Senate Engrossed technical correction; military; special plates (now: criminal justice commission; sheriffs) State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 SENATE BILL 1279 AN ACT amending sections 41-2401, 41-2402 and 41-2403, Arizona Revised Statutes; repealing section 41-2404, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending title 41, chapter 21, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding a new section 41-2404; amending sections 41-2405, 41-2406, 41-2407, 41-2408, 41-2409, 41-2410, 41-2414, 41-2420 and 41-2421, Arizona Revised Statutes; repealing section 41-3025.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending title 41, chapter 27, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-3033.01; appropriating monies; relating to criminal justice commission. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Senate Engrossed technical correction; military; special plates (now: criminal justice commission; sheriffs)
State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
SENATE BILL 1279
Senate Engrossed
technical correction; military; special plates
(now: criminal justice commission; sheriffs)
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
2025
SENATE BILL 1279
AN ACT
amending sections 41-2401, 41-2402 and 41-2403, Arizona Revised Statutes; repealing section 41-2404, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending title 41, chapter 21, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding a new section 41-2404; amending sections 41-2405, 41-2406, 41-2407, 41-2408, 41-2409, 41-2410, 41-2414, 41-2420 and 41-2421, Arizona Revised Statutes; repealing section 41-3025.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending title 41, chapter 27, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-3033.01; appropriating monies; relating to criminal justice commission.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Heading Change The chapter heading of title 41, chapter 21, Arizona Revised Statutes, is changed from "Arizona CRIMINAL justice commission" to "SHERIFFS' CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION". Sec. 2. Section 41-2401, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2401. Sheriffs' criminal justice enhancement fund A. The sheriffs' criminal justice enhancement fund is established consisting of monies collected pursuant to section 12-116.01 and monies available from any other source. The state treasurer shall administer the fund. B. On or before November 1 of each year, each department, agency or office that receives monies pursuant to this section shall provide to the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission a report for the preceding fiscal year. The report shall be in a form prescribed by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission. The report shall set forth the sources of all monies and all expenditures. The report shall not include any identifying information about specific investigations. C. On or before December 1 of each year, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall compile all reports into a single comprehensive report and shall submit a copy of the comprehensive report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the director of the joint legislative budget committee. D. On the first day of each month, the state treasurer shall distribute or deposit: 1. 20.81 percent in the department of public safety forensics fund established by section 41-1730. 2. 3.57 percent to the department of juvenile corrections for the treatment and rehabilitation of youth who have committed drug-related offenses. 3. 5.18 percent in the Arizona prosecuting attorneys' advisory council training fund established by section 41-1830.03. 4. 12.38 percent to the supreme court for the purpose of reducing juvenile crime. 5. 10.01 percent to the department of public safety for allocation to state and local law enforcement authorities for the following purposes: (a) To enhance projects that are designed to prevent residential and commercial burglaries, to control street crime, including the activities of criminal street gangs, and to locate missing children. (b) To provide support to the Arizona automated fingerprint identification system. (c) Operational costs of the criminal justice information system. 6. 12.38 percent to the department of law for allocation to county attorneys for the purpose of enhancing prosecutorial efforts. 7. 8.59 percent to the supreme court for the purpose of enhancing the ability of the courts to process criminal and delinquency cases, orders of protection, injunctions against harassment and any proceeding relating to domestic violence matters, for auditing and investigating persons or entities licensed or certified by the supreme court and for processing judicial discipline cases. Notwithstanding section 12-143, subsection A, the salary of superior court judges pro tempore who are appointed for the purposes provided in this paragraph shall, and the salary of other superior court judges pro tempore who are appointed pursuant to section 12-141 for the purposes provided in this paragraph may, be paid in full by the monies received pursuant to this paragraph. 8. 15.06 percent to the county sheriffs for the purpose of enhancing county jail facilities and operations, including county jails under the jurisdiction of county jail districts. 9. 3.52 percent to the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission. 10. 4.34 percent in the department of public safety forensics fund established by section 41-1730. 11. 4.16 percent to the supreme court for the purpose of providing drug treatment services to adult probationers through the community punishment program established in title 12, chapter 2, article 11. E. Monies distributed pursuant to subsection D, paragraphs 3, 6, 8 and 10 of this section constitute a continuing appropriation. Monies distributed pursuant to subsection D, paragraphs 1, 2, 4, 7, 9 and 11 of this section are subject to legislative appropriation. F. The portion of the monies for direct operating expenses of the department of public safety in subsection D, paragraph 5 of this section is subject to legislative appropriation. The remainder of the monies in subsection D, paragraph 5 of this section, including the portion for local law enforcement, is continuously appropriated. G. The allocation of monies pursuant to subsection D, paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8 of this section shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission pursuant to section 41-2405. END_STATUTE Sec. 3. Section 41-2402, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2402. Drug and gang enforcement fund; resource center fund; uses A. The drug and gang enforcement fund is established and consists of monies appropriated by the legislature and any other monies available from other sources, public or private. Monies in the fund shall be used to enhance efforts to deter, investigate, prosecute, adjudicate and punish drug offenders and members of criminal street gangs as defined in section 13-105. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall distribute monies from the drug and gang enforcement fund in the following manner: 1. Up to fifty percent to fund law enforcement agencies approved by the commission to enhance both: (a) The investigation of drug and gang offenses and related criminal activity. (b) Drug and gang education and prevention programs. 2. Up to fifty percent to fund programs and agencies approved by the commission to enhance the state, county, city or town prosecution of drug and gang offenses and related criminal activity. 3. Up to thirty percent to fund programs and agencies approved by the commission for the purpose of enhancing the ability of the courts to process drug and gang offenses and related criminal cases, either through the appointment of judges pro tempore or the establishment of additional divisions of the courts only for the purposes of this section, enhancing defense and probation services, including treatment, and funding the drug testing program. 4. Up to thirty percent to fund programs by county sheriffs and the state department of corrections, as approved by the commission, to enhance drug offender treatment programs and the jail operations and facilities available to detain and incarcerate drug offenders and members of criminal street gangs as defined in section 13-105. 5. Up to thirty percent to fund programs and agencies, as approved by the commission, to enhance the integration of criminal justice records relating to drug and gang offenders and their related criminal activity. C. Any state agency that receives monies allocated from the drug and gang enforcement fund shall not include the monies as part of the state agency's continuation budget base for the purpose of requesting appropriations for the following fiscal year. D. All the monies allocated from the drug and gang enforcement fund shall be dedicated solely to the purpose of enhancing efforts to deter, investigate, prosecute, adjudicate and punish drug and gang and related criminal offenders, except those monies allocated pursuant to subsection G of this section. E. Notwithstanding the limitations prescribed in subsection B of this section, any federal monies or matching state monies in the drug and gang enforcement fund may only be allocated by the commission pursuant to a plan approved by the federal government. F. The auditor general shall annually perform a full and complete audit of the drug and gang enforcement fund or the commission shall annually contract with an accounting firm to perform the audit and deliver a report to the governor and the legislature. The audit shall be charged to the drug and gang enforcement fund. G. The resource center fund is established consisting of monies received pursuant to section 12-284.03, subsection A, paragraph 1 and section 41-178 and all monies received from public or private gifts, grants or other sources, excluding federal monies and monies to be passed through to other entities, to be used solely for funding the Arizona youth survey and Arizona statistical analysis center. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation. Any monies unexpended or unencumbered on June 30 of each year shall not be subsequently expended or encumbered unless reappropriated. Monies in the drug and gang enforcement fund shall not be used to fund the Arizona youth survey. END_STATUTE Sec. 4. Section 41-2403, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2403. Designated state administering agency for federal Edward Byrne memorial justice assistance grants; report A. