Arizona geological survey; analysis; division, the official text

REFERENCE TITLE: Arizona geological survey; analysis; division

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2262

Introduced by

Representative
Griffin

AN
ACT

Amending sections 17-252, 27-101, 27-102
and 27-112, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending section 27-113, Arizona Revised
Statutes, as transferred and renumbered; amending title 27, chapter 1, article
1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 27-117; amending section 27-118,
Arizona Revised Statutes, as transferred and renumbered; repealing sections
37-171 and 37-176, Arizona Revised Statutes; providing for transferring and
renumbering; appropriating monies; RELATING to the Arizona Geological survey.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 17-252, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE17-252. Geospatial data and geographic information system services;
wildlife species location information; disclosure or inspection; definitions

A. Geospatial data that the department receives,
maintains, shares or stores is not subject to disclosure or inspection under
title 39, chapter 1, article 2 if the department provides geospatial data to
the public through geographic information system services.

B. Wildlife species location information is not
subject to disclosure or inspection under title 39, chapter 1, article 2 for
wildlife species location information on private property or when the
department determines that disclosure or inspection of the information may
cause harm to any wildlife species.

C. For the purposes of this section,
"geospatial data" and "geographic information system" have
the same [meaning as] meanings prescribed
in section [37-171] 27-101.

Sec. 2. Section 27-101, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE27-101. Definitions

In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Administrator" means
the administrator of the division.

[1.] 2. "Aggregate"
means cinder, crushed rock or stone, decomposed granite, gravel, pumice,
pumicite and sand.

3. "Geographic information
system" means computer-based technologies for storing, manipulating and
analyzing geospatial data.

4. "Geospatial data" means
digital data using geographic or projected map coordinate values,
identification codes and associated descriptive data to locate and describe
boundaries or features on, above or below the surface of the earth or
characteristics of the earth's inhabitants or its natural or human-constructed
features.

[2.] 5. "Mineral
resources":

(a) Means
all metallic, nonmetallic and energy resources. , including

(b) includes aggregate,
coal, oil, natural gas, geothermal resources, carbon dioxide and helium.

[3.] 6. "Minerals":

(a) Includes
metals and metallic and nonmetallic minerals. , except

(b) does not
include oil and gas.

7. "Public agency" means
any agency or instrumentality of the United States, this state, another state,
a regional council of governments in this state, an Indian tribe, nation,
community or band, any political subdivision of this state or another state or
any foreign country.

8. "Resource analysis
division" or "division" means the resource analysis division of
the Arizona geological survey.END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Section 27-102, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE27-102. Arizona geological survey; state geologist; powers

A. The Arizona geological survey is established
within the university of Arizona with offices located in proximity to the
university of Arizona in Tucson. The state geologist shall
administer the Arizona geological survey and shall serve at the pleasure of the
Arizona board of regents. The state geologist shall be a graduate of
an accredited institution and either registered as a geologist by the state
board of technical registration or a trained geologist as defined in section 32-144
and shall be otherwise qualified by education and experience to direct the
research and information functions of the Arizona geological survey. The state geologist shall collaborate with the state land department
to fulfill the duties of the resource analysis division and advise the state
land department on request.

B. The state geologist may:

1. Engage the services of faculty members or
students and employees of the division, and
shall have reasonable access to the data and other resources, of the state land department, the university of
Arizona [or] and any other state
university in this state to conduct or supervise research, experimentation or
other related work of the Arizona geological survey.

2. Organize field expeditions to perform work for
the Arizona geological survey using university students who are sufficiently
advanced in their study of geology to be able to perform satisfactory work.

3. Establish and appoint an advisory board
consisting of independent practicing geologists, university or college faculty,
mining geologists and others who use and rely on data, information and other
services of the Arizona geological survey.

4. Engage volunteer staff as necessary.

C. The expenses of the Arizona geological survey
shall be paid by annual appropriation from the state general fund and as
otherwise provided by this article. END_STATUTE

Sec. 4. Section 27-112, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE27-112. Mapping; inventory; aggregate resources

A. The Arizona geological survey shall establish a
map and inventory of all known areas that contain aggregate resources and all
existing aggregate mining facilities in this state [according to] by county.

B. On request of the state mine inspector, the state
geologist shall update the maps and inventories of the aggregate resources of
this state and include areas of aggregate resources discovered since the
previous publication.

C. On request of the state land
commissioner, the state geologist shall update the maps and inventories of the
aggregate resources located on lands under the jurisdiction of the state land
department and include areas of aggregate resources discovered since the
previous publication.END_STATUTE

Sec. 5. Section 27-113, Arizona Revised
Statutes, as transferred and renumbered, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE27-113. Resource analysis division; administrator; employees;
compensation; state cartographer

A. [There] the
resource analysis division is established within the [state
land department the resource analysis division] arizona
geological survey.

B. The state [land commissioner] geologist shall appoint an administrator of the division.

C. The administrator shall be responsible for the
administrative functions of the division.

D. The administrator may employ, with the approval
of the [commissioner] state geologist,
the employees necessary to carry out the [provisions of this
chapter] the powers and duties of the division.

