A bipartisan bill aimed at reducing overlapping health care regulations and establishing statewide standards for behavioral health technicians is headed to Gov. Katie Hobbs after clearing the Arizona Legislature with broad support.
SB 1162, sponsored by Sen. Hildy Angius (R-LD30), would require the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) to review duplicative licensing, compliance, inspection, auditing, and reporting requirements affecting health care institutions.
SB 1162 passed the Senate on final reading Tuesday in a 28-1 vote after previously passing the House in April by a 49-8 vote. The bill was transmitted to the governor on Wednesday.
🚨FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Senator Angius Advances Bipartisan Health Care Reform Legislation to the Governor
Angius said the measure is intended to reduce duplicative regulation while maintaining oversight and patient safety.
“Government works best when it focuses on protecting people, not creating layers of unnecessary bureaucracy,” Angius said in a statement. “SB 1162 takes a commonsense approach by identifying regulatory overlap between state agencies and reducing administrative burdens that pull health care providers away from patient care.”
Under the bill, ADHS and AHCCCS would be required to review areas of overlap involving licensing, certification, enrollment requirements, on-site surveys, inspections, audits, compliance activities, data collection, reporting requirements, corrective action processes, and enforcement procedures applicable to health care institutions.
The legislation directs the two agencies to identify opportunities to eliminate or reduce duplicative, redundant, or inconsistent requirements while maintaining patient safety and regulatory oversight. It also requires the agencies to coordinate or align policies, procedures, and operational practices to minimize administrative burdens on health care institutions.
The bill states that nothing in the measure requires action inconsistent with federal Medicaid conditions of participation, conditions of payment, or other applicable federal requirements.
SB 1162 would also require ADHS to submit a written report to the House and Senate Health and Human Services committees by Dec. 31, 2026, and every four years thereafter. The report must summarize the review’s findings, identify any duplication or overlap, and include recommendations for statutory, regulatory, or administrative changes.
The measure also adds a new article to state law governing behavioral health technicians. Under the bill, a behavioral health technician must be at least 18 years old, possess a high school diploma or equivalent, and successfully complete required background checks before serving in the role.
Before providing supervised direct services, behavioral health technicians would be required to complete training covering behavioral health system orientation, confidentiality and compliance, professional boundaries and ethics, crisis response and de-escalation, and trauma-informed and recovery-oriented care.
The bill defines a behavioral health technician as a person employed by a behavioral health facility or a hospital authorized to provide psychiatric services who provides behavioral health services under the supervision or clinical oversight of a licensed behavioral health professional or a registered nurse working within the nurse’s scope of practice.
The legislation also limits behavioral health technicians to delegated clinical and support functions consistent with their demonstrated training and competence, as well as the policies and procedures of the employing behavioral health facility or hospital.
The House summary of the bill states that a behavioral health technician would not be authorized to diagnose medical or behavioral health conditions, prescribe medications, or provide services beyond those delegated and supervised by a licensed behavioral health professional or licensed registered nurse.
“At the same time, this legislation strengthens standards for behavioral health technicians who play a critical role in serving some of Arizona’s most vulnerable individuals,” Angius said. “Patients deserve qualified professionals, clear accountability, and a behavioral health system that puts care first.”
SB 1162 was first introduced in January and received unanimous support in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. It passed the Senate in March on a 29-0 vote before being amended in the House. After the House approved the amended bill, the Senate concurred with the changes on Tuesday.
Sen. Angius’ bill now awaits action from Gov. Hobbs.
For more than 50 years, 89-year-old Robert Young has owned the historic Louis Emerson House. He was married on its front steps, and to him it is a priceless vestige of pre-statehood Arizona.
But Arizona State University (ASU) intends to force Young to put a price on his memories and Arizona history. ASU wants to build a new headquarters for ASU Health and a new AI-driven medical school, and Young’s home is in their way.
The Louis Emerson House predates Arizona’s statehood by a decade. It was built in 1902, and has a historic designation with the Phoenix Historic Property Register. Clark Churchill — adjutant general and attorney general for the territory of Arizona in the late 1800s — developed the property in 1888. Much of this history was recovered by Young, who told 12News that he’s spent much of his 50 years as the house’s owner preserving its history.
“I would describe it as being one of a kind, because Clark Churchill decided that he was going to have an important connection with a street railway right here; it was called the ‘Brill edition,’” said Young.
The home’s namesake, Louis Emerson, was a butcher with Phoenix’s Palace Meat Market. Emerson lived in the home with his wife, Clara, until his death in the 1920s. Clara remained there until the early 1930s. That’s what Young told the Arizona Republic in a 2013 feature on his home, along with his belief that at least two others may have lived there prior to the Emersons.
