Arizona Brass Tacks Act
# ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES
## TITLE 41. STATE GOVERNMENT
### CHAPTER 7.2. THE ARIZONA BRASS TACKS ACT
ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
§ 41-801. Short title
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The Arizona Brass Tacks Act."
§ 41-802. Legislative findings and intent
A. The legislature finds that:
1. The Arizona Constitution establishes that government is instituted for the protection and benefit of the people.
2. Accurate measurement and public reporting of community wellbeing is essential for accountable governance.
3. Rural, urban and tribal communities face distinct challenges requiring circumstance-aware solutions.
4. Public safety encompasses both traditional crime prevention and protection from financial exploitation.
5. Transparency in government performance builds public trust and enables evidence-based policymaking.
6. Local governments often lack capacity to analyze complex data and develop innovative solutions.
7. Communities possess unique knowledge about local priorities that may not be captured by standardized metrics.
8. Integrated data across multiple domains reveals interconnected challenges and enables comprehensive solutions.
9. Arizona faces unique and growing resilience challenges including extreme heat, drought, wildfires, and monsoon storms that threaten community wellbeing and economic stability.
10. Integrated data on water resources, infrastructure resilience, and community preparedness enables more effective planning and resource allocation for extreme events.
11. Rural communities face particular resilience challenges due to infrastructure limitations, resource dependencies, and response capacity constraints.
12. Water security is fundamental to Arizona's economic prosperity and quality of life, requiring transparent tracking and sustainable management.
13. Public trust in government requires transparency about waste, fraud, and abuse, including within law enforcement agencies.
14. Consistent tracking of substantiated claims across jurisdictions enables identification of systemic issues and sharing of best practices.
15. Effective oversight requires both robust internal controls and meaningful external accountability measures.
16. Whistleblower protection and accessible reporting channels are essential components of government integrity.
B. The intent of this chapter is to:
1. Provide Arizona residents with transparent, accessible data about their communities' wellbeing.
2. Enable local governments to identify needs and develop effective, locally-tailored solutions.
3. Protect residents from all forms of crime, including financial exploitation that disproportionately affects rural and elderly populations.
4. Foster collaboration and sharing of best practices among Arizona communities.
5. Ensure efficient use of public resources through data-driven decision making.
6. Empower municipalities to track and address unique local priorities while maintaining statewide comparability on fundamental measures.
7. Enhance community resilience to extreme weather, water scarcity, and other environmental challenges.
8. Support sustainable water management through comprehensive tracking of water resources and usage.
9. Build adaptive capacity in vulnerable communities through targeted preparedness planning and investment.
10. Promote government integrity through transparent tracking of waste, fraud, and abuse.
11. Support effective oversight of law enforcement agencies through consistent data collection and public reporting.
12. Protect whistleblowers and ensure accessible reporting channels for government misconduct.
§ 41-803. Definitions
In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
1. "Access gap" means the estimated number or percentage of residents within a jurisdiction who lack reliable, affordable access to a fundamental necessity.
2. "Advisory board" means the Arizona Brass Tacks Advisory Board established pursuant to section 41-812.
3. "Community resilience" means the ability of a community to withstand, adapt to, and recover from extreme events and chronic stresses while maintaining essential functions and improving wellbeing.
4. "Covered jurisdiction" means:
a. The state of Arizona.
b. Any county with a population exceeding fifty thousand persons.
c. Any incorporated city or town with a population exceeding twenty-five thousand persons.
d. Any tribal nation that elects to participate pursuant to section 41-872.
5. "Department" means the Arizona Department of Administration.
6. "Director" means the director of the Arizona Brass Tacks Office.
7. "Extreme weather" means weather events that exceed historical norms for intensity, duration, or frequency, including extreme heat, cold, precipitation, or wind events.
8. "Fundamental necessities" means the ten categories of community wellbeing measured under this chapter: food security, housing stability, healthcare access, educational attainment, childcare availability, appropriate employment opportunities, voting franchise, community safety and integrity, community resilience and preparedness, and government accountability and integrity.
9. "Lab" means the Arizona Local Solutions Lab established pursuant to section 41-831.
10. "Law enforcement agency" means any public agency at the state, county, or municipal level with powers of arrest and law enforcement authority.
11. "Local metric" means a measurement developed by a municipality pursuant to section 41-825 to track circumstances of particular importance to local constituents.
12. "Office" means the Arizona Brass Tacks Office established pursuant to section 41-811.
13. "Rural county" means any county with a population density of less than one hundred persons per square mile or a total population of less than five hundred thousand persons.
14. "Substantiated claim" means a finding of waste, fraud, or abuse that has been confirmed through investigation according to established standards of evidence.
15. "Water security" means reliable availability of adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human wellbeing, and socioeconomic development.
16. "Whistleblower" means an employee who reports waste, fraud, abuse, or violations of law within their agency through authorized channels.
17. "White-collar crime" means nonviolent criminal offenses involving deceit, fraud or intentional misrepresentation for financial gain, including but not limited to securities fraud, embezzlement, identity theft, mortgage fraud, insurance fraud and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.
ARTICLE 2. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
§ 41-811. Arizona Brass Tacks Office; establishment
A. The Arizona Brass Tacks Office is established within the department.
B. The office shall be administered by a director appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. The director shall serve a term of five years and may be reappointed.
C. The director shall have demonstrated expertise in at least three of the following areas:
1. Data analytics and statistics.
2. Public policy analysis.
3. Rural community development.
4. Government operations and finance.
5. Criminal justice systems.
6. Emergency management or resilience planning.
7. Government auditing or oversight.
D. The director may hire staff as necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, subject to available appropriations.
§ 41-812. Arizona Brass Tacks Advisory Board
A. The Arizona Brass Tacks Advisory Board is established consisting of twenty-one members appointed as follows:
1. Three members appointed by the governor, including at least one representative from a rural county.
2. Three members appointed by the president of the senate, including at least one representative from a law enforcement agency.
3. Three members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, including at least one representative from a business organization.
4. Two members appointed by the Arizona association of counties, representing rural and urban counties respectively.
5. Two members appointed by the league of Arizona cities and towns, representing municipalities with populations under and over one hundred thousand respectively.
6. One member appointed by the Arizona tribal nations commission.
7. One member appointed by the Arizona association of chambers of commerce.
8. One member representing community-based organizations serving rural areas.
9. One member with expertise in public health data systems.
10. One member with expertise in water resource management.
11. One member with expertise in emergency management or climate resilience.
12. One member with expertise in government auditing or oversight.
13. One member representing whistleblower protection organizations.
B. Board members shall serve staggered four-year terms.
C. The board shall:
1. Advise the office on data collection standards and metrics.
2. Review and approve the annual Brass Tacks Report.
3. Provide guidance on the operations of the Arizona Local Solutions Lab.
4. Ensure the dashboard and reports are accessible and useful to diverse communities.
5. Review and make recommendations on proposed local metrics pursuant to section 41-825.
6. Evaluate proposals for new statewide metrics pursuant to section 41-826.
7. Provide guidance on resilience metrics and preparedness planning.
8. Review government accountability metrics and protocols to ensure appropriate protections.
D. The board shall meet at least quarterly and may convene in different regions of the state.
E. Board members shall serve without compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2.
§ 41-813. Powers and duties of the office
The office shall:
1. Develop, maintain and operate the Arizona Brass Tacks Community Dashboard.
2. Establish standardized metrics and data collection protocols for all covered jurisdictions.
3. Collect, verify and validate data submitted by reporting entities.
4. Produce the annual Arizona Brass Tacks Report.
5. Provide technical assistance to jurisdictions with data collection and reporting.
6. Administer the Arizona Local Solutions Lab.
7. Establish and maintain a public comment portal for feedback.
8. Conduct regular audits of data quality and reporting compliance.
9. Develop and maintain data sharing agreements with state agencies, federal agencies and tribal nations as appropriate.
10. Ensure all public-facing materials are accessible to individuals with disabilities and available in English, Spanish and Navajo.
