This week is known as “Crossover Week” at the State Legislature. It’s one of the more chaotic weeks of the entire legislative session because all bills need to pass their chamber of origin and get transmitted to the other chamber in order to stay alive… and that means there will be a ton of floor votes this week.
This upcoming week will be a busy one on the House and Senate floors. Several bills that we’re tracking and for which we’ve taken positions will have floor votes this week. Many bills that we’ve taken a position on are now dead, so our tracking list is beginning to whittle down. But there are still lots of important bills in the hopper. Here’s a synopsis of last week’s action.
Let’s start with the good stuff from last week:
- HB2125, the ‘good’ tobacco control bill unanimously passed through the House Health Committee. It still has a long way to go but the unanimity is encouraging.
- SB1272, which will let AHCCCS cover postpartum care for members for 1 year post-delivery passed the Senate 26-2 and is headed for the House.
- HB2157which will leverage $1.5B in mostly American Rescue Plan Act funds over the next 2 years to improve Home and Community Based Services for folks in their Long-Term Care Program passed the House 45-14 and is headed for the Senate
- HB2033, which removes court-ordered fees and fines for juveniles (with some exceptions) passed through its committees 10-3 and will likely have a House Floor vote this week.
- HB2111, which appropriates $10M for the DCS Healthy Families Program passed its House committees and will head to the floor this week.
- HB2382, which appropriates $1M to ADHS for grants to statewide organizations dedicated to “promoting evidence based, inclusive health programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities” unanimously passed its committees and will head to the floor this week.
- HB2064, HB2065, HB2191, HB2452, HB2191, HB2029; all bad anti-vaccine or infection control bills died last week.
Now for the bad things:
- HB2086, which will prevent future ADHS directors from doing a rulemaking to add the COVID-19 vaccine to the school required list passed the House Health and Education committees 5-4 and will go the floor this week.
- HB2616, which prohibits this state or schools from requiring a person under 18 years of age to wear a mask without the parent’s written consent passed the House 31-28 and now goes to the Senate.
- SB1164, which makes it a felony for a provider to perform an abortion after 15 weeks gestation passed the Senate 16-13 and was transmitted to the House.
- HB2811, which will make it a Class 3 felony to manufacture, distribute, sell Mifepristone, Mifegyne, Mifeprex, RU-486, or other generic/non-generic drugs intended to cause/induce an abortion passed the Judiciary committee last week and will probably go to the floor this week.
- HB2787, which will carve Maricopa County into 4 different counties passed the House Government and Elections committee 7-6 and will likely go to the House floor this week.
Senate Appropriations Committee Tuesday 9:00 am
There’s just one bill that we’re interested in that’ll be heard in committee this week. Senate Appropriations will hear SB1716 which would move governance of the Arizona State Hospital from the ADHS to a 5-member governing board appointed by the Governor.
This is a good solution to a longstanding problem, that the ADHS both runs and regulates ASH- never a good governance model. This move would transition accountability to a qualified governing board while the ADHS maintains its regulatory oversight.
SB1716 Arizona State Hospital; governing board – SUPPORT
Moves governance of the Arizona State Hospital from the Arizona Department of Health Services to a newly created Governing Board of 5 appointed members. ASH Superintendent would report to the Governing Board. Needs an amendment to appropriately compensate the Board.
Good Bills w Likely Floor Vote this Week
HB2125 electronic smoking devices; retail licensing SUPPORT
HB2144 health insurance coverage; biomarker testing SUPPORT
HB2060 supplemental nutrition assistance program; eligibility SUPPORT
HB2484 forcible entry; detainer; filing fee SUPPORT
HB2485 eviction dismissal; sealed records SUPPORT
HB2111 appropriation; healthy families program SUPPORT
HB2113 developmental disabilities; Down syndrome SUPPORT
HB2033 juvenile offenders; monetary sanctions; repeal SUPPORT
SB1151 charging station; pilot program; appropriation SUPPORT
SB1210 mentally ill; transportation; evaluation; treatment SUPPORT
Bad Bills w Likely Floor Vote this Week
HB2043 employer liability; COVID-19 vaccine requirement OPPOSED
HB2086 ADHS; school immunizations; exclusions OPPOSED
SB1567 vaccinations; prohibitions; evidence of immunity OPPOSED
HB2021 drug Offenses, homicide, sentencing OPPOSE
SB1298 government mask mandate; prohibition OPPOSED
HB2811 unlawful abortion medication; offense OPPOSED
SB1123 disruption; educational institution; concealed weapon OPPOSED
HB2787 Maricopa County; division; new counties OPPOSED
Dead Bills Removed from This Week’s List:
SB1153 state zero emission vehicle fleet SUPPORT
SB1391 state hospital transfer; AHCCCS NEUTRAL
HB2191 school immunizations; DHS; exclusions OPPOSE
HB2452 antidiscrimination; employment; vaccination status OPPOSED
HB2022 health emergencies; treatment; vaccinations; repeal OPPOSED
HB2029 vaccinations; evidence of immunity; prohibitions OPPOSED
HB2064 DHS; school immunizations; exclusions. OPPOSED
HB2534 feminine hygiene; exemption SUPPORT
HB2065 school immunizations; nonattendance; outbreak OPPOSED
HB2606 school districts; housing facilities; teachers SUPPORT
HB2674 municipal zoning; by right housing OPPOSE
SB1132 municipal bonds; environmental sustainability; prohibition OPPOSED
HB2403 appropriation; ADE; electric school buses SUPPORT
SB1413 pharmacists; prescriptions; refusal; prohibition OPPOSED
HB2311 school health program; appropriation SUPPORT
HB2155 health information organizations; research; disclosures SUPPORT