ICYMI - ARPA Final Rule Released

Last Thursday we issued a Capitol Buzz related to Treasury releasing the long anticipated ARPA Final Rule. The final rule is meant to deliver broader flexibility and greater simplicity for communities during this recovery period. While the final rule does not go into effect until April 1, 2022, Treasury is allowing municipalities to utilize the flexibility included in the final rule immediately.  

One of the most significant changes in the final rule is a new concept of a "standard allowance" for revenue loss which allows recipients a standard revenue loss of $10 million without doing a revenue loss calculation. Municipalities, in many cases, would be able to utilize their full ARPA allocation to fund "government services," the most flexible category of eligible uses. Additional noteworthy provisions include:

  • A new provision allowing ARPA funding of capitol projects if they are related to the public health emergency or the economic impacts associated.
  • An expansion of projects specifically enumerated to respond to disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 including improvements to vacant and abandoned properties and rehabilitation or remediation of environmental contaminants and conversion to affordable housing.
  • Expanded enumerated uses for small business impacts including rehabilitation of commercial properties, start-up or expansion costs, support for microbusinesses including financial, childcare, and transportation costs.
  • New provisions allowing increased flexibility for government employment including worker retention incentives.

The League will continue to bring you updates on the final rule. For more information see Treasury's overview of the final rule and bookmark the League's ARPA webpage.

League Bill Heads to Public Hearing

This Tuesday, the Senate Financial Institutions and Revenue Committee is hearing SB 396, the League initiated bill related to calculating and refunding interest to a taxpayer who successfully files a claim to recover an unlawful property tax. If SB 396 is voted out of the Senate committee soon, it will be available for scheduling on the Senate floor. If passed the bill would then head to the Governor's desk. This bill is a League priority for the end of session. For more information see the League's testimony.

Republican's Release Law Enforcement Package

Republican lawmakers started the New Year focusing on public safety issues with a number of bills they have entitled the Law Enforcement Support package. Unveiled at press conferences last Tuesday, the legislative proposals were formally introduced on Friday. The League is currently reviewing the bills below.

  • AB842: Relating to: earned release from parole or extended supervision and discharge from probation.
  • AB841: Relating to: prosecuting a violent felon for the crime of illegal possession of a firearm.
  • AB840: Relating to: bail for criminal defendants who have a previous conviction for bail jumping.
  • AB839: Relating to: Department of Justice collection of data on the use of appearance bonds and cash in lieu of appearance bond...
  • AB838: Relating to: bail for criminal defendants who have a previous conviction for a felony or violent misdemeanor.
  • AB837: Relating to: grants for law enforcement officer recruiting and bonuses for law enforcement officers.
  • AB836: Relating to: technical college police academy programs.
  • AB835: Relating to: waivers for hunting, fishing, camping, and state park admission fees for law enforcement officers.
  • AB834: Relating to: no-knock search warrants and certain expenditures of federal moneys by first class cities.
  • AB833: Relating to: grants to support part-time law enforcement officers.
  • AB832: Relating to: increasing the law enforcement training reimbursement.
  • AB831: Relating to: a law enforcement marketing campaign.
  • AB830: Relating to: model curriculum for pupils in grades 5 to 12 on interacting with law enforcement and granting rule-making
  • AB829: Relating to: mandatory minimum sentence for three or more convictions for retail theft and providing a penalty.
  • AB828: Relating to: additional compensation and recruitment and retention benefits for correctional officers, youth counselors,...
  • AB827: Relating to: multiple acts of theft committed in concert and providing a penalty.
  • AB826: Relating to: use of pepper spray by an employee of the Department of Corrections.
  • AB825: Relating to: records of battery in prisons.
  • AB824: Relating to: battery of a corrections employee by a person in custody and providing a penalty.