Arizona SB 1264: officials; political action committee prohibition.

Bill Text

SB1264 - 572R - I Ver 

 REFERENCE TITLE: ESA program; performance review; termination

 State of Arizona

 Senate

 Fifty-seventh Legislature

 Second Regular Session

 2026

 SB 1264

 Introduced by 

 Senators 
 Miranda: Alston, Bravo, Diaz, Epstein, Gabald�n, Kuby, Ortiz, Sears, 
 Sundareshan;� Representatives Aguilar, Sandoval

AN 
ACT

amending title 15, chapter 19, article 1, 
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding sections 15-2407 and 15-2408; 
relating to Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 
15, chapter 19, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding 
sections 15-2407 and 15-2408, to read:

START_STATUTE15-2407. Joint legislative audit committee; committees of reference; 
program review; reports; auditor general; audit; continuation; definitions

A. The joint legislative audit 
committee shall direct the appropriate legislative committees of reference 
established pursuant to section 41-2954 to which the department is 
assigned to complete a program review of the Arizona empowerment scholarship 
accounts program at least seventeen months before the termination date for the 
program prescribed by section 15-2408.� 

B. The committees of reference shall 
undertake the program review in the scope and detail the committees of 
reference deem appropriate and shall address whether there is a need for the 
program in this state.� If the committees of reference determine there is a 
need for the program, the committees of REFERENCE shall assess the degree to 
which the original objectives of the program have been achieved, expressed in 
terms of the performance, impact or accomplishments of the program and of the 
situation the program was intended to address.

C. The committees of reference shall 
complete the draft program review report not later than eleven months before 
the termination date for the program prescribed by section 15-2408. Before 
the draft program review report is submitted, the department shall be given an 
OPPORTUNITY to review, within forty calendar days, the draft program review 
report and submit written comments or a rebuttal to be included in the preliminary 
program review report. 

D. The committees of reference shall 
submit the preliminary program review report to the governor, to each member of 
the joint legislative audit committee, to each member of the committees of 
reference to which the department is assigned and to the department on or 
before October 1 of the year before the scheduled termination date for the 
program prescribed by section 15-2408.

E. The joint legislative audit 
committee shall direct the auditor general to conduct a program performance 
audit to determine any of the following:

1. Whether the department is managing 
the program in an economical and efficient manner.

2. Causes of inefficiencies or 
uneconomical practices in the program, including inadequacies in management 
information systems, internal and administrative procedures, organizational 
structure, use of resources, allocation of personnel, purchasing policies and 
equipment.

3. Whether the desired results of the 
program are being achieved.

4. Whether the objectives of the 
program as established by the legislature are being met. 

F. The auditor general shall conduct 
the program performance audit in a manner that is consistent with the 
performance audit procedures prescribed in title 41, chapter 7, article 10.1 
and shall submit the audit results to the governor, to 
each member of the joint legislative audit committee, to each member of the 
committees of reference to which the department is assigned and to the 
department on or before October 1 of the year before the scheduled termination 
date for the program prescribed by section 15-2408.

G. After receipt of the program 
performance audit, the committees of reference shall hold at least one public 
hearing to receive testimony from the public and from the officials of the 
department. The committees of reference may hold additional public 
hearings for the purposes provided in section 41-2954, subsection C as 
applicable to the program. 

H. In determining whether to continue 
or terminate the program, each committee of reference shall consider the 
information provided in the preliminary program review report and the program 
performance audit and the factors provided in section 41-2954, subsection 
D as applicable to the program. 

i. The program is continued pursuant 
to this section if legislation to continue the program is passed by the 
legislature and signed by the governor before the termination date for the 
program pursuant to section 15-2408, even if the legislation to continue 
the program has not become effective on the date of scheduled termination.

j. If the legislature continues the 
program, the joint legislative audit committee may direct the auditor general 
or the committees o