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SB1761 • 2026

appropriations; university of Arizona; agriculture

SB1761 - appropriations; university of Arizona; agriculture

Agriculture Budget Education Labor
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Timothy "Tim" Dunn
Last action
2026-03-18
Official status
House second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Funding for University of Arizona Agriculture Programs

This bill gives money to the University of Arizona for its agriculture programs, including research and education.

What This Bill Does

  • Gives $1.6 million in fiscal year 2027 to the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture at the University of Arizona.
  • Provides $2.7 million in fiscal year 2027, $5.4 million in fiscal year 2028, and $8.1 million in fiscal year 2029 to the Cooperative Extension program.
  • Allocates $18.3 million in fiscal year 2027, $4.6 million in fiscal year 2028, and $7 million in fiscal year 2029 for the Arizona Experiment Station.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The University of Arizona
  • Farmers and agriculture workers who benefit from research and education programs

Terms To Know

Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture (YCEDA)
A program that does research on desert farming issues.
Cooperative Extension
An organization that teaches farmers about new technologies and practices.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what will happen after the initial funding period.
  • It is unclear how much private money will be added to the state funds for these programs.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-18 House

    House second read

  2. 2026-03-17 House

    House Rules: None

  3. 2026-03-17 House

    House Appropriations: None

  4. 2026-03-17 House

    House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs: DP

  5. 2026-03-17 House

    House first read

  6. 2026-03-16 House

    Transmitted to House

  7. 2026-03-16 Senate

    Senate third read passed

  8. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Senate minority caucus

  9. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Senate majority caucus

  10. 2026-03-02 Senate

    Senate consent calendar

  11. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senate second read

  12. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate Rules: PFC

  13. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate Natural Resources: DP

  14. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate Appropriations, Transportation and Technology: DP

  15. 2026-02-05 Senate

    Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1761 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1761

appropriations;
university of Arizona; agriculture

Purpose

Appropriates a
total of $47,700,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) to the University
of Arizona (U of A) for the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture
(YCEDA), the Cooperative Extension and the Arizona Experiment Station.

Background

YCEDA is a
public-private partnership between the U of A and the desert agriculture
industry that conducts research and awards grants to address issues in desert
agriculture crop production. The YCEDA Small Grants Program awards up to
$10,000 in funding per project to support two types of projects: 1) preliminary
applied research to be used to launch a new research program of inquiry; and 2)
proof-of-concept of a new agricultural application for new or existing
technology. Priority is given to projects focused on the topics of disease
management, food safety, soil health, agricultural mechanization and irrigation
and nutrient management. YCEDA is both publicly and privately funded. Private
donors can make a tax-deductible financial commitment administered through the
U of A Foundation (U of A YCEDA:
About

and
Desert Ag Small Grants
Program
).

The Arizona
Cooperative Extension was established by the federal Smith-Lever Act of 1914
for the practical application and demonstration of existing or improved
agricultural technologies. The Arizona Cooperative Extension is part of the
College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences (
U of A Cooperative
Extension
;
7
U.S.C. � 342
).

The Arizona
Experiment Station, established by the federal Hatch Act of 1887, is a network
of research centers and infrastructure across Arizona funded through federal
and state funds, grants, contracts and the sale of products for the purpose of
agricultural investigation and experimentation (
U of A Arizona
Experiment Station
;
7
U.S.C � 361(b)
).

S.B. 1761 appropriates a total of $47,700,000 from the state GF to the U
of A.

Provisions

1.

Appropriates $1,600,000 from the state GF in FY 2027 to the U of A for
the YCEDA.

2.

Appropriates
the following amounts from the state GF to the U of A for the Cooperative
Extension.

a)

$2,700,000
in FY 2027;

b)

$5,400,000
in FY 2028; and

c)

$8,100,000 in FY 2029.

3.

Appropriates
the following amounts from the state GF to the U of A for the Arizona
Experiment Station:

a)

$18,300,000
in FY 2027;

b)

$4,600,000
in FY 2028; and�

c)

$7,000,000 in FY 2029.

4.

Declares the Legislature's intent to consider the appropriation as
ongoing funding in future years.

5.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

February 13, 2026

SB/SF/hk

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB1761 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

appropriations;
university of Arizona; agriculture

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1761

AN
ACT

appropriating
monies to the university of Arizona.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1.
Appropriation;
university of Arizona; Yuma center of excellence for desert agriculture;
cooperative extension program; experiment stations; intent

A. The sum of $1,600,000 is
appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the
university of Arizona for the Yuma center of excellence for desert agriculture.

B. The following amounts in
the following fiscal years are appropriated from the state general fund to the
university of Arizona for the cooperative extension:

1. $2,700,000 in fiscal
year 2026-2027.

2. $5,400,000 in fiscal
year 2027-2028.

3. $8,100,000 in fiscal
year 2028-2029.

C. The following amounts in
the following fiscal years are appropriated from the state general fund to the
university of Arizona for the Arizona experiment station:

1. $18,300,000 in fiscal
year 2026-2027.

2. $4,600,000� in fiscal
year 2027-2028.

3. $7,000,000 in fiscal
year 2028-2029.

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