AZBio Legislative Watch List – 2022

AZBio Legislative Watch List for 2022

As Arizona’s Statewide Bioscience Industry Association, AZBio works with our elected leaders to educate and inform on the key issues that will help to make Arizona a Top-Tier Bioscience State and works across our community to support our members, our industry, our healthcare partners, and patient advocacy organizations.

Each year, AZBio publishes its Policy Initiatives as approved by the AZBio Board of Directors.

Click here to view the AZBio Government Affairs Policy for 2022

AZBio is supported at the State Capitol by our contract lobbyists at Dorn Policy Group

Legislative Deadlines: 

January 2022

  • Thursday 1/13 – House 7-bill Introduction Limit Begins at 5:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday 1/19* – Senate Bill Request Deadline (5:00 p.m.)
  • Monday 1/25 – Senate Bill Intro Set Preparation Deadline (5:00 p.m.)

FEBRUARY 2021

  • Monday 2/1 – Senate Bill Introduction Deadline (5:00 p.m.)
  • Friday 2/4  – House Bill Request Deadline (5:00 p.m.)
  • Monday 2/7 – House Bill Introduction Deadline (5:00 p.m.)
  • Friday 2/18 – Last Day to Hear SBs in Senate Committees / Last Day to Hear HBs in House Committees 

Note: 

  1. S-HHS meeting 2/21 with permission of the Senate President
  2. Appropriations  bills have an additional 2 weeks.

MARCH 2022

  • Friday 3/25 Last Day to Hear SBs in House Committees / Last Day to Hear HBs in Senate Committees

APRIL 2022

  • Friday 4/15 Last Day for Conference Committees (By Senate and House Rule)
  • Tuesday 4/19 100th Day of Session

Adjournment sine die on Saturday, April 23, 2022– regular sessions shall be adjourned sine die no later than the Saturday of the week in which the 100th day of session falls. (The Speaker and the President may extend the session for a period not to exceed seven additional days. Thereafter, the session can be extended only by a majority vote of the Members.

* 1/17/22 Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day



Active Bills at the Second Regular Session, 55th Legislature, 2022

The list below highlights bills that pertain to our areas of focus.   As these bills progress, our positions to support, monitor, or oppose will be added.  All AZBio Members have the option to add bills to the Watch List.  To do so, email AZBio.

This list will be updated as new bills are introduced.


Signed by Governor

HB2086     DHS; school immunizations; exclusions

HB2144     health insurance coverage; biomarker testing 

HB2371    Enforcement Prohibition; Vaccinations; Requirements

HB2434     surgical smoke evacuation; requirements

HB2453     governmental entities; mask requirement; prohibition

HB2490    pharmacists; providers; collaborative practice agreements

HB2498     COVID-19; vaccination requirements; prohibition 

HB2594     trauma recovery centers; grants

HB2616     mask mandates; minors; parental consent 

HB2635     health care workers; assault; prevention

SB1009      state of emergency; executive powers

SB1162      opioid prescriptions; intractable pain; exceptions 

SB1163       individualized investigational treatment; availability; prohibitions 

 

NOTE: After a Bill is received by Governor having been passed by both House and Senate, the Governor may sign the Bill or allow the Bill to become law without his signature if he takes no action during next five days (or ten days after adjournment). 

The Governor may veto a Bill, but must return Bill to House stating his reasons. The House and Senate may override the Governor’s veto by a two thirds vote (or three-fourths, if an emergency measure).


2022-2023 Budget

Note:  The following bills align with AZBio priorities.  To view all budget related bills, click here and view ranges beginning with HB2841 in the House and SB 1722 in the Senate.

Bills with statutory provisions by category needed to implement the FY 2023 budget.