11. Review and approve local metrics pursuant to section 41-825.
12. Administer the annual metrics review process pursuant to section 41-826.
13. Provide training and support for municipalities developing local metrics.
14. Coordinate with the Arizona department of water resources, division of emergency management, and other relevant agencies on resilience data collection and reporting.
15. Develop and maintain specialized resilience assessment tools and planning resources.
16. Establish memoranda of understanding with investigative and oversight bodies pursuant to section 41-841.
17. Develop and implement whistleblower protection protocols for the Brass Tacks system.
ARTICLE 3. COMMUNITY WELLBEING METRICS AND REPORTING
§ 41-821. Fundamental necessities metrics
Each covered jurisdiction shall collect and report data annually on the following metrics:
A. FOOD SECURITY
1. Percentage of households experiencing low or very low food security as defined by the United States department of agriculture.
2. Percentage of eligible individuals enrolled in the supplemental nutrition assistance program.
3. Number of census tracts designated as food deserts based on distance to grocery stores and income levels.
4. Utilization rates of emergency food assistance programs.
B. HOUSING STABILITY
1. Percentage of households spending more than thirty percent of gross income on housing costs.
2. Point-in-time count of homeless individuals, disaggregated by sheltered and unsheltered status.
3. Number of eviction filings per one thousand rental units.
4. Gap between number of extremely low-income households and available affordable rental units.
5. Median number of days rental properties remain vacant.
C. HEALTHCARE ACCESS
1. Percentage of residents without health insurance coverage.
2. Average wait time for a new patient appointment with a primary care provider.
3. Percentage of residents who report having a usual source of medical care.
4. Number of preventable hospitalizations per one thousand residents.
5. Distance to nearest emergency medical services for rural census blocks.
D. EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
1. Four-year adjusted cohort high school graduation rate.
2. Percentage of third-grade students reading at or above grade level.
3. Percentage of adults twenty-five years and older with a postsecondary credential or degree.
4. Percentage of households without reliable high-speed internet access suitable for distance learning.
5. Teacher retention rates by school district.
E. CHILDCARE AVAILABILITY
1. Number of children under six years of age per licensed childcare slot.
2. Average cost of infant care as a percentage of median household income.
3. Percentage of childcare facilities with a quality rating of three stars or higher in the quality first system.
4. Number of families on childcare subsidy waitlists.
5. Percentage of employers offering childcare benefits or assistance.
F. APPROPRIATE EMPLOYMENT
1. Employment-population ratio for working-age adults, disaggregated by age and disability status.
2. Underemployment rate, including part-time workers seeking full-time employment.
3. Percentage of vocational rehabilitation clients obtaining competitive integrated employment.
4. Percentage of workforce with industry-recognized credentials in high-demand fields.
5. Median commute time for workers.
G. VOTING FRANCHISE
1. Percentage of eligible voters registered to vote.
2. Voter turnout rate in the most recent general election.
3. Average wait time at polling places by precinct.
4. Mail-in ballot rejection rate, disaggregated by reason for rejection.
5. Availability of voting materials in languages other than English based on demographic need.
H. COMMUNITY SAFETY AND INTEGRITY
1. TRADITIONAL CRIME METRICS:
a. Violent crime rate per one thousand residents.
b. Property crime rate per one thousand residents.
c. Clearance rates for violent and property crimes.
d. Emergency service response times, disaggregated by urban and rural areas.
2. WHITE-COLLAR AND FINANCIAL CRIMES:
a. Number of reported incidents per ten thousand residents of:
i. Financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.
ii. Business and agricultural fraud.
iii. Identity theft.
iv. Embezzlement and employee theft.
v. Securities and investment fraud.
b. Total dollar losses from white-collar crimes.
c. Percentage of white-collar crime cases resulting in prosecution.
d. Asset recovery rate for financial crimes.
3. CRIMES AGAINST CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE:
a. Incidents of theft from agricultural operations, including equipment, livestock and crops.
b. Theft of metals and materials from utility infrastructure.
c. Vandalism of public water systems and irrigation infrastructure.
d. Illegal dumping on public and tribal lands.
4. BORDER-IMPACT METRICS (FOR APPLICABLE COUNTIES):
a. Drug seizures on rural and tribal lands.
b. Incidents of human trafficking detected in rural areas.
c. Costs to local governments for border-related emergency responses.
5. JUSTICE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE:
a. Pretrial detention rates by offense type.
b. Case processing time from filing to disposition.
c. Recidivism rates for released offenders.
d. Alternative sentencing program participation and outcomes.
I. COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND PREPAREDNESS
1. EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE:
a. Number of extreme heat days (over 105°F) and extreme cold days (under 32°F) per year.
b. Percentage of households with functional air conditioning and heating systems.
c. Cooling and heating center capacity per ten thousand residents.
d. Urban heat island intensity index by census tract.
e. Wildfire risk assessment scores for wildland-urban interface areas.
f. Floodplain occupancy rates and flood insurance penetration.
2. WATER SECURITY AND MANAGEMENT:
a. SURFACE WATER AVAILABILITY:
i. Reservoir storage levels as percentage of capacity.
ii. River flow rates compared to historical averages.
iii. Days of surface water supply remaining at current usage rates.
b. GROUNDWATER RESOURCES:
i. Aquifer water level changes (feet per year).
ii. Groundwater recharge rates versus extraction rates.
iii. Areas with critical groundwater depletion designation.
c. WATER TREATMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE:
i. Water treatment plant capacity utilization rates.
ii. Age and condition index of water distribution infrastructure.
iii. Emergency water supply storage (days of supply).
iv. Water main break frequency per one hundred miles of pipe.
d. WATER USAGE BY CATEGORY:
i. Agricultural water use (acre-feet per year) and efficiency metrics.
ii. Municipal and domestic water use (gallons per capita per day).
iii. Industrial and commercial water use and recycling rates.
iv. Percentage of households with water-saving fixtures and appliances.
e. WATER QUALITY AND SAFETY:
i. Compliance with safe drinking water standards.
ii. Contaminant levels in groundwater sources.
iii. Wastewater treatment capacity and discharge quality.
3. ENERGY RESILIENCE:
a. Grid reliability metrics (SAIDI/SAIFI indices).
b. Percentage of critical facilities with backup power generation.
c. Renewable energy generation capacity as percentage of total.
d. Energy storage capacity (megawatt-hours) for emergency use.
e. Fuel supply chain resilience (days of fuel on hand).
4. FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCE:
a. Days of perishable and non-perishable food supply in local distribution chains.
b. Percentage of food consumed that is produced within one hundred miles.
c. Emergency food distribution network capacity.
d. Agricultural vulnerability to extreme weather events.
5. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM PREPAREDNESS:
a. Hospital surge capacity (percentage beds available for emergency expansion).
b. Medical supply chain resilience (days of critical supplies on hand).
c. Emergency medical services response capability during extreme events.
d. Public health laboratory testing capacity for waterborne and weather-related illnesses.
6. COMMUNICATIONS RESILIENCE:
a. Percentage of population covered by redundant communication systems.
b. Emergency alert system effectiveness (reach and response rates).
c. Critical infrastructure communication backup capabilities.
7. TRANSPORTATION AND SUPPLY CHAIN:
a. Road and bridge vulnerability to extreme weather events.
b. Alternative route availability during infrastructure failures.
c. Supply chain diversification for essential goods.
J. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTEGRITY
1. WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE TRACKING:
a. SUBSTANTIATED CLAIMS BY AGENCY TYPE:
i. Number of substantiated waste, fraud, or abuse claims per 1,000 employees by agency category:
- Law enforcement agencies (state, county, municipal police, sheriff's departments)
- Corrections and detention facilities
- Social services agencies
- Transportation and infrastructure departments
- Education agencies and school districts
- Healthcare administration agencies
- General government administration
b. CLAIM DISPOSITION AND OUTCOMES:
i. Percentage of claims investigated within statutory timelines.
ii. Average investigation duration by claim type.
iii. Percentage of substantiated claims resulting in:
- Criminal prosecution.
- Civil recovery.
- Administrative action (suspension, termination, demotion).
- Policy or procedural changes.
iv. Total financial recovery from substantiated fraud and waste claims.
v. Recovery rate (dollars recovered as percentage of dollars identified as lost).
2. LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SPECIFIC METRICS:
a. INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS:
i. Number of internal affairs complaints filed per 100 sworn officers.
ii. Percentage of complaints investigated by independent or civilian oversight bodies.
iii. Average time to complete internal affairs investigations.
iv. Disciplinary action rates by complaint type (use of force, misconduct, etc.).
b. ASSET FORFEITURE AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY:
i. Total value of assets seized by law enforcement agencies.
ii. Percentage of forfeiture proceeds used for law enforcement purposes versus general fund.
iii. Number of civil asset forfeiture challenges and success rates.
iv. Audit findings related to forfeiture fund management.
c. USE OF FORCE AND INCIDENT REPORTING:
i. Number of use of force incidents per 10,000 contacts.
ii. Percentage of force incidents involving weapons discharge.
iii. Demographic data of subjects involved in use of force incidents.
iv. Consistency of incident reporting across similar event types.
3. PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING OVERSIGHT:
a. Number of no-bid or emergency contracts awarded and their justification.
b. Percentage of contracts with cost overruns exceeding 10 percent.
c. Vendor performance evaluation compliance rates.
d. Findings from procurement audits and resulting corrective actions.
4. WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS AND REPORTING:
a. WHISTLEBLOWER ACTIVITY:
i. Number of whistleblower complaints filed by agency.
ii. Percentage of whistleblowers who report retaliation.
iii. Investigation outcomes for retaliation claims.
iv. Average time to resolve whistleblower complaints.
b. REPORTING CHANNEL EFFECTIVENESS:
i. Utilization rates of different reporting mechanisms (hotlines, online systems, in-person).
ii. Employee awareness of reporting options (survey-based metrics).
iii. Percentage of reports leading to corrective action.
5. AUDIT FINDINGS AND COMPLIANCE:
a. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDIT RESULTS:
i. Number of material findings in financial audits.
ii. Percentage of prior audit recommendations implemented.
iii. Repeat findings across multiple audit cycles.
iv. Audit findings related to internal controls and financial management.
b. COMPLIANCE WITH LEGAL AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS:
i. Number of violations of state procurement code.
ii. Compliance rates with public records request timelines.
iii. Findings from ethics commission investigations.
iv. Open meeting law violations and corrective actions.
6. TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC ACCESS METRICS:
a. PUBLIC RECORDS RESPONSIVENESS:
i. Percentage of public records requests fulfilled within statutory deadlines.
ii. Average response time for different types of records requests.
iii. Appeal rates and outcomes for denied or delayed requests.
iv. Fees charged for records production and waiver rates.
b. FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY:
i. Publication timeliness of budgets, expenditures, and financial reports.
ii. Checkbook-level expenditure data availability and searchability.
iii. Vendor payment data completeness and accessibility.
7. ETHICS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
a. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE COMPLIANCE:
i. Percentage of required officials filing timely financial disclosures.
ii. Completeness rates of filed disclosures.
iii. Review and verification processes for disclosures.
b. CONFLICT OF INTEREST MANAGEMENT:
i. Number of recusals reported by public officials.
ii. Post-employment restriction violations.
iii. Contracting with former employee violations.
§ 41-822. Additional metrics for rural jurisdictions
In addition to the metrics prescribed in section 41-821, rural counties shall report:
1. Distance to nearest hospital with emergency services.
2. Availability of specialty medical care within sixty minutes travel time.
3. Broadband internet access speeds and reliability.
4. Agricultural economic indicators, including farm income and commodity prices.
5. Water availability and quality metrics.
6. Agricultural Resilience:
a. Crop diversification index.
b. Soil health indicators (organic matter content, erosion rates).
c. Livestock heat stress mitigation capacity.
d. Irrigation system efficiency and modernization rates.
7. Rural Infrastructure Vulnerability:
a. Single-road access communities identification.
b. Distance to alternative medical facilities during road closures.
c. Communications infrastructure redundancy in remote areas.
8. Water Security for Rural Communities:
a. Well reliability and depth trends.
b. Small water system vulnerability assessments.
c. Rainwater harvesting and water storage capacity per household.
9. Economic Resilience:
a. Business continuity planning rates among critical rural employers.
b. Economic diversification index.
c. Emergency employment and income support program accessibility.
§ 41-823. Data collection and submission
A. By March 1 of each year, each covered jurisdiction shall submit all required data for the preceding calendar year to the office.
B. Data shall be submitted in standardized electronic formats prescribed by the office.
C. Each jurisdiction shall designate a Brass Tacks coordinator responsible for data collection and submission.
D. The office shall provide data collection templates and technical guidance to assist jurisdictions.
E. Data shall be disaggregated to the maximum extent possible by:
1. Race and ethnicity.
2. Age, gender and disability status.
3. Income level using federal poverty guidelines.
4. Geographic location at the census tract or zip code level.
5. Tribal affiliation for participating tribal nations.
F. The office shall establish and maintain an online portal for secure data submission.
G. For resilience metrics specifically, data shall be submitted in coordination with:
1. Arizona department of water resources.
2. Arizona division of emergency management.
3. Arizona department of environmental quality.
4. Local water providers and irrigation districts.
H. For government accountability metrics, data shall be submitted in coordination with:
1. Arizona auditor general.
2. Agency internal audit divisions.
3. Law enforcement internal affairs units.
4. Ethics commissions at state and local levels.
§ 41-824. Data quality and verification
A. The office shall establish data quality standards and validation procedures.
B. The office may conduct random audits of up to five percent of reporting entities annually.
C. Jurisdictions found to have submitted inaccurate data shall have thirty days to submit corrected data.
D. Willful submission of false data may result in a civil penalty of up to five thousand dollars.
E. The office shall provide written guidance on data validation procedures to all reporting entities.
F. For water usage data, verification shall include cross-referencing with:
1. Arizona department of water rights records.
2. Water provider billing and metering data.
3. Agricultural water district reports.
G. For government accountability data, verification shall include:
1. Cross-referencing with official investigative reports.
2. Independent verification of substantiated claims.
3. Review by relevant oversight bodies.
§ 41-825. Municipal Metric Extension Authority
A. Local Metric Development: Any incorporated city or town may develop and implement additional metrics beyond those prescribed in section 41-821 to track and publicize circumstances that are:
1. Particularly important to their constituents.
2. Unique to their community's geography, economy, or culture.
3. Not adequately captured by statewide standardized metrics.
B. Approval Process: To establish local metrics, municipalities shall:
1. Pass a city or town council resolution authorizing the metric(s).
2. Submit the proposed metric(s) to the office for review within 30 days of adoption.
3. Include in the submission:
a. A clear definition of the metric and measurement methodology.
b. The rationale for the metric's importance to the community.
c. Data collection and verification procedures.
d. Any local ordinances or policies relevant to the metric.