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission is this state's designated state administering agency for the federal Edward Byrne memorial justice assistance grant that is administered by the United States department of justice, bureau of justice assistance, office of justice programs. B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall submit a copy of the federal application for Edward Byrne memorial justice assistance grant monies to the joint legislative budget committee for review at least thirty days before the federal application for the grant is submitted. END_STATUTE Sec. 5. Repeal Section 41-2404, Arizona Revised Statutes, is repealed. Sec. 6. Title 41, chapter 21, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section 41-2404, to read: START_STATUTE41-2404. Sheriffs' criminal justice commission; members; compensation; terms; meetings A. The sheriffs' criminal justice commission is established and CONSISTS of the FOLLOWING members: 1. Two county sheriffs who are appointed by the president of the senate. 2. Two county sheriffs who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. 3. One county sheriff who is appointed by the governor. 4. Two members of the public who are from different political parties and who are appointed by the governor. One of the public members must have EXPERIENCE in state law and the other public member must have EXPERIENCE in federal law. 5. Two municipal law enforcement chiefs of police who are appointed by the governor. B. Members shall serve for terms of two years terminating on the convening of the first regular session of the legislature. Any appointive member who CEASES to be an elected sheriff or a municipal law enforcement chief of police during the term is deemed to have resigned. Appointments to fill a vacancy shall be made in the same manner as the original appointment. C. The commission shall meet and organize by electing from among its membership officers as are deemed necessary or advisable. The commission shall meet at least once during each calendar quarter and additionally as the chairperson deems necessary. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business. D. Members of the commission are not eligible to receive compensation, but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2. END_STATUTE Sec. 7. Section 41-2405, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2405. Sheriffs' criminal justice commission; powers and duties; staff A. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall: 1. Monitor the progress and implementation of new and continuing criminal justice legislation. 2. Facilitate research among criminal justice agencies and maintain criminal justice system information. 3. Facilitate coordinated statewide efforts to improve criminal justice information and data sharing. 4. Prepare for the governor a biennial criminal justice system review report. The report shall contain: (a) An analysis of all criminal justice programs created by the legislature in the preceding two years. (b) An analysis of the effectiveness of the criminal code, with a discussion of any problems and recommendations for revisions if deemed necessary. (c) A study of the level of activity in the several areas of the criminal justice system, with recommendations for redistribution of criminal justice revenues if deemed necessary. (d) An overall review of the entire criminal justice system, including crime prevention, criminal apprehension, prosecution, court administration and incarceration at the state and local levels as well as funding needs for the system. (e) Recommendations for constitutional, statutory and administrative revisions that are necessary to develop and maintain a cohesive and effective criminal justice system. 5. Provide supplemental reports on criminal justice issues of special timeliness. 6. In coordination with other governmental agencies, gather information on programs that are designed to effectuate community crime prevention and education using citizen participation and on programs for alcohol and drug abuse prevention, education and treatment and disseminate that information to the public, political subdivisions, law enforcement agencies and the legislature. 7. Make recommendations to the legislature and the governor regarding the purposes and formula for allocation of fund monies as provided in section 41-2401, subsection D and section 41-2402 through the biennial agency budget request. 8. Adopt rules for the purpose of allocating fund monies as provided in sections 41-2401, 41-2402 and 41-2407 that are consistent with the purposes set forth in those sections and that promote effective and efficient use of the monies. 9. Make reports to the governor and the legislature as they require. 10. Oversee the research, analyses, studies, reports and publication of crime and criminal justice statistics prepared by the Arizona statistical analysis center, which is an operating section of the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission. 11. Prepare an annual report on law enforcement activities in this state that are funded by the drug and gang enforcement fund or the sheriffs' criminal justice enhancement fund and that relate to illicit drugs and drug related drug-related gang activity. The report shall be submitted by October 31 of each year to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and a copy shall be submitted to the secretary of state. The report shall include: (a) The name and a description of each law enforcement program dealing with illegal drug activity or street gang activity, or both. (b) The objective and goals of each program. (c) The source and amount of monies received by each program. (d) The name of the agency or entity that administers each program. (e) The effectiveness of each program. 12. Compile and disseminate information on best practices for cold case investigations, including effective victim communication procedures. For the purposes of this paragraph, "cold case" means a homicide or a felony sexual offense that remains unsolved for one year or more after being reported to a law enforcement agency and that has no viable and unexplored investigatory leads. 13. Beginning January 1, 2019, Submit an annual recidivism report to the legislature that compares the recidivism rate for a person who serves a term of mandatory incarceration in a county jail pursuant to section 28-1383 and a person who serves that term of mandatory incarceration in prison. B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission, as necessary to perform its functions, may: 1. Request any state or local criminal justice agency to submit any necessary information. 2. Form subcommittees, make studies, conduct inquiries and hold hearings. 3. Subject to chapter 4, article 4 of this title, employ consultants for special projects and such staff as deemed necessary or advisable to carry out this section. 4. Delegate its duties to carry out this section, including: (a) The authority to enter into contracts and agreements on behalf of the commission. (b) Subject to chapter 4, article 4 and, as applicable, articles 5 and 6 of this title, the authority to appoint, hire, terminate and discipline all personnel of the commission, including consultants. 5. Establish joint research and information facilities with governmental and private agencies. 6. Accept and expend spend public and private grants of monies, gifts and contributions and expend, distribute or allocate monies appropriated to the commission for the purpose of enhancing efforts to investigate or prosecute and adjudicate any crime and to implement this chapter. END_STATUTE Sec. 8. Section 41-2406, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2406. Sexual assault records; reports A. The department of public safety shall electronically provide a data extract from the Arizona computerized criminal history system of all records relating to sexual assaults pursuant to section 13-1406 twice a year to the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission. B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall maintain the following records extract regarding sexual assaults pursuant to section 13-1406 that are submitted to the commission by the department of public safety: 1. The number of police reports that are filed if available. 2. The number of charges that are filed and what charges are filed. 3. The number of convictions that are obtained. 4. The sentences that are imposed for each conviction. C. The commission shall annually submit the report required by subsection B of this section 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 commission may submit this report electronically. END_STATUTE Sec. 9. Section 41-2407, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2407. Victim compensation and assistance fund; subrogation; prohibited debt collection activity; definition A. The victim compensation and assistance fund is established. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. The victim compensation and assistance fund shall consist of monies collected pursuant to section 31-411, subsection E and sections 12-116.08, 13-4310, 31-418, 31-467.06 and 41-1674, unclaimed victim restitution monies pursuant to sections 22-116 and 44-313 and monies available from any other source. B. Subject to legislative appropriation, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall allocate monies in the victim compensation and assistance fund to public and private agencies for the purpose of establishing, maintaining and supporting programs that compensate and assist victims of crime. C. The allocation of monies pursuant to this section shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission pursuant to section 41-2405, subsection A, paragraph 8. The rules shall provide that persons who suffered personal injury or death that resulted from an attempt to aid a public safety officer in the prevention of a crime or the apprehension of a criminal may be eligible for compensation. D. This state and the applicable operational unit or qualified program, as defined in the victim compensation program rules, are subrogated to the rights of an individual who receives monies from the victim compensation and assistance fund to recover or receive monies or benefits from a third party, to the extent of the amount of monies the individual receives from the fund. E. A licensed health care provider who agrees to the victim compensation program rules may receive program monies for providing health and medical services to a victim or claimant. A licensed health care provider who accepts the full allowable payment for those services from a victim compensation program funded pursuant to this section is deemed to have accepted the payment as the full payment for those services. The licensed health care provider may not collect or attempt to collect any payment for the same health and medical services from the victim or claimant, except that if a victim compensation program funded pursuant to this section is unable to pay the full allowable payment to a licensed health care provider because of a lack of available monies or for any other reason, the licensed health care provider may collect the unpaid balance for the services from the victim or claimant or from a third-party payor, and the total amount billed or requested by the licensed health care provider may not exceed the full allowable payment that the licensed health care provider agreed to accept from the victim compensation program for the services. F. If a licensed health care provider receives notice that a person has filed a claim with a victim compensation program funded by this section, the licensed health care provider is prohibited from any debt collection activity for any monies owed by the person that are included in the filed claim until an award is made on the claim or until a determination is made that the claim is noncompensable. For the purposes of this subsection, "debt collection activity" includes repeatedly telephoning or writing to the claimant and threatening to either turn the matter over to a debt collection agency or to an attorney for collection, enforcement or filing of any other debt collection process. Debt collection activity does not include routine billing or inquiries about the status of the claim. G. For the purposes of this section, "licensed health care provider" means a person or institution that is licensed or certified by this state to provide health care services, medical services, nursing services, emergency medical services and ambulance services that are regulated pursuant to title 36, chapter 21.1, article 2 or other health-related services. END_STATUTE Sec. 10. Section 41-2408, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2408. Criminal justice data collection; reporting requirements; definition A. