AZ Legislative Update – March 13, 2023
Posted by [email protected] on Mar. 13, 2026 / Subscribe 0
Today marks the 61st day of the 57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session, and activity at the Capitol continues to ramp up as lawmakers work to move their legislation through the process. With only two more weeks remaining to hear bills in committee (March 27 deadline), outside of the additional week allotted for the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, members are working to ensure their priority legislation advances before the cutoff. That being said, House leadership has indicated there is some possibility that the committee hearing deadline could be extended by an additional week; however, the Senate President has signaled he may be less inclined to support such an extension, leaving the status of the deadline uncertain for now.
Complicating matters further, tensions between Republican and Democratic lawmakers have begun to intensify as the session progresses. Republican members have expressed growing frustration with Democrats for pulling bills from the House consent calendar, a procedural move that requires measures to receive full debate rather than passing in a block with other noncontroversial legislation. GOP members argue the tactic is being used intentionally to slow the House’s floor progress. On Wednesday, House Republican leadership took the unusual step of removing two Democratic lawmakers from committee assignments in response to the dispute. Representative Aaron Marquez was removed from the House Public Safety & Law Enforcement Committee, and Representative Mariana Sandoval was removed from the House Ways & Means Committee.
While the Legislature would typically be knee-deep in budget negotiations at this point in the session, Republican legislative leadership and Katie Hobbs remain far apart on a FY 2027 budget agreement. As a result, substantive negotiations on a comprehensive budget package have yet to meaningfully begin, and it remains unclear when both sides will come to the table to begin working toward a compromise.
In other legislative news this week, LD 3 Republicans selected three individuals to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former State Representative Joseph Chaplik. The nominees submitted to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors are former State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita, George Khalaf, and Cody Reim. The Board will select one of the three to serve the remainder of the term.
Additionally, State Representative Khyl Powell (R–LD 14) announced earlier this week that he will not seek reelection due to health reasons. Elected in November 2024, Powell is currently serving in his first term in the Arizona House.
Below are several bills we would like to highlight.
Health Insurance
HB 2083 Health Coverage; Diabetes; Monitor; Supplies (Bliss): HB 2083 passed out of the House on Wednesday, 36-15. The bill expands the list of equipment and supplies that health benefit plans must cover for diabetes; however, it was favorably amended to narrow the language of what is covered.
HB 2308 Dental Insurers; Dental Practice; Prohibition (Weninger): HB 2308 passed out of the House on Wednesday, 42-9. The bill prevents dental insurers and holding companies of dental insurers from having ownership interest in business organizations that offer regulated professional services to the public.
HB 2444 Pharmacists; Independent Testing; Treatment (Lopez): HB 2444 passed out of the House on Tuesday, 33-22. The bill authorizes pharmacists, pursuant to a statewide protocol approved by the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy, to independently order, perform, and interpret certain FDA-authorized, CLIA-waived tests and initiate treatment for patients at least twelve years of age for conditions such as influenza, strep throat, COVID-19, and other public health threats. Pharmacists must follow evidence-based clinical guidelines, maintain records, notify a patient’s primary care provider when treatment is initiated, and carry professional liability insurance, while obtaining parental consent before testing or treating minors. The bill also establishes an Independent Testing and Treatment Advisory Committee to assist the board in developing and reviewing the statewide protocols. Additionally, pharmacists are authorized to initiate and dispense HIV pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis under specified clinical and counseling requirements and board-adopted rules.
HB 2617 Insurance; Prostate Cancer; Cost Sharing (Blackman): HB 2617 passed out of the House Committee of the Whole on Monday and is currently awaiting 3rd Read. The bill prohibits health care insurers that issue, amend or renew a policy or contract, beginning January 1, 2027, from imposing cost sharing requirements for diagnostic prostate cancer screenings for high-risk subscribers.
HB 2693 Insurance; Bona Fide Associations; Qualifications (Livingston): HB 2693 passed out of the Senate Finance Committee on Monday, 5-1. The bill establishes qualifications for bona fide associations in Arizona regarding insurance. The bill outlines the criteria that these associations must meet to provide insurance coverage to their members. It specifies the types of insurance that can be offered and the regulatory framework governing these associations. Additionally, the bill includes provisions for compliance with state insurance laws and regulations.
SB 1165 Insurance; Cost Sharing; Breast Exams (Angius): SB 1165 passed out of the House Health & Human Services Committee on Monday, 12-0. The bill prohibits, for contracts, evidences of coverage and policies issued on or after January 1, 2027, a hospital or medical service corporation, health care services organization, disability insurer and group or blanket disability insurer (health insurer) from imposing cost sharing requirements for preventative screening services for breast cancer or for additional screening services required to complete the screening continuum.
SB 1212 Health Insurance; Reimbursement Rates; Vaccines (Shamp): SB 1212 passed out of the Senate on Tuesday, 16-13. This bill prohibits a health care insurer, beginning January 1, 2027, from reimbursing a health professional at a different rate based on a covered individual's decision to refuse one or more vaccines.
SB 1494 Patient Steering (Werner): SB 1494 passed out of the Senate on Tuesday, 16-13. The bill prohibits health care providers, health care institutions and drug manufacturers from paying enrollee health insurance premiums or steering enrollees to change plans based on health status and establishes related criminal penalties.
SB 1497 School Insurance (Werner): SB 1497 passed out of the Senate on Tuesday, 27-2. The bill looks to strengthen transparency and accountability for large school districts that self-insure employee health benefits by requiring them to periodically test the marketplace and obtain competitive quotes.
SB 1611 American Indian Health Program; Administration (Werner): SB 1611 passed out of the Senate Committee of the Whole on Tuesday. The bill is an emergency measure that, beginning October 1, 2027, requires the AHCCCS to contract with an administrative services organization to perform specified administrative functions for members enrolled in the American Indian Health Program.
0 Comments