ARIZONA STATE SENATE

RESEARCH STAFF

TO:                                   MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

                                              APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

DATE:                       March 30, 2021

SUBJECT:           Strike everything amendment to H.B. 2523, relating to border; appropriations; fund

Purpose

                      Establishes the Border Security Fund (Fund) to be administered by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and appropriates $30,000,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2022 for the purposes outlined.

Background

                      DPS is responsible for creating and coordinating services for use by local law enforcement agencies in protecting the public safety. DPS must formulate plans with a view to establish modern services for the prevention of crime, apprehension of violators, training of law enforcement personnel and promotion of public safety (A.R.S.   41-1711).

                      According to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, the FY 2022 baseline includes $1,261,700 from the state GF for the costs associated with the Border Strike Task Force Local Support (JLBC).

                      The strike-everything amendment appropriates $30,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2022 to the Fund.

Provisions

1.   Establishes the Fund consisting of legislative appropriations, gifts, grants and other donations.

2.   Requires the Director of DPS to administer the Fund.

3.   Specifies that monies in the Fund are continuously appropriated to DPS for:

a)   preventing human trafficking;

b)   preventing illegal aliens, terrorists and instruments of terrorism and contraband from entering the United States;

c)   planning, designing, constructing and maintaining transportation, technology and commercial vehicle inspection infrastructure near Arizona's international border;

d)   clearing nonindigenous plants; and

e)   administering and managing the construction and maintenance of a physical border fence.

4.   Requires DPS, before spending Fund monies on transportation, technology or infrastructure, to consult with the Arizona Department of Transportation.

5.   Requires DPS, before spending Fund monies on clearing nonindigenous plants, to consult with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.

6.   Requires DPS, before spending monies on the construction and maintenance of a physical border fence, to consult with the Arizona Department of Administration.

7.   Exempts monies in the Fund from lapsing.

8.   Requires the Governor to request from the federal government to reimburse state monies spent from the Fund.

9.   Requires the reimbursements be deposited into the state GF.

10.   Appropriates $30,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2022 to the Fund.

11.   Requires the Director of DPS to allocate to the following counties for costs associated preventing human trafficking and preventing illegal aliens, terrorists and contraband from entering the United States:

a)   $3,600,000 to Cochise County; and

b)   $2,500,000 to Yuma County.

12.   Allocates $2,700,000 from the Fund to DPS to operate a pilot program to reduce human trafficking.

13.   Requires the pilot program to provide technology to law enforcement agencies to:

a)   increase human trafficking rescues and data collection by using search tool algorithms;

b)   reduce the number of staff hours needed to analyze investigative leads; and

c)   foster law enforcement agency efficiency and interagency collaboration.

14.   Becomes effective on the general effective date.