HB2017      STEM funding; appropriation 

HB2843    SB1724  state budget implementation; 2022-2023

HB2850    SB1733  2022-2023 budget; K-12 education

HB2861    SB1728  environment; 2022-2023 (Water)

HB2863    SB1730  health care; 2022-2023

Includes establishing the Behavioral Health Care Provider Loan Repayment Program and the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund (AHIT)

HB2864    SB1731  higher education; 2022-2023

Includes changes to the Community College funding formula and establishes the Arizona Veterinary Loan Assistance Program

HB2866    SB1733  K-12 education; 2022-2023

Updates the per pupil funding formula and adds workforce and adult education programs

HB2871    SB1738   tax; revisions; distributions; 2022-2023

Establishes the Department of Revenue Integrated Tax System Project (ITSP) ) consisting of a)Fees assessed to local governments; b) Monies from the 0.6% education sales tax [including TRIF]; and c) Monies from the marijuana excise tax (Sec. 4, 6)

HB2873    SB1740  water infrastructure financing; supply; augmentation.

Re-establishes the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority as a separate state agency with a governing board and several committees to assist in reviewing applications for fund monies. Authorizes WIFA to engage in public-private partnerships for water supply development projects. Establishes the Long-Term Water Augmentation Fund to primarily fund projects to import water into Arizona. Amends the criteria for the Water Supply Development Revolving Fund and increases the amount of a single fund grant to $2,000,000. Repeals the Drought Mitigation Board and transfer most of its fund monies to the Water Supply Development Revolving Fund.

Budget Bills

HB2853     Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts; appropriation 

Passed House 31-29; 

HB2854     K-12; school finance; weights

adds $200M to the School Site Fund (1x) for a total of $400M in 2022-2023

HB2858     capital outlay; appropriations; 2022-2023

HB2862     general appropriations act; 2022-2023 as passed

Changes to state agency budgets including AHCCCS, ACA, Community Colleges, DHS, State Health Boards, and State Treasurer with $100K allocation to seed the Arizona Health Innovation Trust Fund (AHIT) 

Notable highlights include:

$526 million in addition base funding for K-12

$100 million in additional performance funding for K-12

$100 million in opportunity weights funding for K-12

$80M in  additional funding for universities

The $18 billion dollar budget included the following:

  • Creation of the Arizona Health Innovation Trust
  • K-12 funding                                                                         ~ $7.2 billion
  • DWR Water Initiative                                                             $1 billion (over three years)
  • Nearly 40 transportation projects throughout AZ            $1 billion
  • Universities                                                                               $962 million (not including services income)
  • Manufacturing TPT cap increase                                          $100 million
  • Community College adult education workforce development     $6 million
  • High school and workforce training                                      $4.2 million
  • AZ Office or Tourism                                                                $8.2 million
  • Economic development marketing                                        $1 million
  • Eastern Arizona water projects                                               $10 million
  • “Rainy Day” Fund                                                                       $425 million
  • Small school rollover elimination                                           $65 million
  • STEM funding community colleges                                        $14.7 million
  • Airport improvements throughout AZ                                   $20 million
  • Business water infrastructure (Pinal County)                      $15 million

Bills that did not progress 

HOUSE BILLS

HB2020      vaccination mandates; exemptions (Opposed)

HB2022       health emergencies; treatment; vaccinations; repeal (Opposed)

HB2029      vaccinations; evidence of immunity; prohibitions (Opposed)

HB2039      health; innovation; trust fund  –

HB2043     employer liability; COVID-19 vaccine requirement

HB2065      school immunizations; nonattendance; outbreak (Opposed)

HB2083     AHCCCS services; diabetes management See Budget Bills (HB2862)

HB2089     essential drugs; price increase; limits (Opposed)

HB2099     municipalities; membership dues; limit

HB2100     health information organizations; confidentiality; data.

HB2111     appropriation; healthy families program NOW: S/E appropriation; learning; workforce; STEM

HB2123     commerce authority; adult workforce education – NOW: funerals; regulation; continuation (Removed from Tracking)

HB2125     electronic smoking devices; retail licensing

HB2155     health information organizations; research; disclosures

HB2163     hospitals; charge limit; drugs; devices

HB2191     school immunizations; DHS; exclusions

HB2196     health care providers; religious beliefs

HB2198     employee termination; COVID-19 vaccine; compensation

HB2205     children’s health insurance program; eligibility.