E. Compensation for the administrator and other
employees of the division shall be established pursuant to by the Arizona board of regents and
based on the salaries of EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES who are subject to the PROVISIONS
of section 38-611.

F. The office of state cartographer is established
within the division. The [commissioner] state geologist is designated the state cartographer, but the commissioner state geologist may delegate
the responsibilities and functions of the state cartographer under this chapter
to an administrative officer of the division. END_STATUTE

Sec. 6. Title 27, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 27-117, to read:

START_STATUTE27-117. Disposition of division monies

Monies received by the division pursuant to this
article, other than appropriations, shall be promptly deposited, pursuant to
sections 35-146 and 35-147, by the administrator in the geological survey fund established by section 27-107.

Sec. 7. Section 27-118, Arizona Revised
Statutes, as transferred and renumbered, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE27-118. Arizona geographic information council

A. The Arizona geographic information council is
established in the [department] Arizona
geological SURVEY consisting of the following members who are appointed
by the governor:

1. Eighteen members representing state agencies and
instrumentalities.

2. Six members
representing federal governmental agencies.

3. One member
representing a statewide association of county governments.

4. One member
representing a statewide association of municipal governments.

5. Six members representing geographic information
systems consortia or local governments.

6. One member representing an Arizona Indian tribal
nation.

7. One member representing a professional geospatial
organization.

8. One member representing the private sector.

B. The governor shall appoint members of the council
for staggered three year terms of office, but the governor may remove a member
for cause. Vacancies shall be filled for an unexpired term in the
same manner as original appointments.  The council shall annually elect a
chairperson, [vice-chairperson] vice
chairperson and other officers it considers necessary.

C. Members of the council are not eligible to
receive compensation, but, subject to the availability of monies, are eligible
to receive reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article
2.

D. The council shall:

1. Advise the [Arizona state
cartographer's office] Arizona geological survey on
matters related to geospatial data sharing and appropriate strategies to
support a geospatial clearinghouse and statewide geographic information system.

2. Facilitate interagency coordination for the
purpose of geospatial data sharing and supporting a geospatial clearinghouse, a
statewide geographic information system and location-based services that
enhance and support federal, state and local government business systems,
including emergency preparedness and other disaster mitigation response
systems.

3. Collect information on user requirements on
matters related to geographic information systems, geospatial data,
technologies, products, services, standards, programs and activities and
prioritize those requirements to the Arizona state cartographer's office, the Arizona geological survey, the United States geological
survey and other producers of geospatial data.

4. Serve as a forum to facilitate informational
exchange between federal, state, tribal, regional and local governments, the
private sector and professional associations.

5. Appoint technical committees as necessary.

Sec. 8. Repeal; transfer of monies

A. The
chapter heading of title 37, chapter 1.2, Arizona Revised Statutes, and the
article heading of title 37, chapter 1.2, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes,
are repealed.

B. Sections 37-171
and 37-176, Arizona Revised Statutes, are repealed.

C. All unexpended and
unencumbered monies remaining in the resource analysis division revolving fund
established by section 37-176, Arizona Revised Statutes, as repealed by
subsection B of this section, are transferred to the geological survey fund
established by section 27-107, Arizona Revised Statutes, on the effective
date of this section.

Sec. 9. Transfer and renumber

The following sections are transferred
and renumbered for placement in title 27, chapter 1, article 1:

Former
Sections                     New Sections

37-172................................... 27-113

37-173................................... 27-114

37-174................................... 27-115

37-175................................... 27-116

37-177................................... 27-118

37-178................................... 27-119

Sec. 10. Succession

A. As provided by this act,
the resource analysis division of the Arizona geological survey succeeds to the
authority, powers, duties and responsibilities of the resource analysis
division of the state land department.

B. This act does not alter
the effect of any actions that were taken or impair the valid obligations of
the resource analysis division of the state land department in existence before
the effective date of this act.

C. Administrative rules and
orders that were adopted by the resource analysis division of the state land
department continue in effect until superseded by administrative action by the
resource analysis division of the Arizona geological survey.

D. All administrative
matters, contracts and judicial and quasi-judicial actions, whether
completed, pending or in process, of the resource analysis division of the
state land department on the effective date of this act are transferred to and
retain the same status with the resource analysis division of the Arizona geological
survey.

E. All certificates,
licenses, registrations, permits and other indicia of qualification and
authority that were issued by the resource analysis division of the state land
department retain their validity for the duration of their terms of validity as
provided by law.

F. All
equipment, records, furnishings and other property, all data and investigative
findings, all obligations and all appropriated monies that remain unexpended
and unencumbered on the effective date of this act of the resource analysis
division of the state land department, are transferred to the resource analysis
division of the Arizona geological survey.

G. All personnel who are
under the state personnel system and employed by the resource analysis division
of the state land department are transferred to comparable positions and pay
classifications in the respective administrative units of the resource analysis
division of the state land department on the effective date of this act.