special census; state population; appropriation

SB 1374 authorizes Arizona to conduct a statewide special census during the fifth year after the decennial U.S. Census. It allows cities, towns, and counties to use special census results for one year to determine funding allocations under state law, after which they must switch to standard U.S. Census population estimates. The bill appropriates $10 million from the state general fund for this special census in fiscal year 2025-2026, exempting it from standard appropriation lapsing rules. This directly affects local governments (cities, towns, counties) and the state budget by providing an alternative population count for funding distribution. The key provision is the one-year window for using special census data before reverting to federal estimates.