We’re now well into the second half of Arizona’s 2026 legislative session. Many bills that affect public health have either stalled out or are crossing over to the other chamber. That means we have a much clearer picture of what’s still alive, what’s dead, and what still deserves serious attention.
The Arizona Public Health Association has been tracking dozens of bills this session that affect health care, prevention, behavioral health, Medicaid, public health authority, and the broader conditions that shape health in Arizona.
Here’s the latest snapshot.
See Our Bill Tracking Spreadsheet
The Good News: Several Bad Bills Are Dead
A number of proposals that would have undermined public health or created unnecessary problems for the health system appear to be finished for the year. Among the bills that have stalled:
SB1019 – Would have banned community water fluoridation statewide.
SB1016 – Prevented employers from questioning religious exemptions for medical products.
SB1194 and HB2005 – Prevented clinicians from declining patients who refuse vaccination.
HB2007 – Allowed ivermectin to be sold over the counter without a prescription.
HB2107 – Attempted to micromanage SNAP purchases.
HB2154 – Prohibited public entities from contracting with organizations connected to abortion services.
SB1236 – Added new bureaucratic hurdles to AHCCCS eligibility verification.
HB2797 – Added significant administrative red tape to SNAP eligibility.
Unfortunately, a few bills we supported also didn’t make it across the finish line this year, including:
HB2542 – Would have allowed AHCCCS dental benefits to be used for preventive care.
HB2617 – Required insurance coverage for PSA screening for high-risk men.
SB1082 – Basic hygiene requirements for petting zoos.
SB1716 – A practical fix to prevent dangerous interruptions in clozapine access for people with serious mental illness.
Still, the list of harmful bills that are now dead is longer than the list of good bills that stalled—which is at least a small win.
Good Bills Still Moving
Several bills that AZPHA supports are still advancing and could improve parts of Arizona’s health system.
HB2176 – Health facility licensing reform that prevents “license swapping,” improves complaint investigations, and creates a clearer informal dispute resolution process.
HB2195 – Strengthens oversight of skilled nursing facilities and speeds up the deficiency notice process.
HB2177 – Restores AHCCCS waiver authority to provide services to tribal members that were discontinued in 2010.
HB2178 – Requires state agency chief medical officers to hold an active Arizona medical license.
HB2673 – Requires mental health screening and treatment assessments in county jails.
HB2923 – Improves judicial review procedures for court-ordered behavioral health treatment.
SB1112 and SB1113 – Improve procedures related to behavioral health court-ordered evaluations.
SB1165 – Requires insurance plans to cover medically necessary breast exams without cost sharing.
SB1247 – Allows individuals to live with a family member receiving services in assisted living if the facility agrees.
SB1169 – Expands funding authority for graduate medical education residency slots.
SB1813 – Eliminates the outdated 55-bed cap on Maricopa County civil admissions to the Arizona State Hospital and requires admission decisions to be based on clinical need rather than geography.
Most of these bills still need to clear committees and floor votes in the opposite chamber, but they remain very much alive.
Bills That Still Raise Serious Concerns
Several proposals moving through the Legislature could undermine public health protections or weaken important prevention and safety-net programs.
HB2248 – A sweeping anti-vaccine bill that prevents many businesses and institutions from setting vaccination requirements.
HB2086 – Restricts the ability of governments and businesses to require masks or vaccinations in certain situations.
HB2331 – A “reliable energy standard” designed to discourage wind and solar energy development.
HB2267 – Labels certain solar projects as public nuisances, making them nearly impossible to site.
HB2364 – Criminalizes mailing abortion-inducing medications.
HB2448 – Restricts Arizona’s ability to seek federal waivers related to SNAP work requirements.
SB1368 – Attempts to restrict what SNAP participants can purchase if a federal waiver is granted.
SB1212 – Interferes with vaccine incentive structures used by insurers.
These bills remain active and could still reach the governor’s desk if they continue moving through the process.
Radioactive Bill of the Session: HCR2056
Every legislative session has one proposal that stands out for its potential to cause widespread damage to public health policy.
This year that distinction goes to HCR2056.
The measure would amend the Arizona Constitution to create a sweeping “right to refuse medical mandates.” On the surface that may sound simple, but the actual language is extremely broad.
If approved by voters, the amendment would prohibit governments—and potentially many institutions—from requiring vaccines or other medical interventions as a condition of employment, education, access to services, or public participation.
In practice, that will eliminate vaccination requirements for schools, weaken outbreak response authority, and significantly limit the ability of public health officials to protect communities during infectious disease emergencies.
HCR2056 has already passed the House and is now moving through the Senate. If it clears the Legislature, it would go directly to the statewide ballot.
From a public health perspective, it is easily the most radioactive bill of the session. It has passed the House and has been assigned to the Senate Government Committee where it will surely pass. Our next hope will be to stop it on the Senate floor. If it gets through that it’ll go straight to the Fall ballot.