ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
prevention of
child abuse fund
Establishes funding time frames and mechanisms, reduces the matching requirement, reduces the cap on administrative fees and adds an annual report on the Prevention of Child Abuse Fund (Fund).
The Fund was established by Laws 1999, Chapter 71 to collect monies received from the sale of child license plates allocated for primary child abuse prevention programs.
The Department of Transportation (ADOT) began providing special child abuse prevention license plates in November 1999. From November 1999 to December 2000 the Division for Children in the Governor’s Office received approximately $220,000 from the sale of these plates. The McCormick Foundation was awarded the contract to further allocate monies. In January 2001, the Division forwarded the monies to the McCormick Foundation, without withholding any administrative fees.
Under current statutes, the Foundation is required to match the sales proceeds. The Foundation committed to matching funds up to $500,000 and has provided a 50 percent match of funds to date. Current statutes also require the Foundation to allocate the monies to a statewide entity experienced in promoting primary prevention programs, but no such statewide entity exists. The Foundation is currently finalizing the bid process for distribution of monies to primary prevention programs. Foundation contracts to be entered into with the programs include requirements for outcome evaluation through specified performance measures.
The bill requires the Division for Children in the Governor’s Office to forward monies on an annual basis, reduces the cap on administrative fees from ten to three percent, adds an annual reporting requirement and requires public notice of all grant awards. The bill permits the private foundation to match all or a portion of the monies and to award grants to primary prevention programs instead of a statewide entity.
The bill does not have a fiscal impact to the state general fund. According to the Governor’s Office, the Division for Children currently has adequate resources to collect and forward these monies without withholding a portion for administrative costs. Reducing the cap on administrative costs and adding a reporting requirement will not impact their ability to perform statutory duties.
1. Requires the Division for Children in the Governor’s Office to forward all Fund monies to the private foundation on an annual basis, excluding administrative fees.
2. Reduces administrative fees the Division for Children in the Governor’s Office can withhold from ten to three percent of the monies deposited in the Fund.
3. Allows the private foundation to allocate funds to multiple primary prevention programs rather than a statewide entity that promotes primary prevention programs.
4. Reduces the matching requirement for the private foundation to any portion of monies collected.
5. Requires the Division for Children in the Governor’s Office to report annually on December 31 to the Governor, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives on all expenditures, grants, grantees and remaining fund balances.
6. Requires the Division for Children in the Governor’s Office to make a list of grant awards available to the public.
7. Provides for a general effective date.
TRANS 2/05/01 DP 10-0-0-0
APPROP 3/13/01 DP 12-0-0-4
3rd Read 3/19/01 55-1-4-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
March 28, 2001