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission is designated as the central collection point for criminal justice data collection. B. Unless prohibited by federal or state law, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission may require any state or local criminal justice agency to submit any necessary information that is currently collected and readily reportable by the agency at the time of the request, including an agency's compliance with statutorily required reports or mandated federal or state reporting, or any other information that is deemed necessary by a vote of the full commission. C. This section does not authorize the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission to require state or local criminal justice agencies to collect or maintain any new data that is not required under subsection B of this section. D. For the purposes of this section, "criminal justice agency" has the same meaning prescribed in section 41-1750. END_STATUTE Sec. 11. Section 41-2409, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2409. State aid; administration; report A. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the state aid to county attorneys fund established by section 11-539. On or before September 1 of each year, the commission shall distribute monies in the fund to each county according to the following composite index formula: 1. The three-year average of the total felony filings in the superior court in the county, divided by the statewide three-year average of the total felony filings in the superior court. 2. The county population, as adopted by the office of economic opportunity, divided by the statewide population, as adopted by the office of economic opportunity. 3. The sum of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection divided by two equals the composite index. 4. The composite index for each county shall be used as the multiplier against the total funds monies appropriated from the state general fund and other monies distributed to the fund pursuant to section 41-2421. B. The board of supervisors in each county shall separately account for the monies transmitted pursuant to subsection A of this section and may expend these monies only for the purposes specified in section 11-539. The county treasurer shall invest these monies and interest earned shall be expended only for the purposes specified in section 11-539. C. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the state aid to indigent defense fund established by section 11-588. By September 1 of each fiscal year, the commission shall distribute monies in the fund to each county according to the following composite index formula: 1. The three-year average of the total felony filings in the superior court in the county divided by the statewide three-year average of the total felony filings in the superior court. 2. The county population, as adopted by the office of economic opportunity, divided by the statewide population, as adopted by the office of economic opportunity. 3. The sum of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection divided by two equals the composite index. 4. The composite index for each county shall be used as the multiplier against the total funds monies appropriated from the state general fund and other monies distributed to the fund pursuant to section 41-2421. D. The board of supervisors shall separately account for the monies transmitted pursuant to subsection C of this section and may expend these monies only for the purposes specified in section 11-588. The county treasurer shall invest these monies and interest earned shall be expended only for the purposes specified in section 11-588. E. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the state aid for juvenile dependency proceedings fund established by section 41-2410. On or before September 1 of each fiscal year, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall distribute monies in the fund to each eligible county in which the three-year average of the total juvenile dependency case filings in the superior court in the county exceeds the three-year average juvenile dependency case filings in the superior court of the county for fiscal years 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 based on the proportional share of the increase in petitions for each county. F. The board of supervisors shall separately account for the monies distributed pursuant to subsection E of this section and may spend these monies only for the purposes specified in section 41-2410. The county treasurer shall invest these monies and interest earned shall be spent only for the purposes specified in section 41-2410. G. On or before January 8 each year, the commission shall report to each county board of supervisors, the governor, the legislature, the joint legislative budget committee, the chief justice of the supreme court and the attorney general on the expenditure of the monies in the state aid to county attorneys fund and the state aid to indigent defense fund for the prior fiscal year and on the progress made in achieving the goal of improved criminal case processing. END_STATUTE Sec. 12. Section 41-2410, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2410. State aid for juvenile dependency proceedings fund; exemption A. The state aid for juvenile dependency proceedings fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. Monies in the fund shall be used to provide state aid to county public defenders, legal defenders and contract indigent defense counsel for the processing of juvenile dependency cases. B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. The commission shall distribute monies in the fund to each county pursuant to section 41-2409, subsection E. C. On notice from the commission, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investments shall be credited to the fund. END_STATUTE Sec. 13. Section 41-2414, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2414. Law enforcement crime victim notification fund; software; vendor requirement; use of monies; definition A. The law enforcement crime victim notification fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated. Notwithstanding any other law, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall use fund monies to expand the commission's automated crime victim notification system and to fund software that does the following: 1. Complies with all of the following: (a) Article II, section 2.1, Constitution of Arizona. (b) Title 8, chapter 3, article 7. (c) Title 13, chapter 40. 2. Enables the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission to deploy an automated crime victim notification system to a user base consisting of law enforcement agencies. The automated crime victim notification system must do the following: (a) Automatically, and without the requirement to download a software application or to opt in to notifications, notify the victim by email or text of all of the following regarding a victim's law enforcement crime report, investigation and case, if approved by the law enforcement agency: (i) The date on which the report is filed. (ii) The case number. (iii) The name of the detective who is assigned to the case. (iv) When arrests are made. (v) When warrants are issued. (vi) When the case is sent to the prosecuting agency. (vii) Initial appearance. (b) Interface with the law enforcement agency's system of record. (c) Provide configurable triggers to send messages to crime victims. (d) Provide the ability to attach informational brochures or other electronic attachments to the messages. (e) Provide the ability for victims to find their case status on the vendors' websites with links that are available on the law enforcement agency's website. (f) Be configurable to the requirements of each law enforcement agency in this state. (g) Include the law enforcement agency's branding, email address and web domain for all communications. (h) Provide the ability to send messages in multiple languages. (i) Provide a short code or a long code telephone number with a local area code. (j) Monitor the number of messages sent and the types of messages sent and visualize the data. 3. Provides a criminal justice information service compliant automated victim notification platform that ensures the following: (a) Crime victims are automatically notified by text, automated telephone call or email following any updates to their case. (b) Law enforcement agencies determine the notifications. (c) Crime victims are able to proactively locate their case status online. (d) No additional staffing is required. 4. Provides for multiagency notification to enable an agency to automatically share the status of an incident or investigation with an identified partner agency based on configurable criteria. 5. Allows victims to leverage conversational artificial intelligence for bidirectional real-time communication with law enforcement agencies through voice, text messages and emails. The system shall provide a virtual agent that responds to and asks questions based on the victim's questions and responses. 6. Provides a mechanism to track whether there is a data outage at a law enforcement agency and informs the law enforcement agency and the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission of the data outage. During an outage period, the software system shall have a backup process for law enforcement agencies to ensure that notifications are made in a timely and accurate manner. 