More health bills filed ahead of the 2022 legislative session

By

Soraya Marashi

|

Several more health bills have been prefiled for the Arizona Legislature’s 2022 session. The bills include topics such as vaccine mandates, services for individuals with developmental disabilities, minors and gender identity, and public health emergencies.

 

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Listed below are some of the health bills that have been prefiled since our last coverage in the weeks leading up to the start of the legislative session on Jan. 10. 

  • House Bill (HB) 2022 – This bill would repeal a statute that currently allows the governor to “… mandate treatment or vaccination of persons who are diagnosed with an illness resulting from exposure or who are reasonably believed to have been exposed or who may reasonably be expected to be exposed” under a public health state of emergency. This bill was introduced on Dec. 28 by Reps. Mark Finchem (R – Oro Valley), Judy Burgess (R – Skull Valley), Neal Carter (R – San Tan Valley), Lupe Diaz (R – Hereford), John Fillmore (R – Mesa), Teresa Martinez (R – Oro Valley), Kevin Payne (R – Sun City), and Sen. Borrelli (R – Lake Havasu City). 


  • Senate Bill (SB) 1052 – This bill would prohibit a government entity or any person doing business in the state from requiring a state resident to obtain a medical procedure, including a vaccination, if a potential complication or adverse reaction to the procedure could cause the individual’s death. SB 1052 was introduced on Dec. 27 by Sen. Kelly Townsend (R – Mesa) and Rep. Walter Blackman (R – Scottsdale). 


  • SB 1045 – This bill would prohibit an official at a public or private school in the state from “encouraging or [coercing]” a minor to keep their gender identity a secret from their parents or legal guardian if it is inconsistent with their biological sex. The bill also prohibits school officials from withholding this information from the minor’s guardians. The bill also prevents health professionals from providing treatment to minors that would “… alter the appearance of the minor child or to affirm the minor child’s perception of his or her gender or sex, if that perception is inconsistent with the minor child’s biological sex.” SB 1045 was introduced on Dec. 22 by Sen. Wendy Rogers (R – Scottsdale). 


  • SB 1046 – This bill would require state educational institutions to expressly designate their interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic teams based on biological sex. Exceptions are made for individuals with a “sexual development disorder.” The bill was introduced on Dec. 22 by Sen. Rogers. 


  • SB 1044 – This bill would prohibit the state government from entering into contracts to administer the Personal Responsibility Education Program or the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Grant Program with any entity that “… performs abortions, promotes abortions, maintains or operates a facility where abortions are performed or promoted or contracts or subcontracts with an entity that performs or promotes abortions.” SB 1044 was introduced on Dec. 22 by Sen. Rogers.

 

  • SB 1031 – This bill would require the state government to provide long-term care services (specified in the bill text) to individuals with a developmental disability regardless of whether the individual is determined to need institutional services. SB 1031 was introduced on Dec. 17 by Sen. Rogers.

 

  • HB 2020 – This bill would allow exemptions from COVID-19 vaccine requirements in the state for individuals that can produce documented test results that confirm the individual has antibodies to any variant of COVID-19, a positive test for any variant of COVID-19, or a positive T-cell immune response to any variant of COVID-19. HB 2020 was introduced on Dec. 14 by Rep. Steve Kaiser (R – Phoenix).