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HB2602 • 2026

appropriation; DPS; pay increase

HB2602 - appropriation; DPS; pay increase

Budget Crime Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Walt Blackman
Last action
2026-01-21
Official status
House second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on how the pay raise will impact employee satisfaction or motivation.

Pay Increase for Arizona Department of Public Safety Employees

HB2602 appropriates $24,500,000 from the state general fund to provide a 10% pay increase for all employees at the Department of Public Safety in fiscal year 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Appropriates $24,500,000 from the state's general fund to the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
  • Provides a 10% pay increase for all DPS employees starting in fiscal year 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employees of the Department of Public Safety
  • The state's general fund

Terms To Know

Department of Public Safety (DPS)
A law enforcement agency in Arizona that helps keep people safe on highways and fights crime.
General Fund
Money the state uses to pay for different programs and services, including salaries for government workers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify exact amounts of individual employee raises.
  • It is unclear if $24,500,000 will cover all costs related to the pay increase.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-21 House

    House second read

  2. 2026-01-20 House

    House Rules: None

  3. 2026-01-20 House

    House Appropriations: None

  4. 2026-01-20 House

    House Public Safety & Law Enforcement: DP

  5. 2026-01-20 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2602 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House:
PSLE DP 10-2-3-0

HB
2602
: appropriation; DPS; pay increase

Sponsor:
Representative Blackman, LD 7

Caucus
& COW

Overview

Appropriates
$24,500,000 from the state general fund (GF) to the Department of Public Safety
(DPS) to increase pay for all employees.

History

Established in 1969, DPS is the state's law enforcement
agency tasked with creating and coordinating services for use by local law
enforcement agencies in protecting the public safety. DPS is tasked with: �1)
enforcing laws on Arizona state highways and in narcotics, organized crime,
liquor and specific regulatory functions; 2) providing operational assistance
to local and state agencies within the criminal justice community; and 3)
establishing modern services for prevention of crime, apprehension of violators
and the training of law enforcement personnel (A.R.S. ��
41-1711
;
41-1712
;

Arizona DPS
).�

The Director of DPS (Director) is appointed by the governor
and serves concurrently with the appointing governor. The Director administers DPS
and is responsible for specified duties such as establishing personnel and
resource allocation priorities and developing the rules and procedures necessary
for the operation of DPS and its divisions. (A.R.S. ��
41-1711
;
41-1713
).

DPS operates out of its headquarters in Phoenix and its local
offices throughout Arizona's 15 counties. As of July 1, 2025, DPS had 1,923
full-time employees, of which 1,062 were sworn and 861 were professional staff
(
2025 DPS Personnel
& Recommendation Report
).

Provisions

1.

Appropriates
$24,500,000 from the state GF to DPS for a 10% pay increase for all employees
in FY 2027 (Sec. 1)

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2602

1/27/2026������� Page
0 Caucus & COW

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Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB2602 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
appropriation; DPS; pay increase

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2602

Introduced by

Representative
Blackman

AN
ACT

Appropriating monies to the department of
public safety.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.
Appropriation;
department of public safety; pay increase

The sum of $24,500,000 is appropriated
from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the department of
public safety for a ten percent pay increase for all department employees.