Last Week at the AZ Legislature...

AzNA tracks bills based on our Public Policy Agenda. This agenda focuses on the health of all Arizonans and the professional practice and work environment of our Arizona nurses.

March 26, 2018-

Last week was the final week to hear bills in committees at the Arizona Legislature. All bills must now have been heard in committees in both houses or they are dead for this legislative session - unless they become a striker. There are a few bills of interest that are already strikers. We are in the process of identifying them and will report them out next week in both the Nurses List and the Policy Pulse.

Along the same path of our APRN Full Practice Authority bill of 2017, a state Senate committee gave new hope to a proposal to license dental therapists in Arizona.

SB1470 sunrise process; health professionals; modifications, the sunrise process revision bill that AzNA was instrumental in negotiating a compromise among the stakeholders, passed unanimously in the House Government Committee. It is expected to have smooth sailing moving forward. The newly negotiated language will now be added to SB1034 as an amendment.

HB2549 controlled substances; dosage limit, which makes some amendments to the opioid legislation and, in particular, allows NPs with advance pain certification to act as medical directors at pain clinics, passed Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously. The bill was amended for other purposes and so will have to go back to the House upon passage by the Senate for approval. We are confident the Senate will approve it. This bill is important not only to AzNA and physicians but also to the other stakeholders and has been vetted with the Governor's Office.

	See the Bills AzNA is Tracking

Access the Nurses List of Bills to see the full listing of bills AzNA is following this legislative session. These new weekly reports (above) will help summarize some key points from the week before, but it is also helpful for you access the Nurses List of Bills weekly to track the bills that you are passionate about. If you have a question about a specific bill please contact info@aznurse.org. We will triage your question to the appropriate person.