7. Complies with the technical guidelines and standards for the operation of a statewide automated crime victim information and notification system recommended by the United States department of justice's bureau of justice assistance. 8. Provides a designated statewide toll-free number that is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, that is operated by trained operators available in multiple languages and that allows victims, surviving immediate family members, witnesses and other concerned citizens to search for and obtain information about an offender, inmate or case and to register for notifications. B. The vendors chosen by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission to be part of the partnership must have previously deployed a solution for a city police department, sheriff's office and prosecutor's office. The previously deployed solutions could have been deployed in Arizona or in another state, or a combination of both. C. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall use the monies in the fund to pay for law enforcement agencies that choose to use the automated crime victim notification system. D. For the purposes of this section, "law enforcement agency" includes a state, city, town, county, tribal, university or prosecutorial agency. END_STATUTE Sec. 14. Section 41-2420, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2420. County jail juvenile improvement fund; exemption A. The county jail juvenile improvement fund is established for the purpose of funding the construction of new juvenile beds in county jail facilities in which juveniles will be detained. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. B. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to the lapsing of appropriations. END_STATUTE Sec. 15. Section 41-2421, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read: START_STATUTE41-2421. Enhanced collections; allocation of monies; criminal justice entities A. Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided in subsection J of this section, five per cent percent of any monies collected by the supreme court and the court of appeals for the payment of filing fees, including clerk fees, diversion fees, fines, penalties, surcharges, sanctions and forfeitures, shall be deposited, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, and allocated pursuant to the formula in subsection B of this section. This subsection does not apply to monies collected by the courts pursuant to section 16-954, subsection A, or for child support, restitution or exonerated bonds. B. The monies deposited pursuant to subsection A of this section shall be allocated according to the following formula: 1. 21.61 per cent percent to the state aid to county attorneys fund established by section 11-539. 2. 20.53 per cent percent to the state aid to indigent defense fund established by section 11-588. 3. 57.37 per cent percent to the state aid to the courts fund established by section 12-102.02. 4. 0.49 per cent percent to the department of law for the processing of criminal cases. C. Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided in subsection J of this section, five per cent percent of any monies collected by the superior court, including the clerk of the court and the justice courts in each county for the payment of filing fees, including clerk fees, diversion fees, adult and juvenile probation fees, juvenile monetary assessments, fines, penalties, surcharges, sanctions and forfeitures, shall be transmitted to the county treasurer for allocation pursuant to subsections E, F, G and H of this section. This subsection does not apply to monies collected by the courts pursuant to section 16-954, subsection A or for child support, restitution or exonerated bonds. D. The supreme court shall adopt guidelines regarding the collection of revenues pursuant to subsections A and C of this section. E. The county treasurer shall allocate the monies deposited pursuant to subsection C of this section according to the following formula: 1. 21.61 per cent percent for the purposes specified in section 11-539. 2. 20.53 per cent percent for the purposes specified in section 11-588. 3. 57.37 per cent percent to the local courts assistance fund established by section 12-102.03. 4. 0.49 per cent percent to the state treasurer for transmittal to the department of law for the processing of criminal cases. F. The board of supervisors in each county shall separately account for all monies received pursuant to subsections C and E of this section and expenditures of these monies may be made only after the requirements of subsections G and H of this section have been met. G. By December 1 of each year each county board of supervisors shall certify if the total revenues received by the justice courts and the superior court, including the clerk of the superior court, exceed the amount received in fiscal year 1997-1998. If the board so certifies, then the board shall distribute the lesser of either: 1. The total amount deposited pursuant to subsection C of this section. 2. The amount collected and deposited pursuant to subsection C of this section that exceeds the base year collections of fiscal year 1997-1998. These monies shall be distributed according to the formula specified in subsection E of this section. Any monies remaining after this allocation shall be transmitted as otherwise provided by law. H. If a county board of supervisors determines that the total revenues transmitted by the superior court, including the clerk of the superior court and the justice courts in the county, do not equal the base year collections transmitted in fiscal year 1997-1998 the monies specified in subsection C of this section shall be transmitted by the county treasurer as otherwise provided by law. I. For the purposes of this section, base year collections shall be those collections specified in subsection C of this section. J. Monies collected pursuant to section 12-116.01, subsection B shall be allocated as follows: 1. 15.44 per cent percent to the state aid to county attorneys fund established by section 11-539. 2. 14.66 per cent percent to the state aid to indigent defense fund established by section 11-588. 3. 40.97 per cent percent to the state aid to the courts fund established by section 12-102.02. 4. 0.35 per cent percent to the department of law for the processing of criminal cases. 5. 14.29 per cent percent to the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission for distribution to state, county and municipal law enforcement full service forensic crime laboratories pursuant to rules adopted by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission. 6. 14.29 per cent percent to the supreme court for allocation to the municipal courts pursuant to subsection K of this section. K. The supreme court shall administer and allocate the monies received pursuant to subsection J, paragraph 6 of this section to the municipal courts based on the total amount of surcharges transmitted pursuant to section 12-116.01 by that jurisdiction's city treasurer to the state treasurer for the prior fiscal year divided by the total amount of surcharges transmitted to the state treasurer pursuant to section 12-116.01 by all city treasurers statewide for the prior fiscal year. The municipal court shall use the monies received to improve, maintain and enhance the ability to collect and manage monies assessed or received by the courts, to improve court automation and to improve case processing or the administration of justice. The municipal court shall submit a plan to the supreme court and the supreme court shall approve the plan before the municipal court begins to spend these allocated monies. END_STATUTE Sec. 16. Repeal Section 41-3025.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is repealed. Sec. 17. Title 41, chapter 27, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-3033.01, to read: START_STATUTE41-3033.01. Sheriffs' criminal justice commission; termination July 1, 2033 A. The Sheriffs' criminal justice commission terminates on July 1, 2033. B. Sections 41-2404 and 41-2405 and this section are repealed on January 1, 2034. END_STATUTE Sec. 18. Report On or before March 1, 2026, the sheriffs' criminal justice commission established pursuant to the new section 41-2404, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act, shall provide a report to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that contains recommendations on all of the following: 1. If any duties currently designated to the commission should be repealed. 2. If any duties currently designated to the commission should be transferred to another appropriate agency or department in this state. 3. If any additional duties should be statutorily designated to the commission. Sec. 19. Succession A. As provided by this act, the sheriffs' criminal justice commission succeeds to the authority, powers, duties and responsibilities of the Arizona criminal justice commission. B. This act does not alter the effect of any actions that were taken or impair the valid obligations of the Arizona criminal justice commission in existence before July 1, 2025. C. Administrative rules and orders that were adopted by the Arizona criminal justice commission continue in effect until superseded by administrative action by the sheriffs' criminal justice commission. D. All administrative matters, contracts and judicial and quasi-judicial actions, whether completed, pending or in process, of the Arizona criminal justice commission on July 1, 2025 are transferred to and retain the same status as the sheriffs' criminal justice commission. E. All equipment, records, furnishings and other property, data and investigative findings, all obligations and all appropriated monies that remain unexpended and unencumbered on January 1, 2025 of the Arizona criminal justice commission are transferred to the sheriffs' criminal justice commission. F. All personnel who are under the state personnel system and employed by the Arizona criminal justice commission are transferred to comparable positions and pay classifications in the respective administrative units of the sheriffs' criminal justice commission on July 1, 2025. Sec. 20. Conforming legislation The legislative council staff shall prepare proposed legislation conforming the Arizona Revised Statutes to the provisions of this act for consideration in the fifty-seventh legislature, second regular session. Sec. 21. Retroactivity This act applies retroactively to from and after July 1, 2025.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Heading Change
The chapter heading of title 41, chapter 21, Arizona Revised Statutes, is changed from "Arizona CRIMINAL justice commission" to "SHERIFFS' CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION".
