State Legislature Bill Update
All the legislative committees are off to the races now- busy considering the various bills assigned to them by the Speaker of the House or the President of the Senate. In order to survive, Bills will need to be heard in all their house of origin committees in the next few weeks and then get a floor vote, pass that, and then move over to the other chamber.
Our Public Health Policy Committee met over the phone last week and we took positions on many bills- and we input them into the www.azleg.gov system to demonstrate our support.
This week I’ll start with a summary of bills scheduled for a hearing next week, followed by the bills that were heard last week.
This week I’m not listing all the bills that haven’t seen action yet- but you’ll be able to find those on my blog at https://azpha.org/wills-blog
Bills that Will Be Heard in Committee This Week
SB 1247 Residential Care Institutions (Brophy McGee) – AzPHA Position: Yes
This good bill will require more robust staffing background checks for facilities that provide services for children and will remove the “deemed status” designation for child residential behavioral health facilities. Under current law, facilities in this category (e.g. Southwest Key) can be accredited by a third party (e.g. Council on Accreditation) and avoid annual surprise inspections by the ADHS.
This intervention will provide more oversight to ensure background checks are done and that the facilities are compliant with state regulations. Bill will be heard in Senate Health & Human Services on Wednesday at 8:30am in SHR1. I’ll be speaking in favor at the hearing.
SB 1211 Intermediate Care Facilities (Carter) – AzPHA Position: Yes
Like SB 1247, this bill closes a licensing loophole. This good bill will require more robust staffing background checks for facilities that provide services to people with disabilities at intermediate care facilities. These facilities would also require a license to operate from the Arizona Department of Health Services beginning on January 1, 2020.
Under current law these facilities (Hacienda de los Angeles and similar facilities run by the ADES are exempt from state licensing requirements. Bill will be heard in Senate Health & Human Services on Wednesday at 8:30am in SHR1. I’ll be speaking in favor at the hearing.
SB 1088 Dental Care During Pregnancy (Carter) – AzPHA Position: YES
This bill would expand AHCCCS covered services to include comprehensive dental coverage during pregnancy and appropriate the required state match funding. Passed the Senate Health & Human Services Committee on 1/23. Will be heard in the Senate Appropriation Committee Tuesday, Feb 12 at 2 pm. I’ll be speaking in favor at the hearing.
Bills that Were Heard in Committee Last Week
SB 1009 Electronic Cigarettes, Tobacco Sales (Carter) – AzPHA Position: YES
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. Passed the Senate Health & Human Services Committee 1/23. Rules Committee is next.
SB 1040 Maternal Mortality Report (Brophy-McGee) – AzPHA Position: YES
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. Passed the Senate Health & Human Services Committee on 1/23. Passed Rules & COW. Floor vote soon.
HB 2125 Child Care Subsidies (Udall) – AzPHA Position: YES
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. Passed the House Health Committee this week. On to Rules.
SB 1011 Information and Referral Service (Carter) – AzPHA Position: YES
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. Passed the Senate Health & Human Services Committee this week. On to Approps & Rules.
HB 2350 HB2513 SB1134 Kids Care (Butler, Brophy-McGee, Cobb) – AzPHA Position: YES
SB 1134 passed Senate Health and Human Services this week, on to Approps and Rules. These bills Would appropriate funding so that Kids Care could continue after the federal match rate goes below 100% on October 1, 2019.
SB 1341 Tanning Studios (Carter) – AzPHA Position YES
Would require people under 18 that want to use a commercial tanning bed service to have permission from their parent or guardian. This passed the Senate Commerce Committee Thursday. On to Rules Committee then the Senate Floor.