ASU has offered Young about $800,000 to sell, but Young denied. Young has said he may be open to an offer that could cover the costs to have the house relocated, which he said would cost between $2 million and $3 million.
“You can’t get back history,” Young told the State Press. “You can’t recreate a historical treasure.”
Following Young’s refusal, the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) filed an eminent domain lawsuit with the Maricopa County Superior Court to force Young to take the money.
ASU said in a statement that they issued several offers to Young based on an “experienced, state-certified appraiser,” some of which included options for moving the home, but didn’t offer further details.
The city of Phoenix has invested $50 million into the ASU Health development, though city officials have said in statements to the media that ASU’s proposal to them didn’t include Young’s house.
ASU Health will span 200,000 square feet and house the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Engineering, which the university says is “a new kind of medical school” teaching the prioritization of data in medical decision-making, and blending medicine with engineering, technologies such as artificial intelligence, and humanities.
ASU plans to open ASU Health in the fall of 2028.
Over 3,700 community members have signed an online petition to save Young’s home as of this report, endorsed by Preserve Phoenix, city of Phoenix’s Historic Preservation Office, and Phoenix Historic Neighborhoods Coalition.
A hearing on the fate of the Louis Emerson House is scheduled for June 19.
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A bipartisan bill aimed at expanding Arizona’s emergency medical workforce has been sent to Gov. Katie Hobbs for consideration.
SB 1235, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Kavanagh, passed both chambers with bipartisan support.
The legislation didn’t receive unanimous support from Kavanagh’s party, however. 13 Republicans (three in the state senate, 10 in the state house) voted against the bill. There were no floor or committee discussions on the bill to explain opposition.
SB 1235 would enter Arizona into the Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact, which would allow non-Arizona emergency medical service (EMS) personnel the privilege to practice in Arizona, and Arizona EMS personnel the privilege to practice across state lines in compact states without a requirement to engage in the licensure process for each state.
25 states have adopted the compact, representing approximately 400,000 providers: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
If approved by the governor, Arizona would agree to standardized EMS licensure requirements and oversight by the Interstate Commission for EMS Personnel Practice.
Any state or states in which an EMS worker maintains active licensure would become a home state or home states. Privilege to practice would only extend to “remote” states: those states where an EMS worker doesn’t have a license. The state license trumps the privilege to practice, and the compact can’t expand the scope of an existing license.
Remote states may investigate and impose restrictions for violations of laws and regulations, but ultimately the compact only allows home states to retain control over an individual’s license. If one state suspends an individual’s privilege to practice, that automatically extends to all other member states until resolved.
The compact would also require FBI-compliant background checks for new licenses.
Kavanagh said during the Senate committee hearing on the bill that the legislation afforded something similar to the reciprocity enjoyed currently by doctors and nurses. Reciprocity requires applications for licenses in other states based on an individual’s existing license, while the compact doesn’t require licensure for other states.
Kavanagh also shared that he was one of the country’s first EMTs at 17 years old while living in New York City. At the time, communities funded their own volunteer ambulance corps.
Among those who signed on in support of the bill were representatives of the Department of Defense, Arizona Ambulance Association, American Medical Response, Healthcare Innovations, and Republican Liberty Caucus of Arizona.
In a press release, Kavanagh said the bill allowed for the reduction of bureaucracy in order to save lives in emergency medical situations. Further, Kavanagh said the legislation would enhance licensure opportunities for military members, veterans, and their spouses.
“When seconds matter, government red tape should never stand in the way of qualified emergency medical professionals helping people in need,” said Kavanagh. “By cutting unnecessary barriers without lowering standards, Arizona is taking a responsible step toward a stronger, more flexible, and more prepared emergency medical system.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
Legislation sponsored by Senator David Gowan (R-LD19) to modernize Arizona’s timeshare licensing system, strengthen consumer protections, and create industry-specific requirements for timeshare sales professionals has cleared the Arizona Legislature and is now headed to the governor for consideration.
Senate Bill 1274 establishes a dedicated licensing framework for timeshare salespeople, replacing what supporters say is an outdated requirement that forces individuals who exclusively sell timeshares to hold a traditional real estate license.
Under current law, timeshare sales professionals must complete extensive real estate education and pass licensing examinations covering broad areas of real estate law and practice that often have little to no relevance to the sale of timeshare interests.
SB 1274 would create a separate timeshare salesperson license with education and testing requirements focused specifically on Arizona timeshare laws, ownership structures, consumer protections, ethics, and industry-specific business practices.
“Arizona homeowners and consumers deserve to work with professionals who are trained in the products they’re actually selling,” stated Senator Gowan. “For years, timeshare sales professionals have been required to spend countless hours studying for a full real estate licensing exam that covers subjects many of them will never use in their careers. Meanwhile, valuable training time that could have been spent learning Arizona’s timeshare laws, consumer protections, ownership structures, and ethical responsibilities was devoted to unrelated material.”
