Republicans Overcome Democrat Opposition to Increase School Safety

Despite stiff opposition from Arizona Senate Democrats, legislation to protect children and strengthen school safety across Arizona is advancing in the Arizona State Senate.

The legislation at issue, SB 1582, is now set for a full Senate vote.

SB 1582, sponsored by Senator Kevin Payne, appropriates $3.2 million to the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) for the School Safety Interoperability Fund. The bill details how funds may be allocated to county sheriffs’ offices to enhance coordination and communication. It also updates the requirements for communication systems developed with these funds to ensure they are compatible, reliable, and effective during emergencies.

“This is exactly the kind of proactive, commonsense action that Arizonans expect from their Legislature,” said Payne. “SB 1582 provides funding to enhance communication between schools and law enforcement, which is crucial for effective emergency response. Republicans supported this bill because protecting children should never be a controversial issue. The fact that every democrat voted against it speaks volumes, but it won’t deter us from doing what’s right for students, parents, and educators across the state. Voting against funding that improves school safety and emergency response is not principled; it’s irresponsible. When politics takes precedence over protecting children, lawmakers fail the very communities they were elected to serve.”

Statute requires ADOA to distribute Interoperability Fund monies to the sheriffs of a county, city or town police department that establishes a school safety program. Interoperability Fund monies may be used only for a school safety program that:

1) encompasses schools throughout Arizona;

2) enables the deployment of a secure, multimedia data communications system for public safety agencies and public schools;

3) provides a communications solution environment that allows for identification, secure messaging, information sharing and alarm system integration as outlined;

4) is capable of being deployed to end users on existing communication assets;

5) allows each participating entity to maintain real-time communication;

6) encrypts all media communications;

7) is certified under the federal Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act;

8) is compatible with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Interoperable Gateway System for disaster communications;

9) ensures student and staff privacy; and

10) enables integration to school access control to allow remote lockdown by law enforcement (A.R.S. § 41-1733).

The bill allows ADOA to distribute Interoperability Fund monies in the following amounts in FY 2027 for continuing operation and maintenance of authorized school safety programs:

• $275,000 to Apache County Sheriff’s Office;
• $280,000 to Gila County Sheriff’s Office
• $280,000 to Graham County Sheriff’s Office
• $170,000 to Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office
• $200,000 to La Paz County Sheriff’s Office
• $525,000 to Mohave County Sheriff’s Office
• $540,000 to Navajo County Sheriff’s Office
• $350,000 to Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office
• $600,000 to Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office