More than 700 bills have so far been proposed by members of the Arizona State Legislature so far. Our Public Health Policy Committee is busy sifting through them and looking for those that will have a public health impact. We’re not done looking through them yet- but below is a summary of what we know so far.
Tobacco Bills:
SB 1009 Electronic Cigarettes, Tobacco Sales (Carter)
Expands the definition of tobacco products to include e-cigarettes. Among other things, it’ll make it clear that it’s illegal to sell e-cigarettes to minors. The penalty for selling to minors remains at $5K. Being heard in Senate Health & Human Services Committee Wednesday Feb 23 at 9 am.
HB 2024 Electronic Cigarettes. Smoke Free Arizona Act (Kavanaugh)
Includes e-cigarettes in the definition of tobacco products and smoking for the purposes of the Smoke Free Arizona Act. Because the Act was voter approved- this modification to the law will require a 3/4 majority of both houses.
HB 2073 Vapor Products; Regulation (Shope)
This bill would basically set up a regulatory program at the ADHS to inspect and license electronic cigarette manufacturers in Arizona and specify that only licensed electronic cigarette manufacturers can sell products in Arizona. It’s unclear what the objective of this bill is and we have not yet taken a position on it yet.
Maternal & Child Health:
SB 1088 Dental Care During Pregnancy (Carter)
This bill would expand AHCCCS covered services to include comprehensive dental coverage during pregnancy and appropriate the required state match funding.
SB 1040 Maternal Mortality Report (Brophy-McGee)
This bill would require the Child Fatality Review Team subcommittee on maternal mortality to compile an annual statistical report on the incidence and causes of “severe maternal morbidity” with recommendations for action. The current law requires a review of the data but no report.
HB 2125 Child Care Subsidies (Udall)
Makes a supplemental appropriation of $56 million from the Federal Child Care and Development Fund block grant in FY2018-19 to the Department of Economic Security for child care assistance. Another bill, HB 2124 would allocate the money as follows: $26.7 million for provider rate increases, $14 million to serve children on the waiting list, and $13.1 million to increase tiered reimbursement for infants, toddlers and children in the care of DCS. HB 2436 is a similar bill.
HB 2337 Family Planning (Salman)
Would repeal the statute requiring the Department of Health Services to apply for the federal Title X family planning grant.
Injury Prevention:
HB 2069 Texting and Driving (Kavanaugh)
Makes texting while driving on a highway a nonmoving civil traffic violation. The penalty for the 1qst violation would be $100 and the second offense would be $300. If a crash is involved the penalty would be $500 but if someone died it would be $10K. subject to a civil penalty of $500, except that if the accident results in the death of another person, the civil penalty is $10,000.
HB 2165 Distracted Driving (Townsend)
A person who drives a vehicle while participating in an activity that willfully distracts the person from safely operating the vehicle is guilty of reckless driving, a class 2 (mid-level) misdemeanor. I’m not sure if texting and driving would qualify or not- it probably does.
HB 2172 Rear Facing Car Seats (Bolding)
Kids under two years of age need to be in a rear-facing restraint system unless the child weights at least 40 pounds or is at least 40 inches tall.
HB 2246 Motorcycle Helmets (Friese)
Motorcycle riders over 18 would be required to wear a helmet unless they pay a fee that would be set by ADOT. Violations would be a $500 civil penalty, but no points or other sanctions.
HB 2075 Electronic Prescribing (Cobb)
Pushes the electronic prescribing requirement in last year’s Opioid Epidemic Act back to January 2, 2020 in all counties. Being heard in House Health & Human Services Committee Thursday Feb 24 at 9 am.
Firearm Safety
HB 2247 Bump Stocks (Friese)
This bill would outlaw the sale of bump stocks on firearms.
HB 2248 Firearm Sales (Friese)
This bill would require a background check for all sales at gun shows.
HB 2161 Order of Protection (Hernandez)
A person who is at least 18 years of age and who is either a law enforcement officer, a “family or household member” (defined), a school administrator or teacher or a licensed behavioral health professional who has personal knowledge that the respondent is a danger to self or others is permitted to file a verified petition in the superior court for a one-year Severe Threat Order of Protection (STOP order), which prohibits the respondent from owning, purchasing, possessing or receiving or having in the respondent’s custody or control a firearm or ammunition for up to one year.
HB 2249 Mental Health and Firearm Possession (Friese)
An immediate family member or a peace officer is authorized to file a verified petition with a magistrate, justice of the peace or superior court judge for an injunction that prohibits a person from possessing, controlling, owning or receiving a firearm. Any court may issue or enforce a mental health injunction against firearm possession, regardless of the location of the person. Information that must be included in the petition is specified. If the court finds that there is clear and convincing evidence to issue a mental health injunction against firearm possession, the court must issue the injunction. Information that must be included in the injunction is specified.
