appropriation; legal assistance services aid

Plain English Breakdown

The bill expresses legislative 'intent' for ongoing funding but does not legally bind future legislatures to provide it; actual continuation depends on new appropriations.

SB1195: Funding for Free Civil Legal Help

This bill gives $10 million to the Department of Economic Security to support nonprofit groups that provide free civil legal help across Arizona.

What This Bill Does

• Sets aside $10,000,000 from state funds for fiscal year 2026-2027.
• Requires the money to support free general civil legal services provided by nonprofit organizations statewide.
• Mandates an annual report on case numbers, types of law covered, and client demographics starting in August 2027 through December 2032.
• Exempts this specific funding from rules that usually require unused money to be returned at the end of a fiscal year.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Department of Economic Security, which manages and distributes the funds.
• Nonprofit organizations that provide free civil legal assistance services.
• Arizona residents who receive general civil legal aid through these programs.
• State legislative leaders who must review the annual reports on service status.

Terms To Know

Appropriation

The official act of setting aside a specific amount of government money for a particular purpose.

Civil legal assistance services

Free help with non-criminal legal matters provided by nonprofit organizations.

Lapsing of appropriations

A rule that usually requires government agencies to return any unspent budget money at the end of a fiscal year.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify exactly which nonprofit organizations will receive the funds.
• While it expresses intent for ongoing funding, future years require new legislative action to approve actual budgets.
• The text does not define specific eligibility requirements for individuals seeking legal help.

Official Summary Text

SB1195 - appropriation; legal assistance services aid

Current Bill Text

SB1195 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
appropriation; legal assistance services aid

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1195

Introduced by

Senators
Ortiz: Bolick

AN
ACT

APPROPRIATING monies to the department of
economic security.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1.
Appropriation;
department of economic security; legal assistance services aid; annual report;
exemption; intent

A. The sum of $10,000,000
is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the
department of economic security to support the coordination and delivery of
free, statewide general civil legal assistance services that are provided by
nonprofit organizations consistent with the 2025 grant terms and conditions of
the legal assistance services corporation as authorized pursuant to 42 United
States Code section 2996f.

B. On or before August 15,
2027 through December 31, 2032, the department of economic security shall
submit a report on the status of legal assistance provided with the
appropriation made in subsection A of this section for the preceding twelve
months to the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of
representatives and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of
state. The report shall include statistical data regarding:

1. The number of cases
opened and closed.

2. The areas of law the
cases concern.

3. The services provided.

4. General non-identifying
demographic information related to the persons who received assistance pursuant
to this section.

C. 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.

D. The legislature intends
that the appropriation made in subsection A of this section be considered
ongoing funding in fiscal years.