Arizona 2025 Regular Session

Arizona House Bill HB2776 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	REFERENCE TITLE: rural water sustainability fund; appropriation State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 HB 2776 Introduced by Representative Mathis AN ACT Amending title 45, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 45-119; appropriating monies; relating to water. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
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9	9	REFERENCE TITLE: rural water sustainability fund; appropriation
10	10	State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
11	11	HB 2776
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14	14	REFERENCE TITLE: rural water sustainability fund; appropriation
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24	24	State of Arizona
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40	40	HB 2776
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44	44	Introduced by
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64	64	AN ACT
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68	68	Amending title 45, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 45-119; appropriating monies; relating to water.
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74	74	(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
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78	78	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Title 45, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 45-119, to read: START_STATUTE45-119. Rural watershed sustainability initiative fund; grants; rules; report A. The rural watershed sustainability initiative fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation. B. The director may accept and spend federal monies and private grants, gifts, contributions and devises to assist in carrying out the purposes of this section. C. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. D. Each year the department may use up to fifteen percent of the monies in the fund to administer the fund. Subject to the fifteen percent cap, the department may hire ADDITIONAL staff as needed to fulfill the purposes of this section. E. The department shall provide grants to local watershed groups in rural areas to fund the administrative and operational needs of local watershed groups. For the purposes of this subsection, "administrative and operational needs" includes all of the following: 1. Staff training. 2. Budgeting software. 3. Technology. 4. Staff salaries. 5. Grant application fees. 6. Contracting fees for grant writers and hosting education events. 7. Other administrative and operational needs as determined by the department. F. Any watershed groups that exist on the effective date of this section are eligible to apply for project funding from the fund. The department shall give preference to applicants that: 1. have Clearly defined goals and objectives that will directly improve water conservation and watershed health. 2. Are located in high risk or critically depleted groundwater basins. g. The department shall adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted PURSUANT to this section shall INCLUDE: 1. Application criteria. 2. Grant application amounts. 3. DISBURSEMENT procedures. 4. Reporting requirements. h. on or before december 1, 2026 and each year thereafter, the department shall submit a report of the fund and the ACTIVITIES conducted in the previous fiscal year to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state. The department shall post the report on the department's website. END_STATUTE Sec. 2. Appropriation; rural watershed sustainability initiative fund; exemption A. The sum of $500,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2025-2026 to the rural watershed sustainability initiative fund established by section 45-119, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act and is appropriated from the rural watershed sustainability initiative fund to the department of water resources. B. 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. Sec. 3. Legislative findings The legislature finds that a lack of funding for local rural watershed groups is a significant barrier for local watershed groups to conduct work that promotes water conservation, increases resiliency against the adverse impacts of drought and protects the limited water supplies of this state.
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80	80	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
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82	82	Section 1. Title 45, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 45-119, to read:
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84	84	START_STATUTE45-119. Rural watershed sustainability initiative fund; grants; rules; report
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86	86	A. The rural watershed sustainability initiative fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The department shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation.
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88	88	B. The director may accept and spend federal monies and private grants, gifts, contributions and devises to assist in carrying out the purposes of this section.
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90	90	C. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.
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92	92	D. Each year the department may use up to fifteen percent of the monies in the fund to administer the fund. Subject to the fifteen percent cap, the department may hire ADDITIONAL staff as needed to fulfill the purposes of this section.
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94	94	E. The department shall provide grants to local watershed groups in rural areas to fund the administrative and operational needs of local watershed groups. For the purposes of this subsection, "administrative and operational needs" includes all of the following:
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96	96	1. Staff training.
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98	98	2. Budgeting software.
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100	100	3. Technology.
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102	102	4. Staff salaries.
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104	104	5. Grant application fees.
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106	106	6. Contracting fees for grant writers and hosting education events.
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108	108	7. Other administrative and operational needs as determined by the department.
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110	110	F. Any watershed groups that exist on the effective date of this section are eligible to apply for project funding from the fund. The department shall give preference to applicants that:
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112	112	1. have Clearly defined goals and objectives that will directly improve water conservation and watershed health.
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114	114	2. Are located in high risk or critically depleted groundwater basins.
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116	116	g. The department shall adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted PURSUANT to this section shall INCLUDE:
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118	118	1. Application criteria.
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120	120	2. Grant application amounts.
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122	122	3. DISBURSEMENT procedures.
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124	124	4. Reporting requirements.
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126	126	h. on or before december 1, 2026 and each year thereafter, the department shall submit a report of the fund and the ACTIVITIES conducted in the previous fiscal year to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state. The department shall post the report on the department's website. END_STATUTE
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128	128	Sec. 2. Appropriation; rural watershed sustainability initiative fund; exemption
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130	130	A. The sum of $500,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2025-2026 to the rural watershed sustainability initiative fund established by section 45-119, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act and is appropriated from the rural watershed sustainability initiative fund to the department of water resources.
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132	132	B. 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.
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134	134	Sec. 3. Legislative findings
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136	136	The legislature finds that a lack of funding for local rural watershed groups is a significant barrier for local watershed groups to conduct work that promotes water conservation, increases resiliency against the adverse impacts of drought and protects the limited water supplies of this state.