Assigned to APPROP AS PASSED BY COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1324
smart and safe fund; distribution
Purpose
Adds a joint powers authority, Indian reservation police and fire agencies and university
police that are under the authority of the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) to the authorized
recipients of Smart and Safe Arizona Fund (Fund) monies. Contains requirements for enactment
for initiatives and referendums.
Background
The Fund consists of monies received from tax on the sale of recreational marijuana
products and license and registration fees. Monies in the Fund are to be used to pay for costs to
state agencies to implement 2020 Proposition 207. The remaining monies are distributed as
follows: 1) 33 percent to community college districts; 2) 31.4 percent to municipal police and fire
departments; 3) 25.4 percent to the Highway User Revenue Fund; 4) 10 percent to the Justice
Reinvestment Fund; and 5) 0.2 percent to the Attorney General (A.R.S. 36-2856).
Statute allows cities, towns, counties and fire districts to form separate legal entities to
jointly exercise powers held in common by the contracting parties. These common powers may
include: 1) fire protection; 2) preservation of life; 3) providing emergency medical services; and
4) ambulance transportation services. Any formed separate legal entity must include a fire district
(A.R.S. § 48-805.01).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Adds a joint powers authority, Indian reservation police and fire agencies and university police
departments that are under the jurisdiction of the ABOR to the authorized recipients of the
portion of the Fund relating to public safety.
2. Makes technical and conforming changes.
3. Requires for enactment the affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of the members of each
house of the Legislature.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date, retroactive to January 1, 2021.
FACT SHEET – Amended
S.B. 1324
Page 2
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Adds Indian reservation police and firefighting agencies and state university police
departments to the authorized recipients of the public safety portion of the Smart and Safe
Arizona Fund.
2. Makes technical changes.
Senate Action
APPROP 2/1/22 DP 10-0-0
Prepared by Senate Research
February 16, 2022
LMM/sr