This bill proposes significant changes to the allocation of watercraft registration and infrastructure fee revenues as outlined in the current statutes. Under the new provisions, the percentage of revenues deposited into the Watercraft Licensing Fund would decrease from sixty-five percent to fifty-five percent. Conversely, the remaining funds would be reallocated, with thirty-five percent now becoming forty-five percent, which would be divided into ten percent for the State Lake Improvement Fund and ninety percent for the Law Enforcement and Boating Safety Fund, replacing the previous allocations of fifteen percent and eighty-five percent, respectively. Additionally, the bill removes the existing allocation formula used by the Arizona Game and Fish Commission for distributing Law Enforcement and Boating Safety Fund monies, which is currently based on various criteria such as county boating safety programs and water safety records. Instead, the bill mandates a new distribution of these funds directly to specific counties, with set percentages allocated to each, including 1.03 percent to Apache County, 10.45 percent to Coconino County, and others, totaling eight counties. The State Treasurer would then administer these funds without the previous formula, ensuring a more straightforward allocation process.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 28-337, 28-737, 28-2416, 28-2416.01, 28-601
House Engrossed Version: 5-323, 5-383, 35-146, 35-147, 5-321, 5-326, 5-382