ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
environmental
education council; continuation
Continues the Arizona Advisory Council on Environmental Education (Council) until July 1, 2012, and qualifies private schools and nonprofit home school organizations for environmental education grants.
In December 2001, the Committee of Reference conducting the sunset review of the Council recommended the continuation of the Council for another ten years. The ten-member Council administers funds generated from the sale of the environmental special license plate. The Environmental Special License Plate Fund receives $17 of the total $25 for each environmental special license plate purchase or renewal. The monies raised by the Environmental Special License Plate Fund are used to fund the Environmental Education Grant Program (Program) which funds over 500 grants to over 123,000 children, according to the FY 2000-2001 annual report. The Program has been in operation since FY 1996-1997.
Currently, environmental education grants are available to individual district, charter and alternative schools, Natural Resources Conservation District Environmental Education Centers and private organizations that have established joint research ventures with schools to provide instruction in environmental education. H.B. 2061 adds private schools and nonprofit home school organizations to this list of eligible grant recipients.
There is no discernible fiscal impact to the general state fund associated with this bill.
1. Qualifies private schools and nonprofit home school organizations as grant recipients of the Environmental Special License Plate Fund awarded by the Council.
2. Continues the Arizona Advisory Council on Environmental Education until July 1, 2012.
3. Contains a technical change.
4. Contains a retroactivity clause of July 1, 2002 to continue the Council.
5. Provides for a general effective date unless otherwise specified.
ED 1/21/02 DP 8-0-0-2-0
3rd Read 2/04/02 DPA 37-20-3-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 11, 2002