The legislation defines a “timeshare salesperson” as an individual who works under the supervision of a licensed real estate broker to sell or exchange timeshare properties on behalf of a timeshare plan developer or other authorized entity.
The bill directs the Arizona Department of Real Estate to develop examination preparation courses and testing requirements specifically tailored to the timeshare industry. Applicants would be required to demonstrate competency in areas directly related to timeshare transactions, including Arizona timeshare laws and regulations, ownership methods such as deeds and contracts of sale, leasing arrangements, liens and foreclosure procedures, and business ethics standards governing the sale and exchange of timeshare interests.
Applicants would also be required to demonstrate basic proficiency in arithmetic and the English language, including reading, writing, and spelling, while gaining a general understanding of the statutory and regulatory framework governing timeshare developments and transactions in Arizona.
“SB 1274 brings common sense to the licensing process,” added Gowan. “It creates a pathway that is more focused, more efficient, and more relevant to the real-world responsibilities of timeshare professionals. That means better-trained licensees, better-informed consumers, and stronger protections for Arizona families making important vacation ownership decisions.”
SB 1274 also authorizes the real estate commissioner to issue a one-time, 30 day certificate of convenience to qualifying applicants without examination. Before an applicant may participate in any timeshare offer or sale under the temporary certificate, the complying timeshare plan developer’s designated broker must certify that the individual has received training in applicable timeshare and contract laws.
If signed into law, SB 1274 would take effect on June 30, 2027.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizona’s Republican state lawmakers are challenging Gov. Katie Hobbs to sign into law a government transparency bill amid the ongoing “pay-to-play” scandal involving the governor.
This past week, the Republican-led legislature sent SB 1186 to Hobbs’ desk. The legislation was inspired partly by ongoing legal challenges to the legality of the Arizona Medicaid program’s contract award system, and partly by ongoing allegations that Hobbs arranged for a unique rate increase to one of her top campaign donors.
Sunshine Residential Homes, a group home operator, donated more than $400,000 collectively to Hobbs’ gubernatorial campaign, Hobbs’ inaugural fund, and the Arizona Democratic Party.
Once Hobbs took office, the Arizona Department of Child Safety gave Sunshine Residential Homes a 30% rate increase, though no other group homes received rate increases and over a dozen contracts were terminated. This was reported initially by the Arizona Republic in 2024, along with another key detail indicating a close relationship between the governor and the company: Hobbs fine dining at the mansion of Sunshine Residential Homes CEO Simon Kottoor.
Hobbs’ inaugural fund — which reached nearly $2 million — was another funding source that was shrouded in secrecy. The inauguration event cost about $200,000, leaving the million-plus as a nonprofit source of funds to be spent at Hobbs’ discretion.
Attorney General Kris Mayes, a fellow Democrat, has maintained that her investigation into the alleged pay-to-play arrangement remains ongoing. Hobbs has yet to take Mayes up on her request for an interview.
The proposed legislation from Arizona’s Republican lawmakers would require companies that obtain state contracts or certain state grants to disclose anything of value provided in the previous five years to the governor, campaign-related entities, inaugural funds, and organizations making independent expenditures supporting or opposing the governor or their political opponents.
The legislation would also prohibit state agencies and employees from destroying notes created during the evaluation
The bill sponsor, State Sen. T.J. Shope (R-LD16), said financial disclosures should come before the state awards any contracts and grants, in order to ensure transparency and fairness in the process.
“Arizonans have watched one contracting controversy after another and are rightly asking whether political connections are influencing decisions involving billions of taxpayer dollars,” said Shope. “Governor Hobbs now has an opportunity to show Arizonans she supports transparency in government by signing this legislation.”
An advisory team was formed in the House to address this alleged pay-to-play scheme by Hobbs, and they also have their own investigation underway. The lawmakers hired outside counsel from out of state — Justin Smith with the Missouri-based James Otis Law Group — to conduct an independent investigation.
Smith led a battery and defamation lawsuit against E. Jean Carroll, an accuser of President Donald Trump.
That independent investigation initiated by lawmakers is ongoing. All findings from the outside counsel go to the advisory team and House leadership.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell and Auditor General Lindsey Perry are also coordinating on an investigation into the matter involving Hobbs and Sunshine Residential Homes. The House advisory team announced last year it would coordinate with Mitchell and Perry on their investigation.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
Arizona lawmakers have sent Gov. Katie Hobbs a bill creating a statewide cargo theft task force as law enforcement agencies report organized theft crews targeting freight along the state’s rail and trucking corridors.
