Monday marks the beginning of the 2024 legislative session. Governor Hobbs will give her State of the State address in the House at 2pm on Monday. You can attend the speech live from the top floor of the House (take the stairs/elevator to the top floor and go to the Gallery’.
It’s usually pretty packed so your best bet is to watch it on Capitol TV. Several media outlets will no doubt be covering it live as well.
I expect the Governor to talk about statutory changes and resources needed to improve the performance of ADHS’ Licensing Division, who is responsible for assuring the health and safety of Arizonans residing in assisted living and skilled nursing facilities as well as medical facilities, clinics, residential group homes, sober living homes etc.
Look for proposals to:
- Hike the limit the ADHS can assess against facilities for noncompliance. Right now only fine facilities $500 for each violation.
- Give ADHS additional authority to revoke licenses for cause.
- Close some loopholes like the law that allows assisted living facilities to skip annual inspection if they have a clean inspection the year prior. She may even propose eliminating ‘deemed status’ licenses, although I doubt it.
- Appropriations to hire more licensure staff.
- Create a quality rating system for nursing homes, assisted living and long-term care facilities.
Editorial Note: When you hear these proposals take note that they are a DIRECT result of the series by reporters Caitlin McGlade, Sahana Jayaraman and Melina Walling focusing unaddressed senior living violence and sexually assaults and a piece about how senior living facilities are often understaffed, endangering workers and residents.
It’s possible the governor may mention mental health care as well given the solid series of stories via Stephanie Innes about AZ’s behavioral health system – especially the Arizona State Hospital: Arizona is in a mental health crisis. Here’s what needs to improve.
About 200 bills have already been filed in the House, but only about 40 in the Senate so far. Those numbers will go up into the several hundred range in the coming days as legislators file their bills. You can find the inventory of bills in both chambers on the AZLEG website here: Introduced Bills.
So far we’re tracking about 12 of the pre-filed bills. That will dramatically increase in the coming days.
| Bill # | Description |
| HB2042 | food preparation; sale; cottage food |
| HB2081 | cremation. |
| HB2111 | licensed facilities; transfer; sale; prohibition |
| HB2112 | insurance coverage; hearing aids; children |
| HB2130 | counties; maximum acreage; energy production |
| HB2137 | infants; toddlers; developmental delays |
| SB1002 | drug paraphernalia; testing; analyzing; repeal |
| SB1002 | drug paraphernalia; testing; analyzing; repeal |
| SB1003 | prohibition; photo radar |
| SB1024 | spina bifida, developmental disabilities |
| SB1028 | medical assistance; drugs; prohibited arrest |
| SB1037 | AHCCCS, comprehensive dental |
The days and times for the House and Senate Health & Human Services committees aren’t posted yet – but by this time next week you’ll be able to calendar those events.
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 other Friday at 2pm starting in mid January. Details are in our policy committee basecamp (email me at willhumble@azpha.org to get access to the members policy committee Basecamp).
Arizona Legislative Session Begins Monday, January 8: Here’s Our Advocacy Approach
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Learn How the Arizona State Legislature Works by Listening to this Consumable Podcast