HB 2257

House Engrossed
HOV
  lane; blood transport vehicles
(now: watercraft
  fund; distribution of monies)
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
CHAPTER 248
HOUSE BILL 2257
AN
ACT
Amending sections 5-323 and 5-383,
Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to boating and water sports.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 5-323, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE5-323. Disposition of fees; annual report
Each month monies received from the registration and
infrastructure fees received under this chapter for the numbering of watercraft
shall be deposited, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, in the
watercraft licensing fund. Each month, the department shall distribute the
monies as follows:
1. All revenues collected pursuant to section 5-321,
subsection A and section 5-326 shall be allocated as follows:
(a) Sixty-five per cent fifty-five percent shall be deposited in the watercraft
licensing fund. The watercraft licensing fund is to be used by the department
for administering and enforcing this chapter, providing an information and
education program relating to boating and boating safety and administering any
aquatic invasive species program established under this title or title 17. These
monies are subject to legislative appropriation.
(b) Thirty-five per cent forty-five percent of such revenues shall be further
allocated as follows:
(i) Fifteen per cent Ten percent to the state lake
improvement fund to be used as prescribed by section 5-382.
(ii) Eighty-five per cent ninety percent to the law enforcement
and boating safety fund to be used as prescribed by section 5-383.
2. All revenues collected from any additional
registration fees collected pursuant to section 5-321, subsection C  D shall be paid to an account
designated by a multi-county water conservation district established under
title 48, chapter 22 to be used solely for the lower Colorado river
multispecies conservation program and for no other purpose. END_STATUTE
Sec. 2. Section 5-383, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE5-383. Law enforcement and boating safety fund; boating law enforcement,
personnel, equipment and training funding to counties
A. A  The law
enforcement and boating safety fund is established that consists
consisting of monies distributed to the fund pursuant to
sections 5-323, 5-395.01, 5-395.03, 5-396 and 5-397. The
monies are subject to legislative appropriation.
B. Only a board of supervisors of a county that has
a law enforcement and boating safety program that was in existence before July
1, 1990 shall be eligible to receive law enforcement and boating safety fund
monies.� The revenues allocated to the law enforcement and
boating safety fund shall be allocated as follows:
1. 1.03 percent to apache County.
2. 10.45 percent to coconino county.
3. 7.35 percent to gila county.
4. 12.5 percent to la paz county.
5. 9.65 percent to maricopa county.
6. 49.22 percent to mohave county.
7. .5 percent to navajo county.
8. 9.3 percent to yuma county.
C. The state treasurer shall administer the
fund. Using an allocation formula as determined
annually by the commission, The state treasurer shall distribute monies
monthly from the law enforcement and boating safety fund to eligible counties
as prescribed in subsection B of this section.
D. In determining the allocation
formula, the commission may consider the following:
1. The adequacy of existing county
boating safety programs that include accident investigations.
2. The number of recreational days of
use on water within the jurisdiction of the counties in areas of administrative
authority.
3. The surface acreage of water within
the jurisdiction of the counties in areas of administrative authority.
4. The county water safety record.
5. The ability of the county to
constructively use additional monies.
6. The ratio of boating use to water
surface within the jurisdiction of the counties in areas of administrative
authority.
7. The ability of participating
counties to provide continued funding of the program.
8. Annual input and feedback from the
county boards of supervisors receiving funds.
9. Boat accident data for the
waterways within the jurisdiction of the county.
E. D. The
monies distributed to a county board of supervisors shall be used by the law
enforcement agencies of the county solely for boating law enforcement,
personnel, equipment and training. END_STATUTE
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 22, 2026.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 22, 2026.