Assigned to APPROP FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1509
appropriation; satellite communication system
Purpose
Appropriates $500,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2026 to the
Department of Public Safety (DPS) to distribute to the Yavapai County Sheriff's Department
(YCSO) to establish a pilot program implementing a redundant high-speed, low-latency satellite
communication system.
Background
Low Earth orbit satellites (LEOs) are satellites operated at an altitude of 1,200 miles or less
with typical satellite clusters between 100 and 1,000 miles. LEOs operate in close orbit proximity
to Earth in clusters to ensure network redundancy and provide for low latency communication, by
moving across Earth's low polar orbit taking between 90 to 99 minutes to complete an orbit
(NASA).
DPS, through the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA), is responsible
for the management and coordination of various voice and data communication systems and
services. DEMA operates mobile communications vehicles with broadband satellite systems to
provide field data connectivity and telephone infrastructure for real-time monitoring of incidents
and response activities (DEMA).
S.B. 1509 appropriates $500,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to DPS.
Provisions
1. Appropriates $500,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to DPS to distribute to the YCSO to
establish a pilot program implementing a redundant high-speed, low-latency satellite
communication system.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 14, 2025
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