by Daniel Stefanski | Apr 7, 2024 | News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A bill to improve health care in Arizona is on its way to the Governor’s Office.
On Thursday, the Arizona House of Representatives passed HB 2764, which would “require the Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services to establish rules for a licensure subclass for assisted living facilities wishing to provide memory care services” – according to the overview from the chamber. The bill was sponsored by State Representative Tim Dunn.
“The memory care patient population continues to rise in Arizona, and our state needs to be a leader in providing high-quality services,” said Representative Dunn. “HB 2764 ensures that individuals with memory care needs receive the highest standard of compassionate and competent care. It establishes training requirements for memory care services and, importantly, will help cut down on bad actors in the industry. I look forward to Governor Hobbs signing the bill so we can implement these necessary reforms and improvements and raise the standard of care and protection that our most vulnerable citizens deserve.”
In February, the proposal passed the House with a 49-10 vote (with one vacant seat). On Wednesday, the Senate passed an amended version of the bill with a 18-7 vote (with five members not voting). After the legislation was transmitted back for concurrence, the House approved the final piece with a 59-0 vote (with one member not voting).
According to the press release from the Arizona House of Representatives, the bill included the following key provisions:
- The establishment of minimum memory care services training standards for staff and contractors, ensuring they are well-equipped to provide specialized care to residents with dementia and other memory-related conditions.
- The creation of the Vulnerable Adult System Study Committee to evaluate and recommend improvements in care.
- An increase in civil penalties for non-compliance with health care statutes.
- Prohibits bad actor facilities from hiding or erasing violation history.
- Requires employers to ensure staff isn’t on the Adult Protective Services registry which lists persons who have abused or neglected a vulnerable adult.
On the Arizona Legislature’s Request to Speak system, representatives from the Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona, Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest Chapter, Arizona Department of Health Services, Arizona Public Health Association, Arizona Hospital & Healthcare Association, Health System Alliance of Arizona, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, Arizona Department of Economic Security, Vitalyst Health Foundation, Arizona Chronic Care Together, and Right Care Foundation, Inc., indicated their support for the bill. Representatives from the Arizona Assisted Living Federation of America, Arizona Assisted Living Homes Association, Arizona Health Care Association, and LeadingAge Association signed in as neutral on the proposal.
The Arizona House Democrats’ Caucus “X” account shared a picture of former State Representative Jennifer Longdon in the chamber to watch the bill receive its final stamp of approval. The account added that “this reform to standards and requirements for licensing health care institutions was borne out of the Ad Hoc Committee on Abuse and Neglect of Vulnerable Adults [that Dunn and Longdon] both shared,” and “that committee was formed after the Hacienda Healthcare abuse scandal of 2019.”
HB 2764 now awaits action from Governor Katie Hobbs.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Apr 7, 2024 | News
By Staff Reporter |
What was supposed to be a three-way challenge for incumbent Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers has turned into a one-on-one contest with recently resigned Councilman Jamie Aldama. The third candidate was failed former state lawmaker Paul Boyer, who had a long and contentious relationship with the Glendale mayor and the city of Glendale. However, Boyer ultimately came up short of the signatures required to file for office and did not meet the April 1st deadline.
That makes the July 30th primary a winner take all event that promises to offer the citizens of Glendale two very different visions for the city. As mayor, Weiers has overseen the resurgence of this West Valley city, and a dramatic improvement in its economy, its bond rating, and its job base. The city regularly reports on companies and developments that have chosen Glendale or existing companies that are expanding.
While Weiers has been mayor, the city has hosted a number of national events, including two Super Bowls, and after this week, its second NCAA Final Four men’s basketball championship.
Aldama’s pitch is more nuanced, because after nearly a decade on the City Council he wants to take credit for the good things in the city, while simultaneously trying to convince voters that the city council is divided and failing in its job. This is a difficult tightrope for him to walk, say consultants, and supporters of the mayor point out that many of the projects and policies that have made Glendale successful are items that Aldama voted against, and those votes that contributed to the success of the city that Aldama voted for and could campaign on, were also championed by the mayor himself.
Aldama supporters believe the city would be better off if it embraced more of the left-leaning policies of cities like Phoenix, which has a Democratic mayor, like Aldama is trying to be. And Aldama himself has been very aggressive in campaigning as a Democrat and soliciting Democrat votes and support, even though city races are nonpartisan and those sorts of partisan appeals are generally frowned upon.
Campaign finance reports will be filed soon and will give more insight into the race and the prospects for the two candidates, but as with mayoral elections every four years, Glendale voters are once again in for a ride.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | Apr 6, 2024 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Flagstaff schools are gearing to update their sex ed curriculum with material introducing gender ideology.
