41-1273. Budget analyst; employees; duties; reports

A. The joint legislative budget committee shall appoint a budget analyst and other clerical and technical employees that may be required.

B. The budget analyst shall serve full time as staff director and receive compensation as determined pursuant to section 38-611. The budget analyst, as a prerequisite for appointment, shall have demonstrated the budget analyst's competency and ability in the field of finance either in private business or public work.

C. The budget analyst may be removed from office prior to expiration of the budget analyst's term if, voting separately, a majority of the members of each body constituting the joint legislative budget committee votes in favor of removal.

D. The budget analyst shall prepare for distribution an analysis of the governor's budget as soon after the budget is presented to the legislature as is possible. The analysis, among other things, shall include recommendations of the budget analyst for revisions in expenditures.

E. In consultation with the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting, the budget analyst shall determine and report to the governor and the legislature an estimate of appropriations subject to the limit imposed by article IX, section 17, Constitution of Arizona. The report shall be published on or before February 15 of each year for the preceding fiscal year, for the current fiscal year and for the ensuing fiscal year to reflect the budget recommendations of the joint legislative budget committee.

F. On or before December 1 of each year, the budget analyst shall report to the committee a listing of statutorily deleted and newly created funds and funds that changed appropriated status from the prior fiscal year.

G. On or before January 31 of each year, the budget analyst shall report to the committee the expenditures for each retirement system for the preceding fiscal year, including the expenditures made by this state for the employer contribution for each retirement system.

H. The legislature in making its appropriation for the operation of the legislature shall allocate a portion thereof for the operation of the joint legislative budget committee.

I. On or before December 1, 2019 and once every seven years thereafter, the budget analyst shall report to the committee the following:

1. The current amount of each surcharge and assessment that is authorized by law to be collected on every fine, penalty and forfeiture imposed and collected by the courts for criminal offenses and every civil penalty imposed and collected for a civil traffic violation and fine, penalty or forfeiture for a violation of the motor vehicle statutes, for any local ordinance relating to the stopping, standing or operation of a vehicle or for a violation of the game and fish statutes in title 17.

2. The items for which the collected surcharge or assessment monies are used.