HB 2960

House Engrossed
veterans' court fund;
  grant program
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
CHAPTER 262
HOUSE BILL 2960
AN
ACT
amending title 12, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona
Revised Statutes, by adding section 12-119.06; amending title 41, chapter
11, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-1610.04;
relating to VETERANS' SERVICES.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 12, chapter 1, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 12-119.06, to read:
START_STATUTE12-119.06. Veterans'
specialty court grant program; veterans' treatment court fund; administration;
purpose; annual reports
A. The veterans' specialty court
grant program is established for municipalities and counties in this state to
establish a veterans' court program. The administrative
office of the courts shall administer the veterans' specialty court grant
program. The supreme court shall adopt rules as necessary and establish criteria to implement this section.� Grant monies may be used to establish new veterans' court programs and
to expand and enhance existing veterans' court programs established pursuant to
section 22-601.
B. The veterans' specialty court
grant program shall:
1. Support the rehabilitation and
reintegration of veterans as contributing members of their communities.
2. Promote collaboration among
prosecutors, defense counsels, judges, community-based support
organizations in this state, the United States department of veterans affairs
and the department of veterans' services.
3. Develop and oversee individualized
treatment plans to address the underlying causes of justice-involved
veterans' behavior, including any of the following:
(a) Post-traumatic
stress disorder.
(b) Traumatic
brain injury.
(c) Anger
management.
(d) Domestic
violence prevention and intervention.
(e) Alcohol and
drug abuse treatment.
C. The veterans' treatment court fund
is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The administrative office of the courts shall administer the fund. Monies
in the fund are continuously appropriated.� The fund may be used to provide
monies to municipalities and counties in this state to establish a veterans'
court program pursuant to this section and to expand and
enhance existing veterans' court programs established pursuant to section
22-601. Applicants shall submit an application on a form prescribed
by the administrative office of the courts.� Fund monies
shall be awarded annually to grantees and shall be used for any relevant
administrative costs, including hiring personnel to establish, maintain or
enhance a veterans' court program.
D. The administrative
office of the courts shall collaborate with county attorneys, municipal
prosecutors, public defenders and any relevant stakeholders to establish the
best practices and standards for the administration of veterans' court programs
and data collection in this state.
E. On
or before December 31 of each year, each grantee shall submit a report to the administrative office of the courts that includes all of the
following:
1. The
number of veterans served, separated by type of offense, demographics and
military service history.
2. Arrest and recidivism rates among
veterans' court program participants.
3. Veterans' court program completion
rates and participant outcomes.
4. Use of mental health and substance
abuse treatment services.
5. Recommendations for veterans'
court program and veterans' specialty court grant program improvement.
F. On or before March 1 of each year,
the administrative office of the courts shall submit a
comprehensive annual report to the governor, the president of the senate and
the speaker of the house of representatives that analyzes the data submitted
pursuant to subsection E of this section and that summarizes and includes all
of the following:
1. Statewide data on veterans' court
programs that incorporate grantee-reported metrics on participation,
recidivism and treatment outcomes.
2. Challenges and barriers to
veterans' court program implementation, based on grantee feedback and data.
3. Recommendations for enhancing the
identification and assessment of veterans within the criminal justice system of
this state, including data collection protocols and best practices for cross-agency
collaboration and data sharing among federal, state and local stakeholders.
4. Policy and funding recommendations
to improve veterans' court program and veterans' specialty court grant program
effectiveness and sustainability. END_STATUTE
Sec. 2. Title 41, chapter 11, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-1610.04, to read:
START_STATUTE41-1610.04. Department of veterans' services; veteran identification;
anticipated release; confidentiality; annual report; definition
A. NOTWITHSTANDING any other law, the
department shall make reasonable efforts to identify incarcerated individuals
who are veterans in this state.
B. On a monthly basis and to the
extent practicable, the state department of corrections shall provide to the
Department of Veterans' Services a list of incarcerated individuals who are
identified as veterans and who have an anticipated release date within ninety
days.� The information shared shall be limited to the minimum information
necessary to identify the individual and facilitate outreach.
C. Information shared pursuant to
subsection B of this section is confidential, is not subject to public
disclosure and shall be used solely for the purpose of enabling the Department
of Veterans' Services to provide benefits counseling, assist with eligibility
determinations and provide information regarding available federal, state or
local veterans' benefits and services.
D. The Department of Veterans'
Services shall make a reasonable effort to contact individuals identified on
the list before the individual's release from incarceration and for a
reasonable period following the individual's release from incarceration for the
purposes described in this section.
E. The state department of
corrections and the Department of Veterans' Services shall enter into a memorandum
of understanding to establish procedures for secure data sharing consistent
with applicable state and federal confidentiality laws.
F. On or before december 31, 2026 and
each year thereafter, the state department of corrections, in coordination with
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' SERVICES, shall submit a report to the governor,
the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives
regarding the implementation of this section during the preceding fiscal year.�
The report must include data on all of the following:
1. The number of currently
incarcerated individuals identified as veterans as of june 30 of the preceding
fiscal year.
2. The total number of veterans who
were anticipated for release from incarceration and who were referred to the
department of veterans' services during the preceding fiscal year.
3. The number of veterans who were
assisted with initiation, reinstatement or coordination of veterans benefits
before or after release from INCARCERATION during the preceding fiscal year.
G. For the purposes of this section,
"Veteran" has the same meaning prescribed in section 41-601. END_STATUTE
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 22, 2026.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 22, 2026.