C. Office Review: The office shall review proposed local metrics within 60 days and may only reject proposals that:
1. Violate state or federal law.
2. Are technically infeasible or scientifically invalid.
3. Duplicate existing metrics without substantial improvement.
4. Would require disclosure of confidential or protected information.
5. Are excessively burdensome relative to their public benefit.
D. Presumption of Approval: Local metrics shall be presumed approved if the office does not issue a written rejection within 60 days stating specific reasons for disapproval based on subsection C.
E. Technical Standards: The office shall develop and publish technical standards for local metrics to ensure:
1. Statistical validity and reliability.
2. Consistency with privacy protections.
3. Interoperability with the Brass Tacks dashboard framework.
4. Accessibility for public understanding.
F. Dashboard Integration: Approved local metrics shall be displayed on the Brass Tacks dashboard with the following provisions:
1. A clear designation as "Local Metric - [Municipality Name]."
2. Display on the municipal profile page and in regional views where applicable.
3. A standardized disclosure: "This metric was developed by [Municipality] to track local priorities. Methodology and definitions may differ from statewide metrics."
4. Optional inclusion in comparative analyses if methodology is sufficiently standardized across multiple jurisdictions.
G. Funding and Technical Assistance:
1. Municipalities developing local metrics may apply for technical assistance from the lab.
2. The Brass Tacks Innovation Fund may prioritize grants supporting the development and implementation of innovative local metrics that address previously unmeasured community needs.
3. Small municipalities (population under 25,000) shall receive priority technical support for local metric development.
H. Sharing and Replication: The office shall maintain a registry of approved local metrics and facilitate sharing of successful models among municipalities. Metrics that demonstrate widespread applicability may be considered for adoption as optional or standard statewide metrics during the annual metrics review.
I. Sunset Review: Local metrics shall be reviewed by the originating municipality every three years to determine whether they should be continued, modified, or discontinued.
§ 41-826. Annual Metrics Review and Update Process
A. Public Input Period: Each year from September 1 to October 31, the office shall accept proposals for:
1. New statewide metrics.
2. Modifications to existing metrics.
3. Retirement of metrics that are no longer relevant or effective.
B. Submission Categories: Proposals may be submitted by:
1. Any covered jurisdiction.
2. State agencies.
3. Recognized community organizations.
4. Academic institutions.
5. Individual residents through a petition signed by 500 registered voters.
C. Review Criteria: The advisory board shall evaluate proposals based on:
1. Alignment with constitutional rights and duties.
2. Scientific validity and measurement feasibility.
3. Relevance to community wellbeing.
4. Cost-effectiveness of data collection.
5. Potential for informing policy decisions.
6. Input from potentially affected communities.
D. Update Cycle: Approved metric changes shall be:
1. Published by December 31 each year.
2. Implemented in the following calendar year's data collection.
3. Phased in with appropriate technical assistance and training.
E. Emergency Metric Authority: In response to emerging crises (public health emergencies, natural disasters, economic disruptions), the director may authorize temporary metrics for up to 24 months without going through the full annual review process, provided that:
1. The advisory board is notified within 7 days of authorization.
2. The emergency metric is clearly designated as temporary on the dashboard.
3. A plan for transitioning to standard metrics or discontinuing the emergency metric is established at the time of authorization.
§ 41-827. Resilience Benchmarking and Goals
A. Each jurisdiction shall establish resilience benchmarks based on:
1. Historical extreme event frequency and severity.
2. Climate projection models for the region.
3. Critical infrastructure vulnerability assessments.
4. Population vulnerability factors (age, income, mobility).
B. Resilience improvement goals shall be included in annual improvement plans pursuant to section 41-843 and shall address:
1. Infrastructure hardening and redundancy.
2. Emergency response capacity building.
3. Community preparedness education and training.
4. Resource conservation and efficiency improvements.
5. Inter-jurisdictional coordination and mutual aid agreements.
C. Jurisdictions shall conduct vulnerability assessments at least every five years that identify:
1. Populations at greatest risk during extreme events.
2. Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.
3. Natural resource constraints and dependencies.
4. Economic exposure to climate-related disruptions.
D. The office shall develop and maintain standardized tools and methodologies for resilience benchmarking and vulnerability assessment.
§ 41-828. Government Accountability Reporting Requirements
A. Mandatory Reporting to Brass Tacks System: The following entities shall report substantiated findings to the Brass Tacks Office:
1. Arizona Auditor General.
2. Office of the Inspector General (for relevant agencies).
3. Internal audit divisions of state agencies.
4. County and municipal auditors.
5. Ethics commissions at state and local levels.
6. Law enforcement internal affairs units.
7. Civilian oversight boards and police commissions.
B. Standardized Reporting Format: All reporting entities shall use standardized reporting formats developed by the Brass Tacks Office in consultation with investigative bodies to ensure:
1. Consistent categorization of findings.
2. Comparable metrics across jurisdictions.
3. Protection of sensitive investigative information.
4. Appropriate anonymization of whistleblower and witness identities.
C. Timeliness Requirements: Substantiated findings shall be reported to the Brass Tacks Office within:
1. 30 days of final determination for internal investigations.
2. 60 days of published report for external audits.
3. 90 days of case closure for law enforcement internal affairs.
D. Appeal and Correction Process: Agencies may appeal inclusion of findings in the Brass Tacks system if:
1. The finding is under active appeal or litigation.
2. The finding contains material factual errors.
3. Publication would compromise an ongoing investigation.
Appeals shall be reviewed by a three-member panel including representatives from the Brass Tacks Office, the Arizona Attorney General's Office, and a public member appointed by the Governor.
E. Anonymization Requirements: The Brass Tacks dashboard shall display government accountability data in a manner that:
1. Does not identify individual whistleblowers, complainants, or witnesses.
2. Aggregates data to prevent identification of individual employees in small agencies.
3. Protects ongoing investigation details while still reporting basic metrics.
F. Contextual Information: Each metric shall include explanatory context such as:
1. Benchmark comparisons to peer jurisdictions.
2. Historical trends for the reporting agency.
3. Relevant policy changes or reforms implemented.
4. Investigation and oversight body methodologies.
G. Improvement Tracking: Agencies with substantiated findings shall be required to report:
1. Corrective action plans with specific timelines.
2. Progress updates on implementation.
3. Outcome measures for reform effectiveness.
4. Independent verification of corrective actions where appropriate.
ARTICLE 4. ARIZONA LOCAL SOLUTIONS LAB
§ 41-831. Establishment and purpose
A. The Arizona Local Solutions Lab is established within the office.
B. The purpose of the lab is to provide evidence-based research, technical assistance and innovation support to Arizona communities, with particular focus on rural and underserved areas.
C. The lab shall operate as a nonpartisan, practical resource for local problem-solving.
D. The lab shall be staffed by professionals with expertise in data analysis, program evaluation, public policy, community development, resilience planning, and government oversight.
§ 41-832. Functions of the lab
The lab shall:
1. Maintain and continuously update a searchable Solutions Repository containing:
a. Evidence-based practices proven effective in Arizona or peer jurisdictions.
b. Model policies, ordinances and program designs.
c. Case studies of successful local innovations.
d. Implementation guides and cost estimates.
2. Provide direct technical assistance to jurisdictions upon request, including:
a. Data analysis and interpretation.
b. Program design and evaluation.
c. Grant writing and funding strategy.
d. Stakeholder engagement planning.
3. Conduct rapid response policy analysis for communities facing acute challenges.
4. Facilitate peer learning networks organized by region or issue area.
5. Administer the Brass Tacks Innovation Fund pursuant to section 41-833.
6. Produce research briefs on emerging issues affecting Arizona communities.
7. Develop and deliver training programs for local government staff.
8. Provide specialized resilience planning support pursuant to section 41-837.
9. Provide government accountability support pursuant to section 41-839.
§ 41-833. Brass Tacks Innovation Fund
A. The Brass Tacks Innovation Fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations, federal grants, private donations and any other monies designated for this purpose.
