Committee passes mass motion funding five local wildfire programs totaling about $26 million
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
The committee advanced a grouped (mass motion) recommendation to appropriate multiple state general fund sums for local fire programs across Northern and Eastern Arizona, sending the bills to the next stage.
The committee voted to advance a package of five appropriations aimed at local wildfire programs after staff and sponsors described the allocations and several lawmakers offered brief explanations.
Staff summarized the mass motion: House Bill 22 19 appropriates $2,090,000 from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026 to the Arizona Department of Administration for the Taylor–Snowflake Fire and Medical Department; House Bill 23 95 appropriates $5,000,000 to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) to continue the White Mountain Fire Program; House Bill 23 98 appropriates $9,000,000 to DFFM to distribute to the city of Show Low, town of Taylor–Snowflake and town of Pinetop–Lakeside for a White Mountain fire contingency program; House Bill 24 00 appropriates $5,000,000 to DFFM/city of Payson for a fire contingency program; and House Bill 26 94 appropriates $5,000,000 to DFFM to distribute to the Frye Fire District in Sierra Vista for wildland firefighting and contingency.
Representatives from Northern Arizona, including Representative Blackman and Representative Griffin, urged passage, citing past large fires, economic disruption and threats to life and property. Sponsors argued the funds would support rural fire districts and mitigation efforts in communities that face concentrated wildfire risk.
A motion to consider the bills together was made under committee rules for efficiency; the committee passed the mass motion recommendation (vote: 6 ayes, 2 nays, 1 absent). Several members said they preferred individual debate but supported the measures’ intent.
Why it matters: the grouped appropriation moves targeted contingency and program funding for several rural and front‑range communities affected by recent and historical wildfire events to the next stage in the legislative process.