HB2206     AHCCCS; dental care; pregnant women

HB2211     medicare supplement; disability; renal disease

HB2218     medical services; purchase; study committee

HB2230    prenatal care; grant program; appropriation (Support)

HB2261     HIV medication; prior authorization; prohibition

HB2281     medical freedom; parental rights

HB2290     apprenticeship program; income tax subtraction

HB2302     insurance coverage; prosthetics; orthotics

HB2351     Arizona board of regents; continuation – NOW  Homestead exemptions; persons entitled to hold
homesteads; equity (Removed from Tracking)

HB2356     employers; businesses; COVID-19 vaccine record

HB2382     appropriation; health programs; disabilities

HB2384     health care; real-time communication; grants (Support)

HB2386     health care institutions; education; abuse

HB2395     career technical education; fund; grants

HB2474     refusing treatment; right; requirements

HB2475    employers; COVID-19 vaccine mandate; prohibition

HB2483     abortion; fetal heartbeat; civil action..

HB2486     health providers; insurers; estimated costs

HB2523     appropriations; medical workforce development

HB2528     area agencies on aging; appropriation NOW: Appropriation; housing trust fund (Removed from Tracking)

HB2529     breast cancer gene; screening; coverage

HB2551     children’s health insurance program; redetermination See Budget Bills (HB2862)

HB2569     prescription drug coverage; limitations

HB2578     emergency executive powers; legislative oversight

HB2607     appropriation; STEM; learning; workforce development 

HB2611     vaccinations; masks; requirements; enforcement prohibition

HB2619     postvaccine injuries; COVID-19; posting NOW: Rainwater harvesting grant program; eligibility (Removed from Tracking)

HB2623   antidiscrimination; vaccination status; immunity passports

HB2691     health care workforce; grant programs

HB2790     personal data; processing; security standards

SENATE BILLS

SB1016       pharmacies; off-label use; refusal prohibition (FAILED 3/14)

SB1017       state finance review; task force

SB1021       health care liens; limitation

SB1049       parents’ bill of rights; violation (Opposed)

SB1052       medical procedures; prohibitions (Opposed)

SB1053       religious exemption; vaccine; violation; classification (Opposed)

SB1078Strike Everything – confidential medical information View Stiker

SB1111      opioids; informed consent; inpatient settings (Support)

SB1161       prescription drug coverage; steering prohibition

SB1167        health information organizations; confidentiality; data

SB1195     childhood trauma training; program; appropriation (Support)

SB1198     local governments; lobbying; prohibition  FAILED Senate

SB1199    Alzheimer’s; dementia; advisory council.

SB1245  tobacco; vapor; alternative nicotine; regulation

SB1254   medical product; procedure; mandates; liability

SB1271     Arizona veterinary loan assistance program See Budget Bills – Higher ED

SB1298    government mask mandate; prohibition

SB1311     health care workers; assault; prevention.

SB1330    discount prescription drugs; pharmacies

SB1346     state employees; vaccination inquiries prohibited

SB1368     continuation; Arizona board of regents (8 yrs from 5) Replaced with Budget Striker

SB1373     pharmacists; immunizations

SB1393     refusing treatment; right; requirements. 

SB1395     mental health medication; prior authorization  

SB1414     vaccine requirements; employers; prohibition

SB1486     terminally ill individuals; end-of-life options

SB1494     COVID-19 vaccine; unemployment insurance

SB1539      Alzheimer’s; dementia; advisory council

SB1567     S/E

SB1641     health care institutions; civil penalties –FAILED H-Approps

SB1643      S/E: research; development; tax credits View Striker  Fact Sheet (Support)

SB1684      appropriation; Maricopa; Pima; STEM programs

SB1687      health insurance; requirements; essential benefits