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CSA Weekly Update (03.27.2026)

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In the March 27th, 2026, edition of the CSA Weekly Update:


CSA Leadership Meets with Governor Katie Hobbs!



On Wednesday, March 25th, CSA President and Apache County Supervisor Shepherd, Executive Committee Member and Yuma County Supervisor Pancrazi, and Executive Committee Member and Maricopa County Supervisor Brophy McGee met with Governor Hobbs to discuss legislative and budget issues impacting county governments. The Association would like to extend our gratitude to Governor Hobbs and her team for meeting with county leadership to discuss court funding, cost shifts, impactful legislation, and transportation funding.

Governor Hobbs Declares April County Government Month


We’re pleased to share that Governor Hobbs issued a proclamation recognizing April as County Government Month in Arizona.


As we move into April, we wanted to highlight this important designation. National County Government Month (NCGM) held each April since 1991 by the National Association of Counties (NACo) recognizes the vital role county governments play in serving residents, delivering essential services, supporting public health and safety, strengthening local economies, and collaborating with partners across the state to meet community needs.


A copy of the proclamation is attached for your reference.



AZ Mirror: Who's Running in 2026? Everyone who filed to run for Arizona's State, Legislative, and Federal offices in 2026



More than 260 candidates filed to run for Arizona state and federal office in 2026 before Monday’s deadline for would-be elected officials to turn in nominating petitions for this year’s election. Of those, almost 230 are running for the 90 seats in the Arizona Legislature’s 30 districts. There are 31 candidates who hope to qualify for the seven statewide offices that will be on the ballot this year, including Democrats who won races for governor, secretary of state and attorney general in 2022 and aim to serve a second term.


To read more of Jim Small's article, please click here

We Are Counties: We Are Health and Human Services


The “We Are Counties" campaign from the National Association of Counties (NACo) is a nationwide effort to spotlight the essential role America’s 3,069 counties play in keeping communities healthy, safe and thriving. From large urban centers to rural communities, counties work alongside state, federal, nonprofit and private partners to deliver critical services right where they matter most, on the ground. The campaign highlights how counties operate, the services they provide and the impact they have across every part of community life.


This week focuses on community health and human services. Counties care for people at every stage of life by protecting public health and delivering critical medical, behavioral and long-term care services that keep communities strong. Counties invest more than $130 billion each year in hospitals, public health, behavioral health and services for vulnerable residents, supporting everyday needs like clinics, mental health care, nursing homes, public health inspections and substance abuse treatment. Nationwide, counties support more than 900 hospitals, 1,900 health departments and over 532,000 health workers, and play a key role in delivering and funding mental health services across most states.


For more information, please click here.


CSA Podcast: Who Pays for Justice? Funding the Right to Counsel in Arizona


Join us as we break down how Arizona fulfills the constitutional right to counsel—and why counties are at the center of delivering and funding indigent defense. Explore the history, structure, and real-world budget pressures behind public defense systems, and what a new statewide evaluation could mean for the future.


Check out our indigent defense overview and case study here


Learn more about Indigent Defense Funding across the country here




JLBC Updates: March Fiscal Highlights


The Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) recently released their March 2026 monthly fiscal highlights, detailing state General Fund revenue collections through February of 2026. Overall, February 2026 General Fund collections totaled $819 million, representing a 3.2% increase fiscal year-to-date and generating a forecast loss of $(26) million below the baseline.


Sales Tax:

Sales tax collections for February, representing January sales activity, have grown by 3.1% fiscal year-to-date. Total monthly collections of $667.0 million generated a forecast loss of $(8.5) million, with mixed results across tax categories. Retail/Remote Seller and Restaurant and Bar continue to post modest gains FYTD with 4.2% and 4.7% growth respectively, however prime contracting has decreased by (3.5)%. JLBC noted that the resiliency of Arizona’s restaurant industry appears to mirror a national trend, with growth in the category driven by higher prices for restaurant meals and drinks rather than an increase in sales volume. The decline in prime contracting is attributable to the residential construction sector, with taxable sales from residential construction activity down by (14.3)% through the first 8 months of FY 2026.


Individual Income Tax:

Net IIT revenues in February were $140.6 million, posting 35.7% growth YTD but $(22.8) million below the forecast. February is typically a smaller month for overall IIT collections, and as such the category can see significant percentage fluctuations year over year due to technical timing issues. JLBC caveated that the state’s current tax forms assume Arizona will conform with all of the tax law changes in last year’s federal budget legislation, but since the state has yet to conform fully, the baseline forecast does not account for this impact.


Corporate Income Tax:

Net CIT revenues totaled $223.0 million, reflecting 3.4% year-to-date growth and resulting in a $10 million forecast gain.


