school safety interoperability monies; return

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Return of Unused School Safety Funds

This bill requires Maricopa County and the cities of Yuma and Tucson to return any unused money from school safety grants received in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 by September 30, 2026.

What This Bill Does

• Requires specific local governments to return unspent funds distributed from the School Safety Interoperability Fund in fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
• Sets a deadline of September 30, 2026, for returning these monies.
• Directs the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) to receive the returned money.
• Requires ADOA to deposit the returned funds back into the School Safety Interoperability Fund.

Who It Names or Affects

• Maricopa County
• The City of Yuma Police Department
• The Tucson Police Department
• The Arizona Department of Administration

Terms To Know

School Safety Interoperability Fund

A state fund that provides money for secure communication systems between schools and public safety agencies.

Unexpended monies

Money from a grant or budget that has not yet been spent on its intended purpose.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much money each entity must return, only the deadline for returning what remains.
• The effective date is listed as the general effective date but no specific calendar day is provided in this summary.

Official Summary Text

SB1583 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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PASSED BY COW

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1583

school safety
interoperability monies; return

Purpose

Requires, by September 30, 2026, Maricopa County, the City of Yuma and
the City of Tucson to return to the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA)
any unencumbered and unexpended monies remaining from the School Safety
Interoperability Fund (Fund) distributions made in FYs 2022 and 2023 for
deposit back into the Fund.

Background

Statute requires ADOA to distribute Fund monies to the sheriffs of a
county, city or town police department that establishes a school safety
program. Fund monies may be used only for a school safety program that: 1)
encompasses schools throughout Arizona; 2) enables the deployment of a secure,
multimedia data communications system for public safety agencies and public
schools; 3) provides a communications solution environment that allows for
identification, secure messaging, information sharing and alarm system
integration as outlined; 4) is capable of being deployed to end users on
existing communication assets; 5) allows each participating entity to maintain
real-time communication; 6) encrypts all media communications; 7) is certified
under the federal Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies
Act; 8) is compatible with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency
Interoperable Gateway System for disaster communications; 9) ensures student
and staff privacy; and 10) enables integration to school access control to
allow remote lockdown by law enforcement (
A.R.S.
� 41-1733
).

Laws 2021,
Chapter 408
appropriated a total of $2,500,000 from the Arizona Highway
Patrol Fund in FY 2022 to the State Treasurer for the Fund and directed the
State Treasurer to distribute $2,100,000 to the Maricopa County Sheriff.
Laws 2022, Chapter
313
appropriated a total of $20,000,000 from the state General Fund in FY
2023 to ADOA for the Fund and directed ADOA to distribute: 1) $3,050,000 to the
Maricopa County Sheriff; 2) $1,350,000 to the City of Yuma Police Department;
and 3) $2,000,000 to the Tucson Police Department.

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund
associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires,
by September 30, 2026, Maricopa County, the City of Yuma and the City of Tucson
to return to ADOA any unexpended and unencumbered monies remaining from the
Fund distribution made to such entities in FYs 2022 and 2023.

2.

Requires, by September 30, 2026, ADOA to deposit Maricopa County's, the
City of Yuma's and the City of Tucson's unexpended and unencumbered monies in
the Fund.

3.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by
Committee

�

Makes technical changes.

Amendments Adopted by
Committee of the Whole

�

Adds the City of Yuma to the list of entities that must return to
ADOA any monies remaining from the Fund distributions made in FYs 2022 and
2023.

Senate Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

February 25, 2026

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Current Bill Text

SB1583 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

school safety
interoperability monies; return

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1583

AN
ACT

appropriating monies to the department of
administration.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section
1.
1.
Maricopa counties; city of Tucson; school safety interoperability
fund; return of monies

On or before September 30, 2026,
Maricopa county, the city of Yuma and the city of Tucson shall return to the
department of administration any unexpended monies remaining from the
distribution made from the school safety interoperability fund established by
section 41-1733, Arizona Revised Statutes, pursuant to Laws 2021, chapter 408,
section 89 and Laws 2022, chapter
313
, section 5, and the department of administration shall
deposit those monies in the school safety interoperability fund established by
section 41-1733, Arizona Revised Statutes.