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.

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

The complete list and explanation of all the bills for which AzPHA has taken a position were included in Sunday’s AZPHA Member Public Health Policy Update.