Sec. 2. Section 41-2401, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2401. Sheriffs' criminal justice enhancement fund
A. The sheriffs' criminal justice enhancement fund is established consisting of monies collected pursuant to section 12-116.01 and monies available from any other source. The state treasurer shall administer the fund.
B. On or before November 1 of each year, each department, agency or office that receives monies pursuant to this section shall provide to the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission a report for the preceding fiscal year. The report shall be in a form prescribed by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission. The report shall set forth the sources of all monies and all expenditures. The report shall not include any identifying information about specific investigations.
C. On or before December 1 of each year, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall compile all reports into a single comprehensive report and shall submit a copy of the comprehensive report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the director of the joint legislative budget committee.
D. On the first day of each month, the state treasurer shall distribute or deposit:
1. 20.81 percent in the department of public safety forensics fund established by section 41-1730.
2. 3.57 percent to the department of juvenile corrections for the treatment and rehabilitation of youth who have committed drug-related offenses.
3. 5.18 percent in the Arizona prosecuting attorneys' advisory council training fund established by section 41-1830.03.
4. 12.38 percent to the supreme court for the purpose of reducing juvenile crime.
5. 10.01 percent to the department of public safety for allocation to state and local law enforcement authorities for the following purposes:
(a) To enhance projects that are designed to prevent residential and commercial burglaries, to control street crime, including the activities of criminal street gangs, and to locate missing children.
(b) To provide support to the Arizona automated fingerprint identification system.
(c) Operational costs of the criminal justice information system.
6. 12.38 percent to the department of law for allocation to county attorneys for the purpose of enhancing prosecutorial efforts.
7. 8.59 percent to the supreme court for the purpose of enhancing the ability of the courts to process criminal and delinquency cases, orders of protection, injunctions against harassment and any proceeding relating to domestic violence matters, for auditing and investigating persons or entities licensed or certified by the supreme court and for processing judicial discipline cases. Notwithstanding section 12-143, subsection A, the salary of superior court judges pro tempore who are appointed for the purposes provided in this paragraph shall, and the salary of other superior court judges pro tempore who are appointed pursuant to section 12-141 for the purposes provided in this paragraph may, be paid in full by the monies received pursuant to this paragraph.
8. 15.06 percent to the county sheriffs for the purpose of enhancing county jail facilities and operations, including county jails under the jurisdiction of county jail districts.
9. 3.52 percent to the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission.
10. 4.34 percent in the department of public safety forensics fund established by section 41-1730.
11. 4.16 percent to the supreme court for the purpose of providing drug treatment services to adult probationers through the community punishment program established in title 12, chapter 2, article 11.
E. Monies distributed pursuant to subsection D, paragraphs 3, 6, 8 and 10 of this section constitute a continuing appropriation. Monies distributed pursuant to subsection D, paragraphs 1, 2, 4, 7, 9 and 11 of this section are subject to legislative appropriation.
F. The portion of the monies for direct operating expenses of the department of public safety in subsection D, paragraph 5 of this section is subject to legislative appropriation. The remainder of the monies in subsection D, paragraph 5 of this section, including the portion for local law enforcement, is continuously appropriated.
G. The allocation of monies pursuant to subsection D, paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8 of this section shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission pursuant to section 41-2405. END_STATUTE
Sec. 3. Section 41-2402, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2402. Drug and gang enforcement fund; resource center fund; uses
A. The drug and gang enforcement fund is established and consists of monies appropriated by the legislature and any other monies available from other sources, public or private. Monies in the fund shall be used to enhance efforts to deter, investigate, prosecute, adjudicate and punish drug offenders and members of criminal street gangs as defined in section 13-105. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund.
B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall distribute monies from the drug and gang enforcement fund in the following manner:
1. Up to fifty percent to fund law enforcement agencies approved by the commission to enhance both:
(a) The investigation of drug and gang offenses and related criminal activity.
(b) Drug and gang education and prevention programs.
2. Up to fifty percent to fund programs and agencies approved by the commission to enhance the state, county, city or town prosecution of drug and gang offenses and related criminal activity.
3. Up to thirty percent to fund programs and agencies approved by the commission for the purpose of enhancing the ability of the courts to process drug and gang offenses and related criminal cases, either through the appointment of judges pro tempore or the establishment of additional divisions of the courts only for the purposes of this section, enhancing defense and probation services, including treatment, and funding the drug testing program.
4. Up to thirty percent to fund programs by county sheriffs and the state department of corrections, as approved by the commission, to enhance drug offender treatment programs and the jail operations and facilities available to detain and incarcerate drug offenders and members of criminal street gangs as defined in section 13-105.
5. Up to thirty percent to fund programs and agencies, as approved by the commission, to enhance the integration of criminal justice records relating to drug and gang offenders and their related criminal activity.
C. Any state agency that receives monies allocated from the drug and gang enforcement fund shall not include the monies as part of the state agency's continuation budget base for the purpose of requesting appropriations for the following fiscal year.
D. All the monies allocated from the drug and gang enforcement fund shall be dedicated solely to the purpose of enhancing efforts to deter, investigate, prosecute, adjudicate and punish drug and gang and related criminal offenders, except those monies allocated pursuant to subsection G of this section.
E. Notwithstanding the limitations prescribed in subsection B of this section, any federal monies or matching state monies in the drug and gang enforcement fund may only be allocated by the commission pursuant to a plan approved by the federal government.
F. The auditor general shall annually perform a full and complete audit of the drug and gang enforcement fund or the commission shall annually contract with an accounting firm to perform the audit and deliver a report to the governor and the legislature. The audit shall be charged to the drug and gang enforcement fund.
G. The resource center fund is established consisting of monies received pursuant to section 12-284.03, subsection A, paragraph 1 and section 41-178 and all monies received from public or private gifts, grants or other sources, excluding federal monies and monies to be passed through to other entities, to be used solely for funding the Arizona youth survey and Arizona statistical analysis center. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation. Any monies unexpended or unencumbered on June 30 of each year shall not be subsequently expended or encumbered unless reappropriated. Monies in the drug and gang enforcement fund shall not be used to fund the Arizona youth survey. END_STATUTE
Sec. 4. Section 41-2403, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2403. Designated state administering agency for federal Edward Byrne memorial justice assistance grants; report
A. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission is this state's designated state administering agency for the federal Edward Byrne memorial justice assistance grant that is administered by the United States department of justice, bureau of justice assistance, office of justice programs.
B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall submit a copy of the federal application for Edward Byrne memorial justice assistance grant monies to the joint legislative budget committee for review at least thirty days before the federal application for the grant is submitted. END_STATUTE
Sec. 5. Repeal
Section 41-2404, Arizona Revised Statutes, is repealed.