B. The lab shall administer competitive grant programs from the fund, including:
1. Pilot Project Grants: For jurisdictions testing innovative approaches to addressing identified gaps.
2. Capacity Building Grants: For rural and small jurisdictions to enhance data collection and analysis capabilities.
3. Collaboration Grants: For multiple jurisdictions addressing shared challenges.
4. Local Metrics Development Grants: For municipalities developing innovative local metrics pursuant to section 41-825.
5. Resilience Innovation Grants: For communities implementing innovative resilience solutions.
6. Government Integrity Grants: For jurisdictions implementing innovative oversight systems.
C. Grant recipients shall agree to rigorous evaluation and public sharing of results.
D. Preference shall be given to proposals that:
1. Address significant disparities identified in the Brass Tacks dashboard.
2. Involve cross-sector partnerships.
3. Include matching funds or in-kind contributions.
4. Serve rural or underserved populations.
5. Demonstrate potential for replication in other Arizona communities.
E. The lab shall publish annual reports on Innovation Fund grants, including outcomes and lessons learned.
§ 41-834. Rural and tribal assistance priorities
A. The lab shall prioritize assistance to rural counties and small municipalities.
B. At least forty percent of lab staff time and resources shall be dedicated to serving rural communities.
C. The lab shall employ at least two specialists with expertise in rural economic development and agricultural issues.
D. Tribal nations may request lab assistance on the same basis as other jurisdictions, with appropriate respect for tribal sovereignty and data governance.
E. The lab shall develop and maintain relationships with tribal governments to ensure culturally appropriate assistance.
F. The lab shall employ at least one specialist with expertise in traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous resilience practices.
§ 41-835. Local Metrics Development Support
The lab shall provide specific support for local metric development including:
1. Metric Design Consultation: Assist municipalities in designing valid, reliable, and meaningful local metrics.
2. Methodology Development: Help develop data collection methodologies appropriate for local capacity and resources.
3. Benchmarking Support: Assist municipalities in identifying peer communities for comparative analysis.
4. Evaluation Framework Design: Help design evaluation frameworks to assess whether local metrics effectively drive desired outcomes.
5. Training Programs: Offer regular training on:
a. Community needs assessment for metric identification.
b. Participatory metric development with community input.
c. Data collection best practices for small governments.
d. Communicating local metrics to diverse audiences.
6. Community Engagement Support: Assist municipalities in conducting meaningful community engagement for metric development, including:
a. Designing public input processes.
b. Facilitating community workshops.
c. Developing accessible educational materials about proposed metrics.
§ 41-836. Community-Driven Metric Initiatives
A. Community Partnership Grants: The office may award grants to community organizations partnering with municipalities to develop and implement locally-relevant metrics, with priority for:
1. Underserved or marginalized communities.
2. Rural and tribal communities.
3. Initiatives addressing historically under-measured aspects of community wellbeing.
B. Participatory Design Requirements: Municipalities receiving technical assistance or grants for local metric development shall demonstrate meaningful community engagement through:
1. Public forums or listening sessions.
2. Advisory committees representing diverse community perspectives.
3. Pilot testing with community feedback.
4. Transparency in methodology and intent.
C. Cultural Competency: Local metrics developed for specific cultural, linguistic, or ethnic communities shall be:
1. Developed in partnership with representatives from those communities.
2. Available in relevant languages.
3. Contextualized within cultural frameworks and values.
D. Evaluation of Local Metrics: The lab shall develop and implement a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of local metrics in:
1. Capturing community priorities.
2. Informing policy decisions.
3. Driving community action.
4. Achieving intended outcomes.
§ 41-837. Resilience Planning and Technical Assistance
The Arizona Local Solutions Lab shall provide specialized resilience planning support including:
1. Resilience Assessment Tools: Develop and maintain standardized assessment tools for jurisdictions to evaluate their preparedness across all resilience domains.
2. Extreme Weather Modeling: Provide access to climate modeling and extreme weather projection tools appropriate for Arizona conditions.
3. Water Resource Planning: Assist communities with integrated water resource planning, including:
a. Water conservation program design.
b. Alternative water source development.
c. Infrastructure modernization planning.
d. Drought contingency planning.
e. Groundwater management planning.
4. Grant Application Support: Specialized assistance for federal resilience grants (FEMA, USDA, EPA, DOE, Bureau of Reclamation).
5. Resilience Exercise Design: Help communities design and implement tabletop and full-scale resilience exercises.
6. Best Practices Repository: Curate and disseminate resilience best practices from Arizona and peer regions.
7. Vulnerability Mapping: Assist communities in mapping social and physical vulnerabilities to extreme events.
8. Traditional Knowledge Integration: Support integration of traditional ecological knowledge in resilience planning, particularly for tribal and agricultural communities.
§ 41-838. Emergency Integration Support
A. The lab shall develop and maintain tools for integrating Brass Tacks data into emergency operations, including:
1. Pre-populated emergency response templates.
2. Resource tracking systems.
3. Vulnerability-aware evacuation planning tools.
B. The lab shall provide training on using Brass Tacks data during emergency response and recovery.
C. The lab shall facilitate after-action reviews following emergency events to incorporate lessons learned into resilience planning.
D. The lab shall maintain relationships with Arizona division of emergency management and county emergency managers to ensure coordination.
§ 41-839. Government Accountability Support Unit
The Arizona Local Solutions Lab shall establish a Government Accountability Support Unit with the following functions:
1. Best Practices Development: Research and disseminate best practices for:
a. Fraud prevention and detection systems.
b. Internal controls and audit functions.
c. Whistleblower protection programs.
d. Law enforcement oversight mechanisms.
e. Procurement integrity systems.
2. Technical Assistance: Provide direct assistance to jurisdictions on:
a. Implementing effective internal audit functions.
b. Developing robust whistleblower protection policies.
c. Creating civilian oversight mechanisms for law enforcement.
d. Improving procurement transparency and accountability.
e. Establishing performance metrics for government integrity.
3. Training Programs: Develop and deliver training on:
a. Fraud detection and investigation techniques.
b. Internal control system design.
c. Ethical procurement practices.
d. Public records management and transparency.
e. Use of data analytics for detecting waste and fraud.
4. Peer Review Networks: Facilitate peer learning among:
a. Internal auditors across jurisdictions.
b. Ethics officers and compliance managers.
c. Law enforcement professional standards commanders.
d. Procurement officials and contract managers.
5. Innovation Grants: Administer specialized grants for:
a. Pilot programs testing new fraud detection technologies.
b. Cross-jurisdictional investigative collaborations.
c. Transparency and open data initiatives.
d. Civilian oversight model development.
§ 41-840. Cross-Agency Integration Protocols
A. The Brass Tacks Office shall establish memoranda of understanding with:
1. Arizona Auditor General for data sharing and coordination.
2. Arizona Attorney General's Office for prosecution data and trends.
3. Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board for law enforcement integrity data.
4. Arizona Department of Administration for procurement and contracting data.
5. Arizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide for complaint trend analysis.
6. Arizona Division of Emergency Management for resilience data coordination.
7. Arizona Department of Water Resources for water security data coordination.
B. These agreements shall ensure:
1. Consistent data definitions and reporting standards.
2. Appropriate information sharing while protecting investigations.
3. Coordinated response to systemic issues identified through data.
4. Joint development of prevention strategies based on trend analysis.
C. The Office shall establish a Government Accountability Data Working Group including representatives from:
1. Investigative and oversight bodies.
2. Agency internal audit functions.
3. Public transparency advocacy groups.
4. Academic researchers in public administration and criminal justice.
5. Whistleblower protection organizations.
6. Law enforcement professional associations.
ARTICLE 5. PUBLIC REPORTING AND DASHBOARD
§ 41-841. Arizona Brass Tacks Community Dashboard
A. The office shall develop, maintain and publicly operate an interactive digital dashboard accessible at brasstacks.az.gov.
