriff;
h) $1,750,000 to the Maricopa County Sheriff;
i) $360,000 to the Mohave County Sheriff;
j) $275,000 to the Navajo County Sheriff;
k) $625,000 to the Pinal County Sheriff;
l) $950,000 to the Tucson Police Department;
m) $317,000 to the Yuma Police Department; and
n) $425,000 to the Yavapai County Sheriff.
Training Simulators
2. Appropriates $800,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to the State Treasurer for training
simulators.
3. Requires the State Treasurer to distribute the monies to the following law enforcement agencies
to purchase five-screen V-300LE training simulators:
a) $200,000 to the Arizona State University Police Department;
b) $200,000 to the Flagstaff Police Department;
c) $200,000 to the Gila County Sheriff; and
d) $200,000 to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff.
Rural Interoperability Communication System
4. Appropriates $3,980,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to the State Treasurer for a rural county
interoperability communication system.
5. Requires the rural county interoperability communication system to:
a) enable the deployment of secure, multimedia data communications system to a user base
consisting of public safety agencies;
b) provide a communications solution environment that meets prescribed requirements;
c) be capable of being deployed to end users on existing communication assets owned by
participating entities;
d) allow each participating entity to maintain discretionary real-time control of all
communications assets owned or operated by the entity;
e) encrypt all media communications;
f) ensure staff privacy;
g) be certified qualified antiterrorism technology under the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security Safety Act; and
h) be compatible with federal emergency management agency interoperable gateway systems
for disaster communications.
6. Requires the State Treasurer to distribute monies for the rural county interoperability
communications systems as follows:
a) $100,000 to the Apache County Sheriff; FACT SHEET – Amended
H.B. 2542
Page 3
b) $225,000 to the Cochise County Sheriff;
c) $225,000 to the Coconino County Sheriff;
d) $225,000 to the Gila County Sheriff;
e) $375,000 to the Graham County Sheriff;
f) $100,000 to the Greenlee County Sheriff;
g) $150,000 to the La Paz County Sheriff;
h) $1,000,000 to the Maricopa County Sheriff;
i) $750,000 to the Mohave County Sheriff;
j) $230,000 to the Navajo County Sheriff;
k) $250,000 to the Pinal County Sheriff;
l) $350,000 to the Yavapai County Sheriff;
m) $950,000 to the Tucson Police Department; and
n) $317,000 to the Yuma Police Department.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
1. Increases the appropriation to the Fund by $1,267,000 to be allocated to the Tucson Police
Department and Yuma Police Department.
2. Appropriates $800,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to the State Treasurer for training
simulators to be distributed to specified law enforcement agencies.
3. Appropriates $3,980,000 from the state GF in FY 2023 to the State Treasurer for a rural county
interoperability communication system.
4. Outlines requirements for the rural county interoperability system to meet and allocates the
funds to specified law enforcement agencies.
House Action Senate Action
MAPS 2/7/22 DP 14-0-0-1 APPROP 3/22/22 DPA 6-2-2
APPROP 2/9/22 DP 13-0-0-0
3
rd
Read 2/24/22 53-6-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 23, 2022
LMM/sr