Sec. 6. Title 41, chapter 21, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section 41-2404, to read:
START_STATUTE41-2404. Sheriffs' criminal justice commission; members; compensation; terms; meetings
A. The sheriffs' criminal justice commission is established and CONSISTS of the FOLLOWING members:
1. Two county sheriffs who are appointed by the president of the senate.
2. Two county sheriffs who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
3. One county sheriff who is appointed by the governor.
4. Two members of the public who are from different political parties and who are appointed by the governor. One of the public members must have EXPERIENCE in state law and the other public member must have EXPERIENCE in federal law.
5. Two municipal law enforcement chiefs of police who are appointed by the governor.
B. Members shall serve for terms of two years terminating on the convening of the first regular session of the legislature. Any appointive member who CEASES to be an elected sheriff or a municipal law enforcement chief of police during the term is deemed to have resigned. Appointments to fill a vacancy shall be made in the same manner as the original appointment.
C. The commission shall meet and organize by electing from among its membership officers as are deemed necessary or advisable. The commission shall meet at least once during each calendar quarter and additionally as the chairperson deems necessary. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.
D. Members of the commission are not eligible to receive compensation, but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2. END_STATUTE
Sec. 7. Section 41-2405, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2405. Sheriffs' criminal justice commission; powers and duties; staff
A. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall:
1. Monitor the progress and implementation of new and continuing criminal justice legislation.
2. Facilitate research among criminal justice agencies and maintain criminal justice system information.
3. Facilitate coordinated statewide efforts to improve criminal justice information and data sharing.
4. Prepare for the governor a biennial criminal justice system review report. The report shall contain:
(a) An analysis of all criminal justice programs created by the legislature in the preceding two years.
(b) An analysis of the effectiveness of the criminal code, with a discussion of any problems and recommendations for revisions if deemed necessary.
(c) A study of the level of activity in the several areas of the criminal justice system, with recommendations for redistribution of criminal justice revenues if deemed necessary.
(d) An overall review of the entire criminal justice system, including crime prevention, criminal apprehension, prosecution, court administration and incarceration at the state and local levels as well as funding needs for the system.
(e) Recommendations for constitutional, statutory and administrative revisions that are necessary to develop and maintain a cohesive and effective criminal justice system.
5. Provide supplemental reports on criminal justice issues of special timeliness.
6. In coordination with other governmental agencies, gather information on programs that are designed to effectuate community crime prevention and education using citizen participation and on programs for alcohol and drug abuse prevention, education and treatment and disseminate that information to the public, political subdivisions, law enforcement agencies and the legislature.
7. Make recommendations to the legislature and the governor regarding the purposes and formula for allocation of fund monies as provided in section 41-2401, subsection D and section 41-2402 through the biennial agency budget request.
8. Adopt rules for the purpose of allocating fund monies as provided in sections 41-2401, 41-2402 and 41-2407 that are consistent with the purposes set forth in those sections and that promote effective and efficient use of the monies.
9. Make reports to the governor and the legislature as they require.
10. Oversee the research, analyses, studies, reports and publication of crime and criminal justice statistics prepared by the Arizona statistical analysis center, which is an operating section of the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission.
11. Prepare an annual report on law enforcement activities in this state that are funded by the drug and gang enforcement fund or the sheriffs' criminal justice enhancement fund and that relate to illicit drugs and drug related drug-related gang activity. The report shall be submitted by October 31 of each year to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and a copy shall be submitted to the secretary of state. The report shall include:
(a) The name and a description of each law enforcement program dealing with illegal drug activity or street gang activity, or both.
(b) The objective and goals of each program.
(c) The source and amount of monies received by each program.
(d) The name of the agency or entity that administers each program.
(e) The effectiveness of each program.
12. Compile and disseminate information on best practices for cold case investigations, including effective victim communication procedures. For the purposes of this paragraph, "cold case" means a homicide or a felony sexual offense that remains unsolved for one year or more after being reported to a law enforcement agency and that has no viable and unexplored investigatory leads.
13. Beginning January 1, 2019, Submit an annual recidivism report to the legislature that compares the recidivism rate for a person who serves a term of mandatory incarceration in a county jail pursuant to section 28-1383 and a person who serves that term of mandatory incarceration in prison.
B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission, as necessary to perform its functions, may:
1. Request any state or local criminal justice agency to submit any necessary information.
2. Form subcommittees, make studies, conduct inquiries and hold hearings.
3. Subject to chapter 4, article 4 of this title, employ consultants for special projects and such staff as deemed necessary or advisable to carry out this section.
4. Delegate its duties to carry out this section, including:
(a) The authority to enter into contracts and agreements on behalf of the commission.
(b) Subject to chapter 4, article 4 and, as applicable, articles 5 and 6 of this title, the authority to appoint, hire, terminate and discipline all personnel of the commission, including consultants.
5. Establish joint research and information facilities with governmental and private agencies.
6. Accept and expend spend public and private grants of monies, gifts and contributions and expend, distribute or allocate monies appropriated to the commission for the purpose of enhancing efforts to investigate or prosecute and adjudicate any crime and to implement this chapter. END_STATUTE
Sec. 8. Section 41-2406, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2406. Sexual assault records; reports
A. The department of public safety shall electronically provide a data extract from the Arizona computerized criminal history system of all records relating to sexual assaults pursuant to section 13-1406 twice a year to the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission.
B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall maintain the following records extract regarding sexual assaults pursuant to section 13-1406 that are submitted to the commission by the department of public safety:
1. The number of police reports that are filed if available.
2. The number of charges that are filed and what charges are filed.
3. The number of convictions that are obtained.
4. The sentences that are imposed for each conviction.
C. The commission shall annually submit the report required by subsection B of this section 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 commission may submit this report electronically. END_STATUTE
Sec. 9. Section 41-2407, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2407. Victim compensation and assistance fund; subrogation; prohibited debt collection activity; definition
A. The victim compensation and assistance fund is established. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. The victim compensation and assistance fund shall consist of monies collected pursuant to section 31-411, subsection E and sections 12-116.08, 13-4310, 31-418, 31-467.06 and 41-1674, unclaimed victim restitution monies pursuant to sections 22-116 and 44-313 and monies available from any other source.
B. Subject to legislative appropriation, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall allocate monies in the victim compensation and assistance fund to public and private agencies for the purpose of establishing, maintaining and supporting programs that compensate and assist victims of crime.
C. The allocation of monies pursuant to this section shall be made in accordance with rules adopted by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission pursuant to section 41-2405, subsection A, paragraph 8. The rules shall provide that persons who suffered personal injury or death that resulted from an attempt to aid a public safety officer in the prevention of a crime or the apprehension of a criminal may be eligible for compensation.
D. This state and the applicable operational unit or qualified program, as defined in the victim compensation program rules, are subrogated to the rights of an individual who receives monies from the victim compensation and assistance fund to recover or receive monies or benefits from a third party, to the extent of the amount of monies the individual receives from the fund.
E. A licensed health care provider who agrees to the victim compensation program rules may receive program monies for providing health and medical services to a victim or claimant. A licensed health care provider who accepts the full allowable payment for those services from a victim compensation program funded pursuant to this section is deemed to have accepted the payment as the full payment for those services. The licensed health care provider may not collect or attempt to collect any payment for the same health and medical services from the victim or claimant, except that if a victim compensation program funded pursuant to this section is unable to pay the full allowable payment to a licensed health care provider because of a lack of available monies or for any other reason, the licensed health care provider may collect the unpaid balance for the services from the victim or claimant or from a third-party payor, and the total amount billed or requested by the licensed health care provider may not exceed the full allowable payment that the licensed health care provider agreed to accept from the victim compensation program for the services.
