January 12 marked the beginning of the 2026 legislative session. 

AzPHA is following the session closely and expressing 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 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 our website.

We encourage all AZPHA members to be enrolled in the legislature’s website where you can personally add your individual voice to our collective voice by expressing support (or oppostition)  to bills. Sadly, the legislature makes it kinda hard to get your user ID and login registered – in order to do it you need to physically go to the House or Senate computer kiosks to register in the system.

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 at 2pm starting on January 9 and usually lasting through the last Friday in February. The calendar in the policy committee basecamp has the URL for the zoom meetings.

Below are our positions on bills so far. You can read the actual bills by going to www.azleg.gov and typing in the bill number

2026 Legislative Session – Bill Positions
✅ Support

Health Care, Public Health, and Safety

  • HB2051 – AHCCCS; breastfeeding & lactation coverage
    Expands AHCCCS coverage for breastfeeding and lactation services in inpatient and outpatient settings.
  • HB2064 – Vulnerable pedestrians
    Strengthens protections for pedestrians to reduce injuries and fatalities.
  • HB2119 – Computer data centers; application deadline
    Reduces excessive tax incentives for data center construction.
  • HB2176 – Health facilities; licensure; complaints; investigations
    ADHS licensing reform addressing license swapping and improving enforcement transparency.
  • HB2177 – AHCCCS; waivers; American Indians; services
    Restores AHCCCS waiver authority to serve tribal members, reversing a 2010 policy change.
  • HB2178 – Agency chief medical officers; licensure
    Requires state agency CMOs to hold an Arizona MD or DO license.
  • HB2194 – Claims; prior authorization; denials; contact
    Requires insurers to clearly provide appeal contact information for denied claims and prior authorizations.
  • HB2195 – Nursing facilities; records; surveys; timelines
    Skilled nursing licensure reform improving oversight, timelines, and CMS alignment.
  • HB2214 – Special license plate; skin cancer prevention
    Creates a sun-safety specialty plate to fund skin-cancer prevention and education.
  • HB2224 – Produce incentive program; appropriation
    Recommends $2 million annually for produce incentive programs administered by ADES.
  • HB2228 – Elder abuse; registry; attorney general
    Improves accountability for reporting elder abuse to the Attorney General.
  • HB2233 – Rural health transformation monies; review
    Requires JLBC reporting on rural health transformation grant distribution and status.
  • HB2252 – Midwives; ambulances; home births
    Allows midwives to accompany patients during ambulance transfers if approved by EMS leadership.

Mental Health & Prevention (Senate)

  • SB1082 – Petting zoos; handwashing; supervision
    Establishes basic hygiene standards to reduce zoonotic disease risk.
  • SB1112 – Mental health; hearings; acquaintance witnesses
    Allows testimony from individuals with firsthand knowledge of concerning behavior in court-ordered evaluations.
  • SB1113 – Service of process; evaluation agencies
    Improves efficiency by allowing authorized evaluation agencies to serve documents.

Reproductive Health – Statute Alignment with Arizona Constitution (Support; no hearings expected)

  • SB1218 – Abortion; repeals
  • SB1219 – Unborn children; rights; privileges; repeal
  • SB1220 – Abortion; notarized consent; repeal
  • HB2649 – Unborn children; rights; privileges; repeal
  • HB2652 – Abortion; notarized consent; repeal
  • HB2653 – Abortion; repeals

_____________________

❌ Oppose

Vaccines, Infectious Disease, and Clinical Judgment

  • HB2005 / SB1194 – Vaccination status; denial
  • HB2007 – Ivermectin; over-the-counter
  • HB2086 – Vaccination mandates; masks; prohibition
  • HB2248 – Medical interventions; prohibition

SNAP, WIC, and Social Supports

  • HB2107 – SNAP benefits; purchases; waiver
  • HB2148 – Noncustodial federal monies; appropriation
  • HB2206 – SNAP; error rate; forensic audit

Reproductive & Gender-Affirming Care

  • HB2085 – Gender transitions; minors
  • HB2154 – Abortions; public funding; prohibition
  • HB2061 – Health care services; patient rights

Public Health Infrastructure & Safety

  • HB2059 – Highway speed restrictions
  • SB1011 – Medical examiners; sudden infant death
  • SB1016 – Religious exemption; medical products
  • SB1019 – Public water systems; fluoride; prohibition
  • SB1051 – Hospitals; patient immigration status; reporting
  • SB1070 – “Trump Derangement Syndrome”; research; report
Silent / Monitoring
  • HB2081 – Medical marijuana; terminal illness
  • HB2222 – Birth certificates; sex designation change
  • HB2244 – Evictions; satisfaction of judgments
  • HB2325 – Single-family homes; institutional investors
  • HB2396 – SNAP; allowed purchases
  • SB1052 – Assisted living; hyperbaric oxygen therapy
  • SB1073 – Speed limits; bicycles; sidewalks; paths
  • SB1115 – AHCCCS; remote work

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