Insurance Premium Tax:

IPT revenues were $37.1 million in February, generating a forecast loss of $(9.8) million. Year—to-date, IPT revenue is up by 9.9%.


HURF:

HURF collections totaled $143.1 million in February, representing a (0.1)% decline compared to February of last year and contributing to a forecast loss of $(4.5) million. YTD, collections have grown by 1.7%.


Other Indicators:

As of March 1, 2026, the total AHCCCS caseload was 1.74 million members. Total monthly enrollment decreased (0.8)% from the previous month, representing a (11.1)% decline from a year ago. For February 2026, the elderly and physically disabled (EPD) population decreased by (0.2)% over the prior month, representing an (0.4)% decline from a year ago.


The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) saw an (14.7)% decline in participants in January compared to December of 2025, with program enrollment down (42.4)% over the prior year.


To view the full fiscal highlights, click here.

From Statehood Forward: Term Limits Overview


In today's installment of our tour through constitutional amendments, we are highlighting term limits approved by the voters in 1988 and 1992!


Term Limits for Executive Officers (1988); Article 5, Section 1


  • In 1988, Arizona voters approved changes to Article 5, Section 1, placing limits on how long executive officers—such as the Governor, Attorney General and other statewide officials can serve. Under this measure, no executive officer may hold the same office for more than two consecutive four-year terms, though individuals may run again after sitting out for a term.


  • The amendment also required candidates to receive a majority of the vote to win a general election. If no candidate earns more than 50 percent, a runoff election would be held between the top candidates to ensure a clear majority winner. Together, these provisions were designed to promote broader voter support, increase electoral competitiveness and ensure consistent opportunities for new leadership in Arizona’s executive branch.


Term Limits for Legislators (1992); Article 4, Section 21


  • In 1992, Arizona voters approved changes to Article 4, Section 21, establishing two-year terms for members of the Legislature and adding term limits. Under these term limits state Senators and Representatives may serve no more than four consecutive terms in the same office. After reaching the maximum number of terms, a legislator must leave that office for at least one full term before becoming eligible to serve in it again. This took effect on January 1st, 1993.


CSA at the Legislature


As the legislative session pushes forward, CSA, county leaders, and county professional staff continue to engage with the Legislature through meetings with members, communicating with staff, and testifying before committees on issues of importance to county governments.


This week, we would like to thank Senator Angius for her work on behalf of Arizona's counties. She has run a number of bills to benefit local governments, but today we are highlighting her work on SB 1167!


This week, staff testified on the following bills:


SB1496: DCS; policies; procedures (Werner) (Text)

SB1538: moving violations; AZPOST-certified officer; prosecutors (Payne) (Text)

HB2795: small modular reactors; zoning; approval (Carbone) (Text)

HCR2016: voting centers; precinct voting (Keshel) (Text)

HB2456: small modular reactors; zoning; co-location (Wilmeth) (Text)

SB1167: cities; towns; counties; posting; website (Angius) (Text)

SB1067: county abatement liens; notice; priority (Rogers) (Text)



Floor Calendars: March 30 – April 2, 2026


Today is the last day for bills that made it to the second chamber to be heard in committee. The final round of Appropriations committees will be held next week, and any bills that have not progressed past that point are not likely to progress through the rest of the legislative session.


From there, the action of both chambers will be focused on passing bills through floor action. Leadership in both chambers will also need to narrow down the list of potential ballot proposals. Finally, state leaders will be coming together to decide on a budget before the state can sine die.


To view all floor calendars, please click the link here. 


To view all live proceedings, please click the link here.


Session Timeline: Important Dates and Deadlines


As the 57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session progresses, the Association will continue to provide updates on important deadlines as they pass. Please find additional deadlines linked here as well as listed below:



Lifelong Learning: Upcoming NACo Webinars


County Data Governance Decoded: Aligning Strategy with Government Needs

Monday, March 30, 2026; 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET


As counties prepare for the transformative impacts of artificial intelligence, and evolving compliance demands, robust data governance strategies have become essential. This webinar will explore actionable techniques to modernize data frameworks to align with county priorities, improve asset inventories, refine retention policies, and foster data-aware cultures. 


Featuring lessons learned from a panel of county leaders who participated in a data governance workgroup, attendees will gain insights into what works, what doesn’t, and how to align strategy for resilience and compliance. Topics will include aligning data and information governance, leveraging AI tools to enhance data quality, conducting governance audits, and implementing lifecycle management practices to reduce risks and improve efficiency. 


To register, click here.



County Leaders Navigating FEMA Changes: A Fireside Chat with Former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell on Preparedness, Leadership, and Practical Action

Tuesday, March 31, 2026; 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. ET


The session will explore what counties can control — from pre-disaster planning and cross-department coordination to post-disaster recovery positioning — even as broader policy conditions shift.


To register, click here.

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