B. The dashboard shall display, at minimum:
1. Current metrics for all fundamental necessities categories.
2. Historical trends for each metric over five-year periods.
3. Comparative data across jurisdictions.
4. Interactive maps showing geographic disparities.
5. Demographic breakdowns for all metrics where available.
6. Links to jurisdiction improvement plans and success stories.
7. Approved local metrics with appropriate designations.
8. Specialized resilience visualizations pursuant to section 41-845.
9. Government accountability features pursuant to section 41-846.
C. The dashboard shall be designed for accessibility and usability by the general public, including:
1. Compliance with web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.
2. Mobile-responsive design.
3. Plain language explanations of metrics and their significance.
D. All underlying data shall be available for download in machine-readable formats.
E. The dashboard shall include features that allow users to:
1. Compare multiple jurisdictions side-by-side.
2. View correlations between different metrics.
3. Generate custom reports and visualizations.
4. Share specific views via direct links.
5. Access emergency preparedness information during declared emergencies.
F. The dashboard shall include a specialized resilience portal with tools for:
1. Water budget planning.
2. Extreme heat preparedness.
3. Wildfire risk assessment.
4. Infrastructure vulnerability mapping.
G. The dashboard shall include a specialized government accountability portal with features pursuant to section 41-846.
§ 41-842. Annual Arizona Brass Tacks Report
A. By July 1 of each year, the office shall publish the Annual Arizona Brass Tacks Report.
B. The report shall include:
1. Comprehensive analysis of statewide trends and disparities.
2. Jurisdiction-specific performance summaries.
3. Identification of best practices and innovative solutions.
4. Analysis of correlations between different wellbeing indicators.
5. Recommendations for policy improvements at state and local levels.
6. Return on investment analysis for existing programs where data permits.
7. Analysis of local metrics adoption and their impact on community decision-making.
8. Special resilience assessment section including:
a. Water security analysis.
b. Extreme weather vulnerability assessment.
c. Infrastructure resilience report card.
d. Preparedness gap analysis.
9. Government integrity assessment section including:
a. Analysis of waste, fraud, and abuse trends.
b. Law enforcement oversight effectiveness assessment.
c. Whistleblower protection system evaluation.
d. Recommendations for improving government accountability.
C. The report shall be presented to the governor, the legislature and made publicly available.
D. An executive summary shall be published in English, Spanish and Navajo.
E. The report shall include specific analysis of rural-urban disparities and recommendations for addressing them.
F. A separate resilience annex shall be published with detailed technical analysis of water resources, climate trends, and infrastructure conditions.
G. A separate government integrity annex shall be published with detailed analysis of oversight systems and accountability measures.
§ 41-843. Jurisdiction improvement plans
A. Within ninety days of the annual report publication, each covered jurisdiction shall publish an improvement plan addressing its most significant gaps.
B. Improvement plans shall include:
1. Specific, measurable goals for gap reduction.
2. Evidence-based strategies to be implemented.
3. Timeline and responsible parties.
4. Budget and resource requirements.
5. Evaluation methodology.
C. Jurisdictions may request lab assistance in developing improvement plans.
D. Improvement plans shall be posted on the jurisdiction's website and linked from the Brass Tacks dashboard.
E. Local Metric Integration: Municipalities with approved local metrics shall include in their improvement plans:
1. Analysis of performance on local metrics.
2. Strategies specific to addressing local priorities measured by those metrics.
3. Evaluation of whether local metrics are effectively capturing community priorities.
F. The office shall provide templates and guidance for improvement plan development, with separate templates for small jurisdictions with limited capacity.
G. Improvement plans shall include a resilience component addressing:
1. Water security goals and strategies.
2. Extreme weather preparedness improvements.
3. Infrastructure resilience investments.
4. Community education and outreach plans.
H. Improvement plans shall include a government accountability component addressing:
1. Waste, fraud, and abuse prevention strategies.
2. Oversight system improvements.
3. Whistleblower protection enhancements.
4. Transparency and public access improvements.
§ 41-844. Public Engagement and Feedback
A. The office shall establish and maintain mechanisms for public engagement with the Brass Tacks system, including:
1. Regular public forums in different regions of the state.
2. Online feedback portals.
3. Stakeholder advisory groups representing diverse perspectives.
B. The office shall conduct regular user testing of the dashboard with diverse community members to ensure usability and relevance.
C. The office shall provide training and resources to community organizations, journalists, and educators on using Brass Tacks data for advocacy, reporting, and education.
D. The office shall develop and distribute plain-language guides to interpreting Brass Tacks data for general audiences.
E. The office shall conduct specialized outreach on resilience metrics, including:
1. Water conservation education based on usage data.
2. Extreme heat safety information.
3. Emergency preparedness workshops.
F. The office shall conduct specialized outreach on government accountability metrics, including:
1. Public education on reporting waste, fraud, and abuse.
2. Information about whistleblower protections.
3. Training on accessing public records and government data.
§ 41-845. Resilience Dashboard Features
The Brass Tacks dashboard shall include specialized resilience visualization features:
1. Interactive Risk Maps: Layered maps showing overlapping vulnerabilities (heat + elderly population + power grid stress areas).
2. Water Budget Calculators: Tools for communities to calculate water supply/demand balances under different scenarios.
3. Infrastructure Report Cards: Visual grading systems for critical infrastructure resilience.
4. Preparedness Scorecards: Community and household preparedness assessment tools.
5. Extreme Event Scenario Planners: "What-if" tools for planning responses to specific disaster scenarios.
6. Resource Allocation Optimizers: Data-driven tools for prioritizing resilience investments.
7. Water Usage Dashboards: Detailed visualizations of water use by sector with conservation tracking.
8. Extreme Heat Vulnerability Index: Mapping of areas and populations most at risk during heat events.
9. Wildfire Risk Portal: Integration with fire department and forestry service risk assessments.
10. Emergency Resource Locator: During declared emergencies, real-time mapping of shelters, cooling centers, water distribution points, and other resources.
§ 41-846. Government Accountability Dashboard Features
The Brass Tacks dashboard shall include specialized government accountability features:
1. Agency Integrity Report Cards: Visual scoring systems for:
a. Financial management and internal controls.
b. Procurement integrity and contracting oversight.
c. Law enforcement professional standards and oversight.
d. Transparency and public access performance.
e. Whistleblower protection effectiveness.
2. Trend Analysis Tools: Interactive features showing:
a. Patterns in substantiated claims over time.
b. Comparative performance across similar agencies.
c. Correlation between oversight mechanisms and outcomes.
d. Geographic patterns in government accountability metrics.
3. Investigation Tracking: Where appropriate and without compromising investigations, display:
a. Status of major investigations (pending, in progress, completed).
b. Timeliness metrics for investigative processes.
c. Outcomes and corrective actions from completed investigations.
4. Financial Recovery Tracking: Visualization of:
a. Dollars identified as lost to waste, fraud, or abuse.
b. Recovery rates by agency and claim type.
c. Cost-effectiveness of investigative and oversight functions.
d. Return on investment for integrity systems.
5. Public Reporting Portal: Integrated system for:
a. Accessing agency corrective action plans.
b. Submitting public feedback on integrity issues.
c. Tracking status of public records requests.
d. Accessing completed investigative reports (where public).
6. Whistleblower Resource Center: Information and resources for potential whistleblowers including:
a. Secure reporting options.
b. Protections available under state and federal law.
c. Support services and legal resources.
d. Success stories of whistleblower protections in action.
