allied health care workforce; appropriation
SB 1461 allocates $15 million from Arizona's general fund for a new allied health workforce development program targeting roles like medical technicians and therapists (requiring specialized training beyond high school but less than a bachelor's degree). The program will fund a nonprofit meeting strict criteria, including prior training of 7,000+ students, partnerships with employers and schools, and operating in at least eight states. The nonprofit must commit to graduating 1,000 students annually through this initiative. This direct funding aims to expand training capacity for non-physician, non-nurse healthcare roles across Arizona.
Bill status
failed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 29, 2026
Last action Mar 31, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced Version
→
Senate Engrossed Version (03/19/2026)
·
1 edit
·
Mar 19, 2026
MINOR
The bill's funding amount was significantly reduced from $15,000,000 to $5,000,000 for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The substantive eligibility requirements for the nonprofit organization receiving these funds, such as graduation numbers and state presence, remain unchanged.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding the target workforce and distribution criteria remains the same, but the financial scope is reduced.
FISCAL
The appropriation amount was decreased by $10,000,000, lowering the total funds available from $15 million to $5 million.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 19, 2026
How they voted
23–4
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 30
Mar 19, 2026
D
Democratic13
76% Yea
R
Republican17
76% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
10
Key actions
3
Committee
0
Amendments
2
Mar 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
PASSED
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
DPA
upper
Feb 24, 2026
Upper · Passed
DPA
upper
1 primary · 5 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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