Assigned to TRANS & APPROP                                                                                                FOR COMMITTEE

 

 


 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1243

 

appropriations; highway patrol

 

Purpose

 

An emergency measure, appropriates approximately $26 million to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for FTEs, overtime expenditures and highway patrol vehicles from the highway user revenue fund for FY 2001-2002 and FY 2002-2003.

 

Background

 

Since 1995, Phoenix area highways have seen a 57 percent increase in accidents and a 37 percent increase in the number of miles traveled on Phoenix area highways.  To address the expansion of freeways and growth in traffic, this legislation appropriates monies for additional staff for the highway patrol and increases in overtime expenditures in order to improve response to accidents and transition issues at the end of officer shifts.

 

The current budget allows vehicle replacement that provides an eight-year replacement schedule or replacement of vehicles at 160,000 miles.  As of December 1, 2000, 31 percent of DPS’s 820 patrol vehicles are beyond the 100,000-mile replacement standard.

 

The highway user revenue fund (HURF) consists of gasoline and use fuel taxes, motor carrier fees, motor vehicle registration fees, vehicle license taxes and other miscellaneous fees.  These revenues are then distributed to the cities, towns and counties and the state highway fund. This legislation appropriates approximately $26 million from HURF.

 

Provisions

 

1.      Appropriates $4,809,700 and 58 FTEs in FY 2001-2002 and $6,930,800 and 116 FTEs in FY 2002-2003 to DPS from HURF for additional highway patrol personnel and operating expenditures for the personnel.

 

2.      Appropriates $850,100 in FY 2001-2002 and $1,700,200 in FY 2002-2003 to DPS from HURF for overtime expenditures for highway patrol officers.

 

3.      Appropriates $5,442,200 in FY 2001-2002 and $6,255,400 in FY 2002-2003 to DPS from HURF for replacement of highway patrol vehicles.

 

4.      Exempts appropriations from lapsing.

 


5.      Contains an emergency clause.

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

January 23, 2001