ARTICLE 6. IMPLEMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE
§ 41-851. Phased implementation
A. Phase I (Year 1): State agencies and counties with population exceeding five hundred thousand shall implement reporting for six priority domains: healthcare access, housing stability, community safety and integrity, educational attainment, basic water metrics, and basic government accountability metrics.
B. Phase II (Year 2): All covered jurisdictions shall implement reporting for all ten domains with basic resilience and accountability metrics.
C. Phase III (Year 3): Full implementation including lab services, innovation fund grants, and advanced analytics.
D. The office may grant six-month extensions to jurisdictions demonstrating good faith efforts but facing technical challenges.
E. Tribal nations may establish their own implementation timelines through consultation with the office.
F. Government Accountability Metrics Implementation:
1. Phase I (Year 1): Basic fraud and waste metrics for all state agencies.
2. Phase II (Year 2): Comprehensive accountability metrics for all covered jurisdictions.
3. Phase III (Year 3): Law enforcement-specific metrics and advanced oversight analytics fully implemented.
4. Phase IV (Year 4): Integration with investigative bodies and real-time reporting systems.
§ 41-852. Technical assistance and training
A. The office shall develop and deliver training programs for jurisdiction staff on data collection and reporting.
B. The lab shall provide implementation support to jurisdictions transitioning to the new reporting requirements.
C. The department of administration shall provide IT support to small jurisdictions as resources allow.
D. The office shall establish regional training centers, including at least two in rural areas, to provide in-person training and support.
E. The office shall develop online training modules and certification programs for Brass Tacks coordinators.
F. Specialized training shall be provided for:
1. Government accountability and oversight staff.
2. Law enforcement internal affairs investigators.
3. Whistleblower protection coordinators.
4. Public records officers.
§ 41-853. Compliance and enforcement
A. Jurisdictions failing to submit required data by the deadline shall be notified in writing and given a thirty-day cure period.
B. After the cure period, non-compliant jurisdictions shall have "DATA NOT SUBMITTED" displayed prominently on the dashboard.
C. The attorney general may bring action to compel compliance upon request of the office.
D. No penalty shall apply for good faith errors or technical difficulties.
E. The office shall establish a dispute resolution process for jurisdictions contesting compliance determinations.
F. For government accountability data specifically:
1. Agencies under active investigation may delay reporting until investigation completion.
2. Data that would compromise ongoing criminal investigations may be reported in aggregate form only.
3. Whistleblower identities shall be protected at all times.
§ 41-854. Confidentiality and privacy protections
A. All data collection and reporting shall comply with applicable privacy laws including the health insurance portability and accountability act, the family educational rights and privacy act and tribal data sovereignty principles.
B. Personally identifiable information shall not be disclosed in any public report or dashboard.
C. Data aggregation shall ensure that individuals cannot be re-identified from published statistics, using techniques including but not limited to:
1. Data suppression for small cell sizes.
2. Statistical noise addition where appropriate.
3. Geographic aggregation in sparsely populated areas.
D. The office shall develop and implement a comprehensive data security plan protecting all Brass Tacks data from unauthorized access or disclosure.
E. Special protections shall apply to government accountability data:
1. Whistleblower identities shall be encrypted and accessible only to authorized investigative personnel.
2. Ongoing investigation details shall be protected from public disclosure.
3. Employee disciplinary information shall be reported in aggregated form only.
4. Data sharing with oversight bodies shall be governed by strict confidentiality protocols.
§ 41-855. Integration with Existing Systems
A. The office shall work with state agencies to integrate Brass Tacks data collection with existing reporting systems to minimize duplication of effort.
B. Where feasible, the office shall establish automated data feeds from agency systems to the Brass Tacks dashboard.
C. The office shall develop application programming interfaces (APIs) to allow third-party applications to access Brass Tacks data for research, analysis, or application development.
D. The office shall coordinate with the Arizona geographic information council to ensure spatial data compatibility and integration.
E. The office shall integrate with existing oversight systems including:
1. Arizona Auditor General reporting systems.
2. Law enforcement internal affairs databases (with appropriate safeguards).
3. Ethics commission reporting systems.
4. Public records request tracking systems.
§ 41-856. Emergency Integration and Coordination
A. Integration with Existing Emergency Systems: The Brass Tacks system shall integrate with and enhance, not duplicate, existing emergency management systems including:
1. County emergency operations centers.
2. State division of emergency management systems.
3. National Weather Service warning systems.
4. Public health emergency preparedness networks.
B. Data Sharing During Emergencies: During declared emergencies, the Brass Tacks dashboard shall provide:
1. Real-time resource tracking.
2. Shelter capacity and location mapping.
3. Critical infrastructure status reporting.
4. Population movement and needs assessment.
C. Post-Event Recovery Tracking: Following emergency events, jurisdictions shall report:
1. Response effectiveness metrics.
2. Recovery progress tracking.
3. Lessons learned and system improvements implemented.
4. Economic impact assessments.
D. Annual Resilience Exercises: Each covered jurisdiction shall conduct at least one resilience exercise annually that incorporates Brass Tacks data, focusing on:
1. Extreme heat response.
2. Water scarcity scenarios.
3. Power grid failure.
4. Combined or cascading failures.
§ 41-857. Government Accountability Implementation Provisions
A. Small Agency Considerations: Jurisdictions with fewer than 50 employees may:
1. Use simplified reporting formats.
2. Report biennially rather than annually.
3. Participate in regional collaborative reporting arrangements.
4. Receive technical assistance for developing basic oversight systems.
B. Law Enforcement Agency Protections and Requirements:
1. Data collection shall not interfere with ongoing criminal investigations.
2. Personnel records and disciplinary actions shall be reported in aggregated form only.
3. Use of force and internal affairs data shall be reported in accordance with existing state reporting requirements (A.R.S. § 41-1821 et seq.).
4. The Brass Tacks Office shall consult with law enforcement professional associations on metric development and implementation.
C. Whistleblower Protections: The Brass Tacks system shall include:
1. Secure reporting channels for government employees.
2. Referral protocols to appropriate investigative bodies.
3. Tracking of retaliation claims and outcomes.
4. Annual reporting on whistleblower protection effectiveness.
D. Investigative Body Coordination: The Brass Tacks Office shall establish clear protocols for:
1. Receiving and verifying substantiated findings.
2. Protecting sensitive investigative information.
3. Resolving disputes about findings inclusion.
4. Coordinating systemic response to identified patterns.
ARTICLE 7. FUNDING AND RESOURCES
§ 41-861. Appropriations
A. The office and lab shall be funded through annual legislative appropriations.
B. Initial implementation funding shall not exceed fifteen million dollars in the first year.
C. Ongoing annual operations funding shall not exceed eight million dollars, adjusted for inflation according to the consumer price index for all urban consumers.
D. Separate appropriations may be made to the Brass Tacks Innovation Fund.
E. Funding for local metric development grants shall not exceed five hundred thousand dollars annually.
F. Funding for government accountability initiatives shall not exceed two million dollars annually.
§ 41-862. Federal and private funding
A. The office may seek and accept federal grants, private donations and other funding to support its operations.
B. Tribal nations may use federal tribal set-aside funds to support their participation.
C. All funding shall be deposited in the Brass Tacks fund established in section 41-863.
D. The office shall report annually on all non-state funding received and its utilization.
§ 41-863. Brass Tacks fund
A. The Brass Tacks fund is established as a special fund in the state treasury.
B. The fund consists of legislative appropriations, federal grants, private donations and any other monies designated for purposes of this chapter.
C. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and exempt from lapsing.
