WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee approved Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema's Special District Grant Accessibility Act - bipartisan, bicameral legislation she introduced alongside Republican Senator John Cornyn (Texas) ensuring Arizona special districts have equal access to federal financial assistance to improve community safety and delivery of essential services. U.S. Representatives Pat Fallon (R-Texas) and Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House.

Sinema introduced the Special District Grant Accessibility Act following conversations with Arizonans about the need to help Arizona's special districts access federal funds more fairly.

"Arizona is home to over 300 special districts - all of which provide critical services to our communities, including firefighting, clean water, health care, and more. We're ensuring special districts can access federal funding so they can keep helping and serving everyday Arizonans across our state," said Sinema.

Special districts are a political subdivision of a state and deliver specialized services to a specific community that would otherwise not be provided. In Arizona, there are over 300 special districts, employing over 14,500 Arizonans, that provide essential services including firefighting, public utilities, and infrastructure. Special districts have struggled to access federal funds for infrastructure projects and community programs because the U.S. Census Bureau does not consider special districts to be a unit of government - leaving special districts unable to access federal funds as easily or fairly as other parts of government that provide the same services.

Sinema's legislation builds on previous work in defining "special districts" under law to ensure these entities have equitable access to federal funding opportunities. Additionally, Sinema's bipartisan and bicameral legislation directs the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue guidance to federal agencies regarding treatment of special districts and report on agency compliance with published guidance.