F. If a licensed health care provider receives notice that a person has filed a claim with a victim compensation program funded by this section, the licensed health care provider is prohibited from any debt collection activity for any monies owed by the person that are included in the filed claim until an award is made on the claim or until a determination is made that the claim is noncompensable. For the purposes of this subsection, "debt collection activity" includes repeatedly telephoning or writing to the claimant and threatening to either turn the matter over to a debt collection agency or to an attorney for collection, enforcement or filing of any other debt collection process. Debt collection activity does not include routine billing or inquiries about the status of the claim.
G. For the purposes of this section, "licensed health care provider" means a person or institution that is licensed or certified by this state to provide health care services, medical services, nursing services, emergency medical services and ambulance services that are regulated pursuant to title 36, chapter 21.1, article 2 or other health-related services. END_STATUTE
Sec. 10. Section 41-2408, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2408. Criminal justice data collection; reporting requirements; definition
A. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission is designated as the central collection point for criminal justice data collection.
B. Unless prohibited by federal or state law, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission may require any state or local criminal justice agency to submit any necessary information that is currently collected and readily reportable by the agency at the time of the request, including an agency's compliance with statutorily required reports or mandated federal or state reporting, or any other information that is deemed necessary by a vote of the full commission.
C. This section does not authorize the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission to require state or local criminal justice agencies to collect or maintain any new data that is not required under subsection B of this section.
D. For the purposes of this section, "criminal justice agency" has the same meaning prescribed in section 41-1750. END_STATUTE
Sec. 11. Section 41-2409, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2409. State aid; administration; report
A. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the state aid to county attorneys fund established by section 11-539. On or before September 1 of each year, the commission shall distribute monies in the fund to each county according to the following composite index formula:
1. The three-year average of the total felony filings in the superior court in the county, divided by the statewide three-year average of the total felony filings in the superior court.
2. The county population, as adopted by the office of economic opportunity, divided by the statewide population, as adopted by the office of economic opportunity.
3. The sum of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection divided by two equals the composite index.
4. The composite index for each county shall be used as the multiplier against the total funds monies appropriated from the state general fund and other monies distributed to the fund pursuant to section 41-2421.
B. The board of supervisors in each county shall separately account for the monies transmitted pursuant to subsection A of this section and may expend these monies only for the purposes specified in section 11-539. The county treasurer shall invest these monies and interest earned shall be expended only for the purposes specified in section 11-539.
C. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the state aid to indigent defense fund established by section 11-588. By September 1 of each fiscal year, the commission shall distribute monies in the fund to each county according to the following composite index formula:
1. The three-year average of the total felony filings in the superior court in the county divided by the statewide three-year average of the total felony filings in the superior court.
2. The county population, as adopted by the office of economic opportunity, divided by the statewide population, as adopted by the office of economic opportunity.
3. The sum of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this subsection divided by two equals the composite index.
4. The composite index for each county shall be used as the multiplier against the total funds monies appropriated from the state general fund and other monies distributed to the fund pursuant to section 41-2421.
D. The board of supervisors shall separately account for the monies transmitted pursuant to subsection C of this section and may expend these monies only for the purposes specified in section 11-588. The county treasurer shall invest these monies and interest earned shall be expended only for the purposes specified in section 11-588.
E. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the state aid for juvenile dependency proceedings fund established by section 41-2410. On or before September 1 of each fiscal year, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall distribute monies in the fund to each eligible county in which the three-year average of the total juvenile dependency case filings in the superior court in the county exceeds the three-year average juvenile dependency case filings in the superior court of the county for fiscal years 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 based on the proportional share of the increase in petitions for each county.
F. The board of supervisors shall separately account for the monies distributed pursuant to subsection E of this section and may spend these monies only for the purposes specified in section 41-2410. The county treasurer shall invest these monies and interest earned shall be spent only for the purposes specified in section 41-2410.
G. On or before January 8 each year, the commission shall report to each county board of supervisors, the governor, the legislature, the joint legislative budget committee, the chief justice of the supreme court and the attorney general on the expenditure of the monies in the state aid to county attorneys fund and the state aid to indigent defense fund for the prior fiscal year and on the progress made in achieving the goal of improved criminal case processing. END_STATUTE
Sec. 12. Section 41-2410, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2410. State aid for juvenile dependency proceedings fund; exemption
A. The state aid for juvenile dependency proceedings fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. Monies in the fund shall be used to provide state aid to county public defenders, legal defenders and contract indigent defense counsel for the processing of juvenile dependency cases.
B. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. The commission shall distribute monies in the fund to each county pursuant to section 41-2409, subsection E.
C. On notice from the commission, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investments shall be credited to the fund. END_STATUTE
Sec. 13. Section 41-2414, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2414. Law enforcement crime victim notification fund; software; vendor requirement; use of monies; definition
A. The law enforcement crime victim notification fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated. Notwithstanding any other law, the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall use fund monies to expand the commission's automated crime victim notification system and to fund software that does the following:
1. Complies with all of the following:
(a) Article II, section 2.1, Constitution of Arizona.
(b) Title 8, chapter 3, article 7.
(c) Title 13, chapter 40.
2. Enables the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission to deploy an automated crime victim notification system to a user base consisting of law enforcement agencies. The automated crime victim notification system must do the following:
(a) Automatically, and without the requirement to download a software application or to opt in to notifications, notify the victim by email or text of all of the following regarding a victim's law enforcement crime report, investigation and case, if approved by the law enforcement agency:
(i) The date on which the report is filed.
(ii) The case number.
(iii) The name of the detective who is assigned to the case.
(iv) When arrests are made.
(v) When warrants are issued.
(vi) When the case is sent to the prosecuting agency.
(vii) Initial appearance.
(b) Interface with the law enforcement agency's system of record.
(c) Provide configurable triggers to send messages to crime victims.
(d) Provide the ability to attach informational brochures or other electronic attachments to the messages.
(e) Provide the ability for victims to find their case status on the vendors' websites with links that are available on the law enforcement agency's website.
(f) Be configurable to the requirements of each law enforcement agency in this state.
(g) Include the law enforcement agency's branding, email address and web domain for all communications.
(h) Provide the ability to send messages in multiple languages.
(i) Provide a short code or a long code telephone number with a local area code.
(j) Monitor the number of messages sent and the types of messages sent and visualize the data.
3. Provides a criminal justice information service compliant automated victim notification platform that ensures the following:
(a) Crime victims are automatically notified by text, automated telephone call or email following any updates to their case.
(b) Law enforcement agencies determine the notifications.
(c) Crime victims are able to proactively locate their case status online.
(d) No additional staffing is required.
4. Provides for multiagency notification to enable an agency to automatically share the status of an incident or investigation with an identified partner agency based on configurable criteria.
5. Allows victims to leverage conversational artificial intelligence for bidirectional real-time communication with law enforcement agencies through voice, text messages and emails. The system shall provide a virtual agent that responds to and asks questions based on the victim's questions and responses.
6. Provides a mechanism to track whether there is a data outage at a law enforcement agency and informs the law enforcement agency and the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission of the data outage. During an outage period, the software system shall have a backup process for law enforcement agencies to ensure that notifications are made in a timely and accurate manner.
7. Complies with the technical guidelines and standards for the operation of a statewide automated crime victim information and notification system recommended by the United States department of justice's bureau of justice assistance.
8. Provides a designated statewide toll-free number that is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, that is operated by trained operators available in multiple languages and that allows victims, surviving immediate family members, witnesses and other concerned citizens to search for and obtain information about an offender, inmate or case and to register for notifications.