Harm Reduction:
HB 2148 Syringe Access Programs (Rivero)
Decriminalizes syringe access programs, currently a class 6 felony. To qualify, programs need to list their services including disposal of used needles and hypodermic syringes, injection supplies at no cost, and access to kits that contain an opioid antagonist or referrals to programs that provide access to an opioid antagonist.
SB 1119 Tanning Studios (Mendez)
Would require people under 18 that want to use a commercial tanning bed service to have permission from their parent or guardian.
Vaccines
HB 2162 Vaccine Personal Exemptions (Hernandez)
This bill would remove the personal exemption option for parents to enroll in school even though they haven’t had all the required immunizations.
HB 2352 School Nurse and Immunization Postings (Butler)
School districts and charter schools would be required to post on their websites whether a registered nurse is assigned to each school as well as required reports on immunization rates.
Agency Administration
HB 2004 Nuclear Management Fund (Kavanaugh)
Assesses the Palo Verde nuclear plant $2.55M and gives it to ADEM, ADHS and other jurisdictions to compensate them for off-site nuclear emergency response plan response activities. Being heard in House Appropriations Committee Wednesday Feb 23 at 2 pm.
HB 2280 Interfacility Ambulance Transports (Weninger)
A person may operate an “interfacility transfer ambulance service” by applying to the Department of Health Services for a certificate of operation with defined requirements. The requirement to transport a patient under medical direction to the nearest, most appropriate facility as defined by federal medicare guidelines does not apply to an interfacility transfer ambulance service with a certificate of operation.
SB 1011 Information and Referral Service (Carter)
Appropriates $1.5 million from the general fund in FY2019-20 to the ADES for a statewide information and referral service for health care services, community services, human services and governmental services.
AHCCCS Coverage & Services
HB 2347 Medicaid Buy-in (Butler)
Would require AHCCCS to set up a program in which eligible people could pay a premium and receive Medicaid health insurance.
HB 2350 HB2513 SB1134 Kids Care (Butler, Brophy-McGee, Cobb)
These bills Would appropriate funding so that Kids Care could continue after the federal match rate goes below 100% on October 1, 2019.
HB 2351 Medical Services Study Committee (Butler)
Establishes a 14-member Medical Services Purchase Program Study Committee to research and make recommendations for establishing and implementing a medical services purchase program. The Committee is required to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor
HB 2120 Chiropractic Coverage (Barto)
Would add chiropractic services to the list of reimbursable services under AHCCCS. Being heard in House Health & Human Services Committee Thursday Feb 24 at 9 am.
SB 1088 Dental Care During Pregnancy (Carter)
This bill would expand AHCCCS covered services to include comprehensive dental coverage during pregnancy and appropriate the required state match funding.
Food Safety & Insecurity
HB 2178 Milk Manufacturing License Exemption
A restaurant wouldn’t be required to get a license to manufacture or distribute frozen desserts or frozen milk products if the product is manufactured or distributed and sold at the same facility for on-site consumption
HB 2186 School Meals (Udall)
Schools are required to provide a school meal to a student who requests it regardless of whether the student pays for a school meal or owes money for previous meals. Local education agencies are prohibited from taking a list of specified actions relating to unpaid school meal fees, including announcing or publicizing the names of students with unpaid school meal fees, requiring a student who cannot pay for a meal or who owes unpaid meal fees to work for a meal, and attempting to collect unpaid school meal fees from a student. Local education agencies are prohibited from using a debt collector to attempt to collect unpaid school meal fees.
Access to Care
HB 2218 State Loan Repayment (Blanc)
Makes a supplemental appropriation of $250,000 from the general fund in FY2019-20 to the Department of Health Services to pay off portions of education loans taken out by physicians, dentists, pharmacists, advance practice providers and behavioral health providers participating in the primary care provider loan repayment program.
HB 2376 Associated Health Plans (Barto)
An association health plan is authorized to operate in Arizona if the plan is in compliance with federal laws and regulations, and if the plan’s governing documents require the plan to be actuarially sound and the plan is actuarially sound.
Medical Marijuana
HB 2149 Cannabis Definition (Rivero)
Syncronizes the definitions of marijuana and cannabis in the state criminal code and the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act. There has been some confusion in certain counties- as medical marijuana patients have been prosecuted for possessing extracts and preparations of marijuana that they bought at dispensaries. The appeal of this prosecutions will be heard by the state supreme court. This would make it more clear in state law that extracts and preparations are included in the Act.
HB 2412 Medical Marijuana Cards (Powers Hannley)
This bill would make medical marijuana cards valid for 2 years instead of the current 1 year.