Senate Bill 1452, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Payne (R-LD27), would require the Arizona Attorney General, subject to legislative appropriation, to establish a Cargo Theft Task Force to combat crimes involving theft, diversion, embezzlement, unlawful taking, or fraudulent acquisition of cargo or freight.
🚨FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Senator Payne Bill Creating Specialized Task Force to Combat Cargo Theft Passes Legislature
Under the bill, the Attorney General would invite federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to participate in the task force. The task force would focus on offenses involving cargo moving in, constituting, or affecting interstate or intrastate commerce.
The proposed task force would include one full-time prosecutor, one full-time paralegal, one full-time support staff member, six investigators, and any additional law enforcement personnel designated by the Attorney General.
The task force would be required to meet regularly to review investigations and intelligence, provide updates on ongoing cases, investigate and recommend prosecutions for organized or repeat offenders, review cases referred by law enforcement agencies, and coordinate with law enforcement and industry stakeholders to identify emerging cargo theft trends and prevention strategies.
The bill defines cargo as merchandise, goods, or wares transported or intended to be transported in commerce, including goods at any stage of the supply chain from origin to final destination. It defines cargo theft to include unlawful taking or appropriation of cargo or freight through fraud, deception, misrepresentation, or identity manipulation from a commercial motor vehicle, trailer, railcar, intermodal container, warehouse, freight facility, distribution center, or other location within the supply chain.
The task force would also be required to submit an annual report beginning July 1, 2027, to the governor, Senate president, and House speaker, with a copy provided to the Secretary of State. The report would include summaries of investigations, prosecutions, enforcement actions, cargo theft trends and patterns, recovered cargo, restitution, forfeited assets, and recommendations for legislative or policy action.
The Senate Republican Caucus said Arizona’s position as a major transportation and logistics hub for the Southwest makes the state vulnerable to cargo theft schemes targeting trucks, warehouses, freight facilities, and supply chains.
“Cargo theft is not a victimless crime,” Payne said. “When organized criminals steal truckloads of merchandise, food, medical supplies, or other goods moving through our supply chains, the cost doesn’t simply disappear. Businesses lose inventory, consumers pay higher prices, and law enforcement is left chasing increasingly sophisticated criminal operations that often cross city, county, and state boundaries.”
Payne said Arizona’s location makes it a critical transportation corridor and a target for organized cargo theft.
“SB 1452 gives law enforcement another tool to identify criminal networks, recover stolen property, hold offenders accountable, and better protect the businesses, workers, and families who depend on a secure and reliable supply chain,” Payne said. “At a time when Americans are already struggling with the cost of everyday necessities, we should be doing everything possible to stop organized theft from making those costs even worse.”
The legislation comes as Arizona law enforcement agencies have reported organized cargo theft activity along the state’s rail corridors. FreightWaves reported Wednesday that two men were arrested and more than $500,000 in merchandise was recovered after a train burglary near Meteor Crater, west of Winslow.
According to the report, Coconino County investigators received a report on May 29 that several individuals were removing merchandise from a stopped BNSF Railway train and loading it into a van and box truck parked near the tracks. Authorities later stopped the van and arrested Jaime Beltran-Bojorquez, 32, and Gerardo Mares Vazquez, 28. Investigators said a second vehicle fled from deputies before crashing near Williams, and two unidentified suspects fled on foot and remained at large.
Detective Curtis Peery of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office told FreightWaves that investigators are encountering both independent theft crews and organized criminal networks operating in the region. Peery told AZFamily that Northern Arizona sees “somewhere between 8 to 12 events a month.”
Peery told FreightWaves that electronics and clothing are among the most frequently targeted commodities because they can be quickly resold. He said the remote locations of many rail thefts make investigations more difficult and that coordination among agencies has been critical. “When we as departments work together that is where we have been the most effective and successful at combating these criminal organizations,” he added.
Cargo theft has become a growing concern for the trucking industry and law enforcement agencies nationwide. In a June 4 report, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, citing reporting from Transport Topics and industry data, said truckers nationwide are experiencing freight theft at a rate of $18 million per day. The report also noted that cargo theft schemes increasingly include deceptive pickups, fake identities, forged credentials, and carrier impersonation.
Tony Bradley, president and CEO of the Arizona Trucking Association, previously testified in support of SB 1452 before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. According to Land Line, Bradley told lawmakers cargo theft has become “a very sophisticated international crime issue” and identified Arizona as a hotspot.
Bradley said trucking industry members have increasingly contacted the association for help after cargo theft incidents and said a central point of coordination through the Attorney General’s Office could help law enforcement across all 15 counties.
SB 1452 follows similar efforts in other states to address cargo theft and organized freight crime. The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported that Arkansas and Tennessee have enacted new cargo theft laws, while California and Arizona have considered task-force legislation.
