HB 2435
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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
HB 2435: homelessness; data; performance audit
Sponsor: Representative Gress, LD 4
Committee on Government
Overview
Directs the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission to collect specified information on homeless
individuals, including overdoses and crimes committed among the homeless population and
instructs the Auditor General to conduct a special audit of monies spent on homelessness in
Arizona.
History
Arizona Criminal Justice Commission
The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) is designated as the central collection
point for criminal justice data collection. ACJC may require any state or local criminal justice
agency to submit any necessary information readily reportable by the agency (A.R.S. § 41-
2408).
A criminal justice agency includes:
1) a court at any governmental level with criminal or equivalent jurisdiction, including
courts of any foreign sovereignty duly recognized by the federal government; and
2) a government agency or subunit of a government agency that is specifically authorized
to perform as its principal function the administration of criminal justice pursuant to
a statute, ordinance or executive order and that allocates more than fifty percent of
its annual budget to the administration of criminal justice, including agencies of any
foreign sovereignty duly recognized by the federal government (A.R.S. § 41-1750).
Special Audits
The Auditor General is responsible for conducting audits of state agencies, counties,
universities, community college districts and school districts. A special audit may be
conducted by the Auditor General upon request of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee or
if a special audit is designated by law. A special audit is an audit of limited scope (A.R.S. §§
41-1278, 41-1279.03).
Provisions
ACJC Data Collection
1. Instructs ACJC to collect information and data from first responders, medical examiners
and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System on drug overdoses and associated
deaths among the homeless population. (Sec. 1)
2. Directs Arizona's criminal justice agencies to collect, and ACJC to record, information
indicating crimes committed by and against homeless individuals. (Sec. 1)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note HB 2435
Initials JH Page 2 Government
3. Requires ACJC to submit an annual report of information collected on drug overdoses and
crimes committed by and against homeless individuals to specified members of the
executive and legislative branches. (Sec. 1)
Special Audit Provisions
4. Directs the Auditor General to conduct a special audit of the amount of monies spent on
programs and services for homeless individuals in this state. (Sec. 2)
5. Requires the special audit to include:
a) state expenditures;
b) expenditures of municipalities and counties with a homeless population higher than
the per capita average in Arizona;
c) expenditures of federal monies allocated to Arizona for homeless programs; and
d) expenditures by state and local law enforcement agencies to address homelessness,
including specified acts. (Sec. 2)
6. Requires all state and local government entities to cooperate with the special audit and
to grant access, at no cost, to all financial records and other information necessary to
complete the audit. (Sec. 2)
7. Requires the Special audit to examine:
a) the awarding of contracts and grants related to homeless services and support;
b) the metrics used to examine the success of any expenditures;
c) the efficiency of data management systems in relation to these programs; and
d) the expenditure for each homeless individual for each service provided. (Sec. 2)
8. Instructs the Auditor General to submit copies of the special audit report to specified
members of the executive and legislative branches by December 31, 2026. (Sec. 2)
Miscellaneous
9. Contains a delayed repeal date of July 1, 2027. (Sec. 2)
10. Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1)