Gender ideology topics, such as gender identity and transgenderism, would be introduced to Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) students as young as the fifth grade, per the district’s ongoing review of its Social/Sexual Health Curriculum for grades 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
The district last updated their sex ed curriculum in 2006. As the existing curriculum is nearly 20 years old, the curriculum doesn’t include any discussions of gender ideology; rather, the curriculum clearly distinguishes sex education content between the two genders.
A sexual health educator brought in by the district to advise on the curriculum updates — Sydney Tolchinsky with Coconino County Health and Human Services — told the district in a meeting earlier this year that fifth graders could be transgender and not speaking openly about it. That’s why, Tolchinsky advised district officials, schools should leave it up to the students to pick which classroom they attend to receive their sex education.
Under the existing curriculum, sex education classes for grades 5 and 7 occur in gender-segregated classrooms. Coeducational classes don’t occur until grades 9 and 11.
Tolchinsky further advised the district to get rid of gender-based distinctions in lessons in order to be inclusive of transgender students, such as saying “people who have periods” rather than teaching students that only biological females have periods.
“What we’ve started doing is just not having different lessons, we just have the same lesson in both rooms to be really inclusive of all genders, and trying to change our language, instead of saying ‘girls have periods and boys don’t,’ saying ‘people with a uterus are going to have periods most likely and people without a uterus won’t,’” said Tolchinsky. “Sometimes that might mean a boy might have a period and girls might not have a period for a lot of reasons.”
Failing to have a menstrual period as a biological female is a condition known as “amenorrhoea.” Unless a female is pregnant, breastfeeding, experiencing menopause, or underwent surgery to remove the uterus or ovaries, amenorrhea is a sign of a condition warranting medical attention.
Common causes of amenorrhea include major hormone disruptions caused by emotional stress, extreme weight loss, excessive exercise, or reproductive disorders. Untreated, amenorrhea can present many health risks: reduced fertility, increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, increased risk of early onset osteoporosis, and premature menopause and aging.
For males, phallic bleeding may indicate a variety of medical conditions: physical trauma, balanitis, prostatitis, urinary tract infection, ruptured blood vessels, infection, a reaction to medications, or even cancer.
Under Tolchinsky’s suggested teachings, students may believe that conditions like amenorrhea or phallic bleeding are normal and not a cause for concern.
FUSD Assistant Superintendent Lance Huffman agreed with Tolchinsky that gender-neutral language eliminating gender differences would be beneficial.
“We might want to shift to ‘people’ language rather than just boys and girls so some people get periods or people with a uterus may and people with a penis will not,” said Huffman.
Arizona doesn’t require schools to teach sex ed at any level. However, the state does require parents to “opt in” with written permission for all grade levels. Should parents opt out, each individual school provides alternative instruction.
In 2021, the legislature approved a bill requiring, in part, parental consent for discussions of gender ideology in sex ed. Then-Governor Doug Ducey vetoed the legislation, critiquing the bill language as “overly broad and vague,” which the governor said would cause misinterpretations by schools and inhibit child abuse prevention education in early grades.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Elizabeth Troutman | Apr 6, 2024 | News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
Newly introduced legislation would allow opioid, cocaine, methamphetamine, and alcohol to be eligible for an FDA breakthrough therapy designation in order to expedite the development and review of treatments.
U.S. Representative David Schweikert introduced the Substance Therapy Designation Act on April 1. The bill aims to ensure that the designation process for such treatments receives an even further fast-track.
“In the month of March alone, the United States Border Patrol has seized almost 15,000 pounds of controlled substances,” Schweikert said. “With the Substance Therapy Designation Act, I hope to be able to save more children that are falling victim to the continuing influx of these illicit drugs. This bill speaks to my continuing fixation of making our brothers and sisters healthier, while at the same time, promoting the safety and treatment from these addictive substances.”
Schweikert proposed the bill in response to Arizona’s increase in fentanyl coming across its border with Mexico illegally under the Biden administration’s border crisis. In the Nogales sector, Customs and Border Protection reported that it has seized over 8.5 million fentanyl pills since December 2023.
The total cost for opioid-related hospitalizations was $2.2 billion in 2022, a report from the Arizona Department of Health Services shows. Fentanyl is reportedly the most common component in many Arizona opioid overdoses. An average of three people die per day from fentanyl overdoses in Maricopa County.
Schweikert’s bill requires the Health and Human Services Secretary to grant priority review to substance abuse treatments and a fast-track designation to opioid, cocaine, methamphetamine, and alcohol treatments.
A number of treatments for substance abuse therapy are undergoing clinical trials. The first vaccine to combat cocaine addiction was formulated at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in Brazil.
A research team at the University of Houston plans to start manufacturing a clinical-grade vaccine that targets fentanyl after trials conducted with immunized rats succeeded. The vaccine blocks fentanyl from entering the brain.
