By Daniel Stefanski |

A key proposal to better support Arizona State law enforcement officers passed its first legislative hurdle.

On Monday, the Arizona House Committee on Public Safety & Law Enforcement approved HB 2386 to “establish a pay parity system for Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers, ensuring their compensation is competitive with Arizona’s largest county and municipal law enforcement agencies. According to the release issued by the Arizona House Republicans, this bill would “strengthen recruitment and retention efforts, helping DPS attract and retain top-tier law enforcement personnel to protect Arizonans.”

State Representative David Marshall, who sponsored the proposal, issued a statement on the passage of his bill, saying, “Our Troopers put their lives on the line every day to keep our highways safe, combat drug trafficking, and take violent criminal off the streets. HB 2386 ensures they are paid fairly and competitively, just like their counterparts in county and municipal agencies. It’s common sense – Arizona can’t afford to lose highly trained law enforcement officers due to pay disparities.”

Marshall added, “This bill is about standing with our Troopers and making sure they have the support they need to do their jobs effectively. If we’re serious about protecting public safety, then we need to be serious about taking care of those who serve and protect us.”

In the House Committee on Public Safety & Law Enforcement, HB 2386 sailed through with an overwhelmingly 13-0 bipartisan vote. Two Democrats voted “present” on the legislation.

The bill “requires DPS to annually establish pay benchmarks based on the salaries and benefits of law enforcement agencies in Arizona’s three largest counties.” Information from the Arizona House of Representatives reveals that “by utilizing exisiting funds in the Parity Compensation Fund, the legislation provides a structured and responsible approach to maintaining competitive DPS salaries without additional strain on the state’s general fund.”

On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Arizona State Troopers Association, Fraternal Order of Police (Arizona State Lodge), and the Arizona Police Association signed in to support the bill. A representative from Arizona National Organization for Women signed in to oppose the proposal.

HB 2386 now awaits an up-or-down vote from the full body in the Arizona House of Representatives.

Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.