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HB4144 • 2026

2026-2027; environment.

HB4144 - 2026-2027; environment.

Budget
Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor
David Livingston, Michael Carbone, Neal Carter, Steve Montenegro, Julie Willoughby
Last action
2026-05-05
Official status
Governor vetoed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status indicates the bill was vetoed; therefore, these rules are not currently active unless an override occurred.

HB4144: Environment Funding and Rules for Fiscal Year 2026-2027

This bill proposed specific funding amounts and rules for Arizona environmental agencies to use in fiscal year 2026-2027, but the governor vetoed it.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the Department of Environmental Quality to spend up to $6,531,000 from a tank fund on office costs and fixing sewage problems near Naco and other border areas in fiscal year 2026-2027.
  • Permits legal fees for water stream cases to be paid using money from the Arizona Water Banking Fund in fiscal year 2026-2027.
  • Lets the Department of Water Resources receive up to $336,000 from the Arizona Water Protection Fund for its office costs in fiscal year 2026-2027.
  • Requires vehicle emission test fees in Area A to stay at the same price level as they were on June 30, 2025, during fiscal year 2026-2027.
  • Limits state money given to the water quality assurance fund to no more than $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2026-2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Environmental Quality
  • The Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission
  • The Department of Water Resources
  • People who pay for vehicle emission tests in Area A

Terms To Know

Fiscal year 2026-2027
The government budget period covered by this bill.
Revolving fund
A pool of money that agencies can use for specific tasks and refill over time, such as the underground storage tank revolving fund or water quality assurance revolving fund mentioned in the text.
Area A
Specific geographic zones defined by state law where vehicle emission tests are required.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The governor vetoed this bill on May 5, 2026.
  • It is unknown if lawmakers later overrode the veto to make it a final law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-05 V

    Governor vetoed

  2. 2026-05-04 House

    Transmitted to House

  3. 2026-05-04 Senate

    Senate third read passed

  4. 2026-05-04 Senate

    Senate passed

  5. 2026-05-04 Senate

    Senate first read

  6. 2026-04-30 Senate

    Transmitted to Senate

  7. 2026-04-29 House

    House third read passed

  8. 2026-04-29 House

    House committee of the whole

  9. 2026-04-29 House

    House minority caucus

  10. 2026-04-29 House

    House majority caucus

  11. 2026-04-28 House

    House second read

  12. 2026-04-27 House

    House Rules: C&P

  13. 2026-04-27 House

    House Appropriations: DP

  14. 2026-04-27 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB4144 - 2026-2027; environment.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB4144 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

2026-2027;
environment.

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 4144

AN
ACT

appropriating monies; RELATING to the ENVIRONMENT.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1.
Underground storage tank revolving fund; use of
monies

Notwithstanding any other law, in
fiscal year 2026-2027, the department of environmental quality may use up to
$6,531,000 from the underground storage tank revolving fund established by
section 49-1015, Arizona Revised Statutes, in fiscal year 2026-2027 for:

1. Administrative costs of
the department.

2. Remediating sewage
discharge issues in Naco, Arizona and other border areas of this state.

Sec. 2.
Arizona water
banking fund; use of monies

In addition to the purposes provided
in section 45-2425, Arizona Revised Statutes, monies appropriated to the
Arizona navigable stream adjudication commission from the Arizona water banking
fund established by section 45-2425, Arizona Revised Statutes, may be
used in fiscal year 2026-2027 to pay legal fees.

Sec. 3.
Arizona water protection fund; use of monies

Notwithstanding section 45-2114,
Arizona Revised Statutes, in fiscal year 2026-2027, the Arizona water
protection fund commission may grant to the department of water resources up to
$336,000 of the unobligated balance in the Arizona water protection fund
established by section 45-2111, Arizona Revised Statutes, to pay for
administrative costs of the department in fiscal year 2026-2027.

Sec. 4.
Department of
environmental quality; vehicle emissions testing fees; definition

A. Notwithstanding any
other law, in fiscal year 2026-2027, the director of the department of
environmental quality shall maintain fees for tests conducted in area A at the
area A emission fee level as of June 30, 2025.

B. For the purposes of this
subsection, "area A" has the same meaning prescribed in section
49-541, Arizona Revised Statutes.

Sec. 5.
Appropriation
limit; water quality assurance revolving fund

Notwithstanding section 49-282,
Arizona Revised Statutes, the appropriation from the state general fund to the
water quality assurance revolving fund established by section 49-282,
Arizona Revised Statutes, for fiscal year 2026-2027 may not exceed
$15,000,000.