tribal drinking water fund; appropriation

HB2888 - tribal drinking water fund; appropriation

Budget

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Myron Tsosie
Last action: 2026-01-21
Official status: House second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Tribal Drinking Water Fund

This bill establishes a fund and grants for federally recognized Indian tribes in Arizona to improve their drinking water access and infrastructure.

What This Bill Does

Creates the Tribal Drinking Water Access and Infrastructure Fund using legislative appropriations from the state budget.
Gives the Department of Water Resources responsibility for managing this new fund.
Allows the department to give grants to federally recognized Indian tribes or their designated authorities.
Specifies that grant funds can be used for planning, engineering, construction, procurement of emergency water access, and development of water infrastructure projects.

Who It Names or Affects

Federally recognized Native American tribes in Arizona
The Department of Water Resources

Terms To Know

federally recognized Indian tribe: A Native American tribal entity that is acknowledged by the United States government to have a relationship with the U.S. based on historical treaties and other legal precedents.
water infrastructure projects: Projects related to building or improving systems for providing water, such as wells, pipelines, treatment facilities, and water hauling points.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the funds will be distributed among tribes.
It is unclear what happens if all of the money in the fund is not used by the end of the fiscal year.

Bill History

2026-01-21 House
House second read
2026-01-20 House
House Rules: None
2026-01-20 House
House Appropriations: None
2026-01-20 House
House Natural Resources, Energy & Water: None
2026-01-20 House
House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2888 - tribal drinking water fund; appropriation

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2888 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
tribal drinking water fund; appropriation

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2888

Introduced by

Representative
Tsosie

AN
ACT

Amending title 45, chapter 1, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 45-120; appropriating monies;
relating to the department of water resources.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 45, chapter 1, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 45-120, to read:

START_STATUTE
45-120.

Tribal drinking water access and infrastructure fund; exemption

A. The tribal drinking water access
and infrastructure fund is established consisting of legislative
appropriations. The department 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.

B. The department shall use monies in
the fund to award grants to federally recognized Indian tribes and to
authorities designated by federally recognized Indian tribes.� Grant monies
awarded pursuant to this subsection may be used for either of the following
purposes:

1. Planning, engineering,
constructing and procuring emergency water access.

2. Funding the development of water
infrastructure projects, including water hauling points, wells, treatment
facilities and pipeline connections.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.
Appropriation;
tribal drinking water access and infrastructure fund; exemption

A. The sum of $10,000,000
is appropriated from the water conservation grant fund established by section
49-1331, Arizona Revised Statutes, in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the tribal
drinking water access and infrastructure fund established by section 45-120,
Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act.

B. The appropriation made
in subsection A of this section is exempt from the provisions of section
35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.