D. The office shall administer the fund and report annually on its receipts and expenditures.
E. The state treasurer shall invest monies in the fund not currently needed, with earnings credited to the fund.
§ 41-864. Cost-Saving Measures and Efficiency Requirements
A. The office shall prioritize use of existing state infrastructure and systems where feasible.
B. The office shall pursue opportunities for cost-sharing with other states implementing similar systems.
C. The office shall conduct regular efficiency reviews and report on cost-saving measures implemented.
D. The office shall develop and implement a sustainability plan to reduce reliance on state general fund appropriations over time through federal funding, foundation support, and efficiency gains.
§ 41-865. Resilience Investment Fund
A. The Arizona Resilience Investment Fund is established as a subaccount of the Brass Tacks Fund.
B. Monies in the Resilience Investment Fund shall be used for:
1. Grants to communities for resilience infrastructure projects.
2. Technical assistance for resilience planning.
3. Pilot projects demonstrating innovative resilience technologies.
4. Community education and preparedness programs.
C. Priority for Resilience Investment Fund grants shall be given to:
1. Communities with high vulnerability scores on resilience metrics.
2. Projects addressing multiple resilience domains simultaneously.
3. Collaborative projects involving multiple jurisdictions.
4. Projects with measurable outcomes and clear evaluation plans.
D. The Resilience Investment Fund may receive:
1. State appropriations specifically designated for resilience.
2. Federal resilience and adaptation grants.
3. Private sector contributions for community resilience.
4. Cost-sharing contributions from benefiting jurisdictions.
§ 41-866. Government Integrity Innovation Fund
A. The Government Integrity Innovation Fund is established as a subaccount of the Brass Tacks Fund.
B. Monies in the Integrity Innovation Fund shall be used for:
1. Grants to jurisdictions implementing innovative oversight systems.
2. Pilot programs testing new fraud detection technologies.
3. Training programs for internal auditors and investigators.
4. Development of cross-jurisdictional investigative capabilities.
5. Research on effective government accountability systems.
C. Priority for Integrity Innovation Fund grants shall be given to:
1. Projects addressing identified weaknesses in accountability systems.
2. Collaborative efforts among multiple jurisdictions.
3. Programs with strong evaluation components.
4. Initiatives serving rural or underserved areas with limited oversight capacity.
D. The Integrity Innovation Fund may receive:
1. State appropriations designated for government accountability.
2. Federal grants for fraud prevention and detection.
3. Forfeiture funds directed to oversight system improvement.
4. Private donations from organizations supporting government transparency.
ARTICLE 8. TRIBAL PARTICIPATION
§ 41-871. Voluntary participation
A. Tribal participation in the Brass Tacks system shall be entirely voluntary.
B. Participating tribal nations may choose which metrics to report and may develop tribal-specific metrics.
C. Tribal data shall be governed by tribal data sovereignty agreements.
D. The office shall consult with the Arizona Indian council and individual tribes to develop appropriate protocols.
E. Tribal nations may withdraw from participation at any time without penalty.
§ 41-872. Tribal liaison
A. The office shall employ at least one tribal liaison with expertise in tribal governance and data sovereignty.
B. The tribal liaison shall facilitate communication and collaboration between the office and tribal nations.
C. The liaison shall ensure tribal perspectives are incorporated in dashboard design and metric development.
D. The liaison shall provide training and support to tribal nations interested in participating.
§ 41-873. Tribal Data Sovereignty
A. All data provided by tribal nations shall remain the property of the tribal nation.
B. The office shall not disclose tribal data without explicit permission from the tribal nation.
C. Tribal nations may establish their own data access and use policies.
D. The office shall enter into data sharing agreements with each participating tribal nation that respect tribal sovereignty and data governance.
ARTICLE 9. EVALUATION AND SUNSET
§ 41-881. Performance Evaluation
A. The office shall develop and implement a performance evaluation framework to assess the effectiveness of the Brass Tacks system, including measures of:
1. Public awareness and usage of the dashboard.
2. Impact on policy decisions at state and local levels.
3. Improvement in measured outcomes over time.
4. Cost-effectiveness of the system.
5. User satisfaction with dashboard features and data.
B. The office shall commission an independent evaluation of the Brass Tacks system every three years by a qualified research organization.
C. Evaluation results shall be made public and used to improve system design and operations.
D. The performance evaluation shall specifically assess the impact of government accountability metrics on:
1. Reduction in substantiated waste, fraud, and abuse claims over time.
2. Improvement in investigative and corrective action timeliness.
3. Increased public confidence in government integrity.
4. Effectiveness of whistleblower protection systems.
5. Return on investment for oversight and accountability programs.
§ 41-882. Annual Legislative Report
A. By November 1 of each year, the office shall submit a report to the legislature on:
1. System implementation progress and challenges.
2. Dashboard usage statistics and user feedback.
3. Identified data gaps or quality issues.
4. Success stories and impact examples.
5. Recommended statutory modifications.
6. Financial status and budget projections.
B. The report shall include specific analysis of impacts on rural communities and underserved populations.
C. The joint legislative audit committee shall conduct a comprehensive review of the Brass Tacks system every five years.
§ 41-883. Sunset Review
A. This chapter shall be subject to sunset review every ten years pursuant to title 41, chapter 27.
B. The sunset review shall specifically evaluate:
1. Whether the Brass Tacks system has improved government transparency and accountability.
2. Whether the system has contributed to measurable improvements in community wellbeing.
3. Whether the benefits of the system justify its costs.
4. Whether modifications to the system are needed to better serve Arizona communities.
5. The effectiveness of government accountability metrics in reducing waste, fraud, and abuse.
C. The office shall provide all requested information and assistance to the sunset review committee.
ARTICLE 10. MISCELLANEOUS
§ 41-891. Rulemaking authority
The office may adopt rules necessary to implement this chapter, subject to the provisions of title 41, chapter 6. Rules shall be developed with public input and consultation with affected stakeholders.
§ 41-892. Severability
If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.
§ 41-893. Construction
This chapter shall be liberally construed to effectuate its purposes of transparency, accountability, and community wellbeing.
§ 41-894. No private right of action
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to create a private right of action against any government entity or official.
§ 41-895. Effective date
This chapter is effective from and after December 31, 2024, with implementation as specified in section 41-851.
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## TRANSITION PROVISIONS
§ 41-896. Transition Period
A. During the first year of implementation, the office shall focus on:
1. Establishing data sharing agreements with state agencies.
2. Developing the dashboard platform.
3. Providing training to covered jurisdictions.
4. Developing technical standards for data collection and reporting.
5. Establishing government accountability reporting protocols.
B. Jurisdictions shall not be penalized for non-compliance during the first year of implementation if they demonstrate good faith efforts to comply.
C. The office shall provide transition grants to small jurisdictions to support initial implementation costs.
§ 41-897. Existing Data Systems
A. The office shall inventory existing data systems relevant to Brass Tacks metrics.
B. The office shall work with agency heads to maximize use of existing data and minimize new reporting burdens.
C. Where existing data systems are inadequate, the office shall work with agencies to develop improvement plans.
D. The office shall specifically coordinate with existing oversight systems to avoid duplication of effort.
§ 41-898. Interagency Cooperation
All state agencies shall cooperate with the office in implementing this chapter, including providing data, expertise, and staff support as needed.
§ 41-899. Implementation Timeline Summary
A. Months 1-6: Office establishment, director appointment, advisory board formation.
B. Months 7-12: Development of technical standards, dashboard prototype, initial training programs.
C. Year 2: Phase I implementation with large jurisdictions and state agencies.
D. Year 3: Phase II implementation with all covered jurisdictions.
E. Year 4: Full implementation including lab services and local metrics development support.
F. Year 5: Comprehensive evaluation and system refinement.
G. Government Accountability Specific Timeline:
1. Year 1: Basic reporting protocols established with investigative bodies.
2. Year 2: Whistleblower protection systems implemented.
3. Year 3: Law enforcement oversight metrics fully operational.
4. Year 4: Advanced analytics for fraud detection and prevention.
