Will Humble State Legislature, Wills Blog

Our Legislative Session Advocacy Approach

This week marks the beginning of the 2023 legislative session. The kickoff will be the Governor Hobbs’ State of the State address to the legislature at 2pm today when she’ll outline what he sees as priorities. It’ll be held in the House of Representatives and is generally open to the public (in the top gallery) buy you’d need to get there early. Visit the governor’s official website for details: Office of the Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs

Our Advocacy Approach

AzPHA will follow the session closely and express our support or opposition to bills based on a simple core principle…  we support bills that will have a positive impact on public health especially when they are evidence-based or evidence-informed.  We will oppose bills that are likely to have a negative impact on public health.  Our support or opposition to bills is located on the https://www.azleg.gov/ site under RTS Current Bill Positions.

We have a host of Resolutions that also guide our advocacy which are posted on the members only website and on our main website as well. The fact that we have Resolutions on so many core public health priorities make it easy for us to be swift with our support or opposition. Our Resolutions go all the way back to the 1930s. They are initiated by either the Board or our members and all resolutions have been voted on and approved by our members.

Our Public Health Policy Committee has a discussion board on Basecamp and that’s also where we post information, research and documents related to public health policy.  Let me know if you’d like to sign up for that Basecamp site at willhumble@azpha.org.

Our policy committee also has conference calls every Friday afternoon from 2 to 2:30 on Zoom (for members). Links to the meetings are in our Public Health Policy Committee Basecamp. Members can email willhumble@azpha.org to get access to our Basecamp.

Will Humble State Legislature, Wills Blog

It’s Opening Day for the State Legislature Manana

Tomorrow is opening day for the 56th Arizona Legislature. As often is the case after redistricting, there’s a ton of turnover among legislators. In fact, more than half of the legislators are new this session! There are 30 new members in the House and 16 new members in the Senate.

Governor Katie Hobbs will also deliver her first State of the State address to a joint session of the Arizona House and Senate tomorrow morning.

The Senate Health committee is meeting on Tuesday at 2pm. They’ll be hearing a bill that would require AHCCCS to pay for medically necessary cochlear implants for their members (SB 1716). We have signed up in support of that bill (we’re the 1st organization to sign up in support!). In the committee comments we suggested they amend the bill to include a restoration of the bone anchored hearing aid benefit (which was eliminated by AHCCCS in 2010).

The House Health Committee isn’t meeting next week. They’ll be meeting on Monday mornings once they start work.

____________

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

DATE: Tuesday, January 10, 2023, TIME: 2:00 P.M. ROOM: SHR 1

SENATORS: Borrelli, Hatathlie, Shamp (Vice-Chairman), Burch, Wadsack, Shope (Chair), Gonzales

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Monday, January 9, 2023, ROOM HHR 4 NOT MEETING THIS WEEK (future times TBD)

Members: Bliss, Hernandez, Shah, Contreras, Mathis, Parker B (Vice-Chair), Gress Pingerelli, Montenegro (Chair)

Will Humble Social Determinants, Wills Blog

Governor Hobbs Issues Three Executive Orders During Her First Week in Office

Governor Hobbs issued 3 Executive orders last week addressing equal employment opportunities in state government and their contractors, housing and homelessness and elections. It certainly is refreshing to have a governor that sees these issues as priorities!

The executive orders identify the roles and responsibilities associated with each order and the objectives, deliverables, objectives and participants. 

Will Humble Professional Development, Wills Blog

Register Today for AzPHA’s Annual Members Meeting: January 11, 2023

AzPHA Annual Members Meeting:
January 11, 2023
11:00am – 1:00pm (Zoom)

Agenda

  • Welcome & Introductions
  • Approval of 2021 Business Meeting Minutes
  • Treasurer’s Report
  • Public Health Policy Committee Report
  • Professional Development Committee Report
  • Membership Committee Report
  • Community Health Justice Committee Report
  • Executive Director’s Report
  • Recognize Outgoing Board Members
  • Recognize New Incoming Board Members
  • Passing the Gavel & Remarks by Incoming President
Register Here

_________________________

Will Humble Reproductive Health, Social Determinants, Wills Blog

AZ Appeals Court: Abortions Legal in Arizona Up to 15 Weeks Gestation

(via Stephanie Innes at the Arizona Republic)

“Arizona appeals court judges on Friday ruled that abortions performed in the state by licensed physicians are legal up to 15 weeks of gestation despite a 19th-century, near-total abortion ban.

