Fiscal Note
BILL # HB 2226 TITLE: appropriation; fentanyl prosecution; testing; fund
SPONSOR: Gress STATUS: As Amended by House JUD
PREPARED BY: Jordan Johnston
Description
The bill would establish the Fentanyl Prosecution and Testing Fund and deposit $5,000,000 from the General Fund in FY
2024 into the newly created fund.
Estimated Impact
The bill would cost $5,000,000 from the General Fund in FY 2024.
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) may incur some costs in administering the fund. We have requested an estimate
of this cost from DPS.
Analysis
The bill would establish a new non-appropriated fund called the Fentanyl Prosecution and Testing Fund, which would be
administered by DPS. The monies from the fund would be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to local
governments to reimburse costs associated with fentanyl prosecution. Monies in the fund may also be used by law
enforcement agencies in the state to reimburse costs related to fentanyl testing.
The bill further appropriates $5,000,000 from the General Fund in FY 2024 to be deposited into the newly created
Fentanyl Prosecution and Testing Fund. The department may elect to use monies from the fund to offset current fentanyl
testing costs incurred from the DPS Forensics Fund.
Local Government Impact
Monies from the Fentanyl Prosecution and Testing Fund would be used to reimburse local government costs related to
fentanyl prosecution and testing in this state. As such, local governments would be eligible to receive up to $5 million in
revenue starting in FY 2024.
As per statutory requirements, DPS conducts evidentiary testing in their crime labs on behalf of local governments
throughout the state. The cities of Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, and Tucson have their own accredited crime labs.
However, due to workload and other issues, even cities with crime labs may send evidence to DPS to be tested in their
crime lab. The new fund may increase the department's workload if more analysis requests are submitted to their crime
labs. The department may choose to use monies in the fund to offset the increased fentanyl testing workload.
2/1/23