The Arizona Legislature Turns to UArizona Cooperative Extension Offices to Help Tackle Statewide Problems

This session legislators across the state have turned to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Office (CEO) to help solve problems facing Arizona.  UArizona CEOs are located in all 15 Arizona counties. This statewide presence has given lawmakers in rural Arizona the opportunity to engage and partner with UArizona.  Several bills have demonstrated legislative trust in the UArizona CEOs to help solve problems in local communities, such as: 

Senate Bill 1150 (Agricultural Workforce Program; Apprentices; Appropriation)

Sponsored by Senator TJ Shope (R-Casa Grande)

SB1150 appropriates $500k to Cooperative Extension to create an Agriculture Apprenticeship Program.  As the average age of the Agricultural Workforce continues to increase, Stakeholders and the Legislature are looking to start a pilot program that would help create an agriculture workforce pipeline of future agriculture leaders.  The program was originally proposed to be administered in the AZ Department of Agriculture but after some discussion with Jeff Silvertooth, the Director of Cooperative Extension, the proponents requested an amendment to move the program to UArizona Cooperative Extension. After passing the Senate with strong support from democrats and republicans, SB1150 passed its first House committee with a vote of 10 ayes and 3 nays. This bill will ultimately be negotiated as part of the legislative budget process. 

Position: ABOR/UArizona supports SB1150. 

House Bill 2778 (Stream Adjudications; Cooperative Extension; Appropriation)  

Sponsored by Rep. Gail Griffin (R-Cochise County) 

HB2778 appropriates $500k to the UArizona Natural Resource Users Law & Policy Center (NRULPC), a collaboration between UArizona Cooperative Extension and UArizona College of Law, for the purpose of providing pro bono legal expertise to claimants in the general stream adjudication of water rights. In order to receive these pro bono services claimants cannot have current legal representation and must have fewer legal resources available to them when compared to other parties in the adjudication.  The bill has passed committee and is waiting to pass the full body of the House.  The bill has received broad support but will ultimately be negotiated as part of the legislative budget process.

Position: ABOR/UArizona supports SB2778