B. The vendors chosen by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission to be part of the partnership must have previously deployed a solution for a city police department, sheriff's office and prosecutor's office. The previously deployed solutions could have been deployed in Arizona or in another state, or a combination of both.
C. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall use the monies in the fund to pay for law enforcement agencies that choose to use the automated crime victim notification system.
D. For the purposes of this section, "law enforcement agency" includes a state, city, town, county, tribal, university or prosecutorial agency. END_STATUTE
Sec. 14. Section 41-2420, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2420. County jail juvenile improvement fund; exemption
A. The county jail juvenile improvement fund is established for the purpose of funding the construction of new juvenile beds in county jail facilities in which juveniles will be detained. The Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission shall administer the fund.
B. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to the lapsing of appropriations. END_STATUTE
Sec. 15. Section 41-2421, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE41-2421. Enhanced collections; allocation of monies; criminal justice entities
A. Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided in subsection J of this section, five per cent percent of any monies collected by the supreme court and the court of appeals for the payment of filing fees, including clerk fees, diversion fees, fines, penalties, surcharges, sanctions and forfeitures, shall be deposited, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, and allocated pursuant to the formula in subsection B of this section. This subsection does not apply to monies collected by the courts pursuant to section 16-954, subsection A, or for child support, restitution or exonerated bonds.
B. The monies deposited pursuant to subsection A of this section shall be allocated according to the following formula:
1. 21.61 per cent percent to the state aid to county attorneys fund established by section 11-539.
2. 20.53 per cent percent to the state aid to indigent defense fund established by section 11-588.
3. 57.37 per cent percent to the state aid to the courts fund established by section 12-102.02.
4. 0.49 per cent percent to the department of law for the processing of criminal cases.
C. Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided in subsection J of this section, five per cent percent of any monies collected by the superior court, including the clerk of the court and the justice courts in each county for the payment of filing fees, including clerk fees, diversion fees, adult and juvenile probation fees, juvenile monetary assessments, fines, penalties, surcharges, sanctions and forfeitures, shall be transmitted to the county treasurer for allocation pursuant to subsections E, F, G and H of this section. This subsection does not apply to monies collected by the courts pursuant to section 16-954, subsection A or for child support, restitution or exonerated bonds.
D. The supreme court shall adopt guidelines regarding the collection of revenues pursuant to subsections A and C of this section.
E. The county treasurer shall allocate the monies deposited pursuant to subsection C of this section according to the following formula:
1. 21.61 per cent percent for the purposes specified in section 11-539.
2. 20.53 per cent percent for the purposes specified in section 11-588.
3. 57.37 per cent percent to the local courts assistance fund established by section 12-102.03.
4. 0.49 per cent percent to the state treasurer for transmittal to the department of law for the processing of criminal cases.
F. The board of supervisors in each county shall separately account for all monies received pursuant to subsections C and E of this section and expenditures of these monies may be made only after the requirements of subsections G and H of this section have been met.
G. By December 1 of each year each county board of supervisors shall certify if the total revenues received by the justice courts and the superior court, including the clerk of the superior court, exceed the amount received in fiscal year 1997-1998. If the board so certifies, then the board shall distribute the lesser of either:
1. The total amount deposited pursuant to subsection C of this section.
2. The amount collected and deposited pursuant to subsection C of this section that exceeds the base year collections of fiscal year 1997-1998. These monies shall be distributed according to the formula specified in subsection E of this section. Any monies remaining after this allocation shall be transmitted as otherwise provided by law.
H. If a county board of supervisors determines that the total revenues transmitted by the superior court, including the clerk of the superior court and the justice courts in the county, do not equal the base year collections transmitted in fiscal year 1997-1998 the monies specified in subsection C of this section shall be transmitted by the county treasurer as otherwise provided by law.
I. For the purposes of this section, base year collections shall be those collections specified in subsection C of this section.
J. Monies collected pursuant to section 12-116.01, subsection B shall be allocated as follows:
1. 15.44 per cent percent to the state aid to county attorneys fund established by section 11-539.
2. 14.66 per cent percent to the state aid to indigent defense fund established by section 11-588.
3. 40.97 per cent percent to the state aid to the courts fund established by section 12-102.02.
4. 0.35 per cent percent to the department of law for the processing of criminal cases.
5. 14.29 per cent percent to the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission for distribution to state, county and municipal law enforcement full service forensic crime laboratories pursuant to rules adopted by the Arizona sheriffs' criminal justice commission.
6. 14.29 per cent percent to the supreme court for allocation to the municipal courts pursuant to subsection K of this section.
K. The supreme court shall administer and allocate the monies received pursuant to subsection J, paragraph 6 of this section to the municipal courts based on the total amount of surcharges transmitted pursuant to section 12-116.01 by that jurisdiction's city treasurer to the state treasurer for the prior fiscal year divided by the total amount of surcharges transmitted to the state treasurer pursuant to section 12-116.01 by all city treasurers statewide for the prior fiscal year. The municipal court shall use the monies received to improve, maintain and enhance the ability to collect and manage monies assessed or received by the courts, to improve court automation and to improve case processing or the administration of justice. The municipal court shall submit a plan to the supreme court and the supreme court shall approve the plan before the municipal court begins to spend these allocated monies. END_STATUTE
Sec. 16. Repeal
Section 41-3025.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is repealed.
Sec. 17. Title 41, chapter 27, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-3033.01, to read:
START_STATUTE41-3033.01. Sheriffs' criminal justice commission; termination July 1, 2033
A. The Sheriffs' criminal justice commission terminates on July 1, 2033.
B. Sections 41-2404 and 41-2405 and this section are repealed on January 1, 2034. END_STATUTE
Sec. 18. Report
On or before March 1, 2026, the sheriffs' criminal justice commission established pursuant to the new section 41-2404, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act, shall provide a report to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that contains recommendations on all of the following:
1. If any duties currently designated to the commission should be repealed.
2. If any duties currently designated to the commission should be transferred to another appropriate agency or department in this state.
3. If any additional duties should be statutorily designated to the commission.
Sec. 19. Succession
A. As provided by this act, the sheriffs' criminal justice commission succeeds to the authority, powers, duties and responsibilities of the Arizona criminal justice commission.
B. This act does not alter the effect of any actions that were taken or impair the valid obligations of the Arizona criminal justice commission in existence before July 1, 2025.
C. Administrative rules and orders that were adopted by the Arizona criminal justice commission continue in effect until superseded by administrative action by the sheriffs' criminal justice commission.
D. All administrative matters, contracts and judicial and quasi-judicial actions, whether completed, pending or in process, of the Arizona criminal justice commission on July 1, 2025 are transferred to and retain the same status as the sheriffs' criminal justice commission.
E. All equipment, records, furnishings and other property, data and investigative findings, all obligations and all appropriated monies that remain unexpended and unencumbered on January 1, 2025 of the Arizona criminal justice commission are transferred to the sheriffs' criminal justice commission.
F. All personnel who are under the state personnel system and employed by the Arizona criminal justice commission are transferred to comparable positions and pay classifications in the respective administrative units of the sheriffs' criminal justice commission on July 1, 2025.
Sec. 20. Conforming legislation
The legislative council staff shall prepare proposed legislation conforming the Arizona Revised Statutes to the provisions of this act for consideration in the fifty-seventh legislature, second regular session.
Sec. 21. Retroactivity
This act applies retroactively to from and after July 1, 2025.