An Arizona House committee passed a bill that would make it illegal to reduce the operating budget of any municipal law enforcement agency below the previous year’s budget.
If any community did so, they would see a dollar-for-dollar reduction in their shared state revenues until funding was restored.
The measure follows after “defund the police” movements arose throughout the nation after the murder of George Floyd. Democratic Rep. Marcelino Quiñonez voted against the measure, saying it would take away local control from communities.
"I trust the local elected officials to make the decisions that are best for their cities and towns," Quiñonez said.
Arizona has not seen reductions in police funding in recent years.