The ruling from the three-member panel from the southern division of the Arizona Court of Appeals clears up months of uncertainty over the legality of abortion in Arizona by stating that physicians who perform abortions under a new law that permits them up to 15 weeks of gestation are not subject to prosecution under the territorial-era near-total abortion ban.

Abortion law in the state had been in flux following the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 24 decision to eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion and leave the issue up to states, though both medication and surgical abortions have been legally occurring in Arizona up until 15 weeks of gestation since October, pending the appeals court decision, which was sought by Planned Parenthood Arizona.”

More available at: Appeals Court: Abortions legal in Arizona up to 15 weeks (azcentral.com)

View the Appelate Court Ruling Here

Note: Kris Mayes was sworn in as the AZ Attorney General yesterday. The courts were closed on Monday, January 2 so outgoing Attorney General Brnovich didn’t have an opportunity to appeal the case to the Arizona Supreme Court. I’m not a legal expert, but I think a 3rd party might have the ability to appeal the case to the AZ Supreme Court.

In the meantime, abortion services will be legal in Arizona up to 15 weeks gestation subject to a mandatory counseling session, compulsory ultrasound and a 24-hour waiting period. The ADHS will now presumably regulate licensed abortion clinics in accordance with the 15-week limitation even though their rules don’t include such a restriction.

Will Humble Professional Development, Wills Blog

Governor Hobbs Names Health & Human Services Agency Leadership Team

Governor-elect Hobbs named her health and human services executive leadership team last week, including naming AzPHA member Theresa Cullen, MD as her choice to lead the Arizona Department of Health Services… finally bringing talented leadership back to ADHS once she starts in February (after she finishes transition activities in Pima County).

Dr. Cullen most recently served as Director of the Pima County Public Health Department. Prior to that, Dr. Cullen served 25 years in the U.S. Public Health Service, rising to the rank of Assistant Surgeon General.  Dr. Cullen received her M.D. from the University of Arizona, College of Medicine and M.S. in Administrative Medicine/Population Health from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Carmen Heredia was named to lead AHCCCS. Ms. Heredia currently serves as CEO of Valle del Sol, a community health center and behavioral health provider. She has extensive experience working with healthcare and community boards advocating for vulnerable and underprivileged groups in Arizona, including serving on the boards of the Arizona Council of Human Service Providers, the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers and Contexture. Carmen has a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University.

Angie Rodgers will lead the Arizona Department of Economic Security – Angie Rodgers is President and CEO of the Arizona Food Bank Network. She has more than 25 years of experience in public policy and advocacy work. She has previously worked with DES on policy initiatives, welfare services and community coordination. Ms. Rodgers has a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University.

Matthew Stewart will lead the Arizona Department of Child Safety – Mr. Stewart began his career in public service as a child safety specialist. He worked his way up in DCS, where he was entrusted with statewide management responsibilities for years. He has consulted extensively both locally and nationally to guide important changes in child welfare.

Joan Serviss will head the Arizona Department of Housing –Ms.  Serviss is the Director of the Arizona Housing Coalition, an association working to end homelessness in the state. She has over 20 years of experience working with state and local policy and organization. Ms. Serviss has a master’s degree in public administration from Arizona State University.

Will Humble State Legislature, Wills Blog

Governor Hobbs, Attorney General Mayes & Secretary Fontes Take Up Their Posts

State Legislature Convenes January 9

Governor Hobbs, Attorney General Mayes and Secretary Fontes and the other statewide elected officials were sworn in this morning just after 10am. A nuance of state law means they take up their posts even though the new state legislature won’t convene until January 9.

This morning’s swearing in was a private affair, but there will be a more public Inauguration ceremony Thursday at 10am outdoors between the House and Senate buildings. Tickets are required for the event and are still available as of the time I’m writing this at Event Details | AZ Inauguration.

The outgoing legislature doesn’t have any hearings scheduled except for a meeting of the Joint Legislative Psychiatric Hospital Review Council Thursday afternoon at 2pm. I’m on the agenda to talk about psychiatric treatment facility network, provider accountability, the importance of having actuarial rates that support the treatment network you need, and Arizona State Hospital governance. legislative session begins next Monday, January 9, 2023.

1 … 22 23 24