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
by Daniel Stefanski | Apr 6, 2024 | Education, News
By Daniel Stefanski |
A bill to help educate Arizona students about the history of communism met its demise in the Governor’s Office.
On Tuesday, Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed HB 2629, which would have “establishe[d] November 7 of each year as Victims of Communism Day and require[d] the State Board of Education to create a list of recommended resources for mandatory instruction on the topic in certain public school courses” – according to the Arizona House of Representatives’ summary. The bill was sponsored by House Speaker Ben Toma.
In her veto letter back to the Speaker, Hobbs opined that his legislation was “too prescriptive in dictating instructional requirements to education professionals.” She pointed to a bill signed into law in 2022, which was sponsored by State Representative Nguyen, as the “appropriate process to modify academic content as it ensures that changes to standards are evaluated by experts in a holistic manner across grade levels, and the public is provided with ample opportunity for review and input.” The Democrat governor “strongly urge[d] the State Board of Education to take action to begin the process of updating the Social Studies Standards and address the issues covered in this legislation.”
Hobbs did promise to “proclaim this November 7 as Victims of Communism Day in sharing the spirit of this Legislation.”
Speaker Toma was outraged by the governor’s action. In a statement following the veto, he wrote, “I find Governor Hobbs’ veto of HB 2629 both indefensible and personally offensive. Having lived under the oppressive regime of communist Romania, I have firsthand knowledge of the devastating impact these ideologies have inflicted on billions worldwide. Communism’s legacy is marked by death, oppression, deprivation, economic suffering, and the shredding of all that binds families and communities together. It is a history that must be remembered and taught, not dismissed, ignored, or vetoed.”
Toma added, “The Governor’s veto and the limited bipartisan support for HB 2629 reflects a deeply concerning trend where the education of our students on fundamental historical truths is becoming a partisan issue. This should not be a matter of politics, but a matter of ensuring our future generations are well-informed, critical thinkers who appreciate the freedoms they have. Sadly, Governor Hobbs has denied Arizona students a crucial opportunity: to learn from the past and understand the sacrifices of those who suffered under communist regimes.”
The speaker concluded his statement by addressing Hobbs’ suggestions and promise, saying, “While I respect the Governor’s gesture to revise our state’s Social Studies Standards, I simply do not trust her administration’s ability or willingness to accurately reflect communism’s legacy. The academic requirements must be codified in statute, as my bill would have done.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Elizabeth Troutman | Apr 5, 2024 | Education, News
By Elizabeth Troutman |
The University of Arizona is getting a new president.
University President Robert C. Robbins told the Arizona Board of Regents on April 2 that he will step down by the end of his current contract as soon as his successor is ready.
“After significant consideration and personal contemplation, I informed the regents this morning that I will step down as president of the University of Arizona after fulfilling the terms of my current contract,” Robbins said in a statement. “When a new president has been appointed by ABOR and she or he is prepared to start sooner than the end date of my contract, I will ensure a smooth transition to my successor and step aside earlier.”
Robbins has served as president since 2017. He has been under fire over the last six months because of the university’s $177 million deficit.
“The University of Arizona has and will continue to tackle the more pressing challenges of our time,” Robbins said. “And it is time to begin to think about what is next for the university, and I will continue to serve the institution with pride and work with ABOR to ensure a smooth transition at the appropriate time.”
Arizona Board of Regents Chair Cecilia Mata said the board plans to start a national search for the 23rd president of the university soon, and Robbins will serve as president until his successor is ready to start. His current contract expires June 30, 2026.
As president, Robbins oversaw the creation of the new Center for Advanced Molecular and Immunological Therapies, as well as the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history, Fuel Wonder, which has raised $2.2 billion toward the $3 billion goal.
“The University of Arizona has a long-standing reputation as an elite public research university – one with a rich tradition of service and a leader in advancing new frontiers and making remarkable discoveries,” he said.
Robbins said this is a difficult but necessary decision. He said he has no doubt the university is in good hands.
“It has been a true honor to lead the University of Arizona for so many years, particularly during a time of transformational change in higher education and with challenges in the world around us,” he said. “I am proud of the many advancements we made together in elevating the institution, by enhancing the student experience; by attracting and retaining world-class faculty and staff; by increasing our research funding and philanthropy; by achieving significant milestones in science, astronomy and medicine, among many other disciplines; by engaging our indigenous tribes and rural communities; and by improving the lives of Arizona residents and the global community.”
Mata said the board appreciates Robbins’ dedication to UA’s mission and values.
“He has built a legacy of commitment to student access and success, as well as advancement of the university’s land-grant mission,” she said. “President Robbins implemented a strategic plan focused on the opportunities and challenges presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. His keen ability to weave together the biological, digital and technology sectors to further advance the mission of the university has led to exceptional accomplishments.”
Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.
