Federal Stimulus Funding to Aide Arizonans & AHCCCS Program

Two bills clear the way for Arizona to accept federal stimulus STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX The House of Representatives passed two emergency measures with overwhelming bipartisan support designed to immediately tackle obstacles related to accepting $93 million available in federal stimulus funding for out-of-work Arizonans and another $1.6 billion in stimulus for the states Arizona Healthcare Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) program; the bills were enacted without delay with the Governors signature. Rep. Russ Jones (R-Yuma) sponsored the bill that will utilize 100 percent of federal stimulus funding to extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks for the states out-of-work citizens for this year. A sunset clause for the measure has been included and pursuant to the federal stimulus legislation the federal funding will begin January 1 and will cease by June 30, 2010. Arizonas unemployment rate jumped from 7.4 percent in February to 7.8 percent by March, which is the states highest unemployment rate since 1983, Rep. Jones said. Rural Arizona has been hit particularly hard by the poor economy, posting double digit unemployment rates. In Yuma, the unemployment rate is at 22 percent. I believe this legislation will bring immediate aide for many families struggling to make ends meet as they look for work, he added. According to Rep. Frank Pratt (R-Casa Grande), the primary sponsor on the bill that changes the eligibility re-application requirement for AHCCCS from every six-months to a year, this bill makes a technical change and clears the way for Arizona to receive $1.6 billion in federal stimulus. The bipartisan actions of lawmakers demonstrates our willingness to work together to implement solutions that immediately help the citizens in this state, Rep. Pratt said. We have been criticized for not getting these funds out sooner, but people need to remember the federal stimulus package wasnt even voted on by Congress until mid-February. I believe the state and this Legislature did an excellent and responsible job of accepting these funds as quickly as possible, he explained.