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Committee backs bill to require posting of Salt River wild-horse agreement
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Summary
The House committee approved an amended bill requiring the Arizona Department of Agriculture to post the agreement governing the Salt River wild-horse herd — the department said the contract is on the state procurement website but agreed to make it easier to find.
The House Committee on Land, Agriculture and Rural Affairs on March 19 returned Senate Bill 11 99 with a do-pass recommendation after adopting a strike-everything amendment that requires the Arizona Department of Agriculture to post the agreement between the U.S. Forest Service and the department on the department website.
Representative Cody Rhyme (LD 3), who sponsored the amendment, said the change is intended to improve public access to the contract that guides the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group’s work. “If I haven't been able to find it online in my searches, it's fair to say that the general public probably hasn't found it as well,” Rhyme said, and announced a stakeholder meeting Wednesday at 8 a.m. in the Saguaro Room to continue drafting language.
Rachel Andrews, chief legislative liaison for the Arizona Department of Agriculture, told the committee the department is neutral on the amendment and said it can make the website change. “It is posted on our state procurement website, but I understand that it can be a little bit difficult to find some of that information,” Andrews said, and offered to ensure the document is made accessible to legislators and the public.
Members pressed whether a statute is necessary or whether an administrative posting would suffice. Representative Martinez said codification would make the posting harder to undo by a future director and encouraged embedding the requirement in statute; Andrews said the department will comply with legislative direction but also can make the posting administratively.
The committee discussion included differing views on whether the requirement was duplicative of existing procurement postings. After member explanations the chair announced the committee vote as 6 ayes and 3 nays and returned SB 11 99 with a do-pass recommendation.
The committee set a stakeholder meeting to continue addressing related concerns; the bill now proceeds in the legislative process with the committee’s recommendation.
