HB4084 • 2026

indigent defense fund; eviction cases

HB4084 - indigent defense fund; eviction cases

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Alma Hernandez, Brian Garcia, Consuelo Hernandez, Lydia Hernandez, Sarah Liguori, Elda Luna-Nájera, Myron Tsosie, Betty J Villegas
Last action: 2026-02-17
Official status: House second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the amount of additional funding for eviction cases or which counties will receive aid first.

Indigent Defense Fund for Eviction Cases

This bill amends a law about the Indigent Defense Fund, adding eviction cases as eligible for state aid.

What This Bill Does

Adds eviction cases to the types of cases that can receive help from the Indigent Defense Fund.
Requires the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission to manage and distribute funds to counties.
Ensures that money in the fund is used to support, not replace, existing county funding for criminal and now also eviction cases.

Who It Names or Affects

People who cannot afford legal help in eviction cases.
Counties that provide indigent defense services.
The Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, which will manage the fund.

Terms To Know

Indigent Defense Fund: A fund set up by the state to help people who cannot afford legal representation in criminal and now also eviction cases.
Arizona Criminal Justice Commission: The organization responsible for managing and distributing funds from the Indigent Defense Fund to counties.

Limits and Unknowns

It is not clear how much additional funding will be provided specifically for eviction cases.
The bill does not specify which counties or individuals will receive aid first.

Bill History

2026-02-17 House
House second read
2026-02-16 House
House Rules: None
2026-02-16 House
House Judiciary: None
2026-02-16 House
House first read

Official Summary Text

HB4084 - indigent defense fund; eviction cases

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB4084 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
indigent defense fund; eviction cases

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 4084

Introduced by

Representatives
Hernandez A: Garcia, Hernandez C, Hernandez L, Liguori, Luna-N�jera, Tsosie,
Villegas

AN
ACT

amending section 11-588, arizona revised
statutes; relating to the state aid to indigent defense fund.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 11-588, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
11-588.

State aid to indigent defense fund

A. The state aid to indigent defense fund is
established consisting of monies appropriated to the fund and monies allocated
to the fund pursuant to section 41-2421, subsections B and
J. The purpose of the fund is to provide state aid to the county
public defender, legal defender and contract indigent defense counsel for the
processing of criminal cases.

B. The Arizona criminal justice commission shall
administer the fund. The commission shall allocate monies in the
fund to each county pursuant to section 41-2409, subsection C.

C. All monies distributed or spent from the fund
shall be used to supplement, not supplant, funding at the level provided in
fiscal year 1997-1998 by counties for
the
processing

of
criminal cases
and eviction cases

by the county public defender, legal defender and contract indigent defense
counsel in each county.

D. Monies in the state aid to indigent defense fund
are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of
appropriations and monies allocated pursuant to section 41-2421,
subsections B and J are subject to legislative appropriation.� Any state
general fund monies appropriated to the fund may be spent without further
legislative appropriation.

E. On notice from the commission, the state
treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313,
and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund.
END_STATUTE