Rep. Oscar De Los Santos

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 2348) requires Arizona health insurers - covering hospital service corporations, medical service corporations, health care services organizations, and disability insurers - to provide coverage for behavioral health services (including mental health and substance use disorder treatment) starting January 1, 2026. It mandates insurers to arrange out-of-network coverage with negotiated rates when in-network providers aren’t available within specific timeframes: 30 days for routine care, 7 days for residential care, and 24 hours for emergencies. Crucially, patients cannot pay more than their standard in-network copay, coinsurance, or deductible for these services. Insurers must also document and report out-of-network payments to the state within 20 days of request.

Maddy summaryHB 2686 creates a new specialty license plate program for sororities and fraternities in Arizona. To qualify, an organization must pay a $32,000 fee to the state department to implement the program, after which the department will issue custom plates designed by the group (subject to state approval). Owners of vehicles displaying these plates pay a $25 annual fee, with $17 of that amount designated as a donation. The bill does not affect individual students but requires organizations to fund the program upfront and comply with design standards. This is a procedural change to license plate regulations, not a broad policy shift.

Maddy summaryHCR 2028 proposes amending Arizona's constitution to establish voting as a fundamental right. It guarantees that eligible U.S. citizens aged 18+ who reside in Arizona can vote in all elections, explicitly including "persons of the male and female sex" in voting rights. The amendment requires any law restricting voting to be "narrowly tailored" to serve a compelling government interest, offering stronger protections than the federal Equal Protection Clause. It also bars voting for people adjudicated incapacitated or convicted of treason/felony (unless civil rights are restored), while preserving existing voter qualifications.

Maddy summaryHB 2459 amends Arizona law to establish new procedures for strip searches and pat searches of prisoners in state correctional facilities. The bill requires that strip searches be conducted only by an officer of the same gender in a designated room (with limited exceptions for immediate needs), prohibits touching body parts except during hair inspections, and mandates documentation for cross-gender pat searches in emergencies. Pat searches must generally be performed by an officer of the same gender, but opposite-gender searches are permitted in emergencies if documented with officer details, prisoner information, and the reason, and conducted with a witness when possible. The law directly affects prisoners and correctional officers in Arizona Department of Corrections facilities by standardizing search protocols to address privacy concerns.

Maddy summaryHB 2443 redirects unclaimed property funds (from abandoned assets like forgotten bank accounts) to Arizona's housing programs. It requires 55% of these funds to go to the state Housing Trust Fund, with at least 40% of that portion specifically for developing housing in rural areas. Additional allocations include $2 million annually to a mental health housing fund and $24.5 million yearly to an administrative fund. The bill does not directly affect individuals but changes how state funds from unclaimed property are distributed to support housing initiatives.

Maddy summaryHB 2461 establishes Arizona's state-run family and medical leave insurance program, providing wage replacement benefits to eligible workers. It directly affects employees who meet specific wage requirements (based on past earnings) or self-employed individuals who elect coverage, allowing them to take paid leave for qualifying reasons like childbirth, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, personal medical needs requiring hospitalization, military family exigencies, or safe leave related to domestic violence or stalking. Benefits cover up to 26 weeks for personal medical needs (e.g., childbirth recovery) or 24 weeks for other qualifying reasons, with payments starting within two weeks of a claim filing. The program, effective January 1, 2028, is administered by Arizona's Industrial Commission.

Maddy summaryHB 2458 requires Arizona prisons to provide free medical care and feminine hygiene products to female inmates, with specific exemptions for pregnant inmates from paying medical fees, prescriptions, or hygiene costs. The bill mandates that prison staff explain the consequences of refusing non-life-threatening medical treatment and document any refusal in writing, while prohibiting denial of care due to financial reasons. It explicitly exempts pregnant inmates from all medical and health service fees (including prescriptions) and ensures they receive necessary feminine hygiene products at no cost. These provisions directly affect incarcerated women in Arizona, particularly pregnant inmates, by improving access to essential healthcare services.

Maddy summaryHB 2682 repeals a provision requiring project labor agreements (like neutrality agreements or union recognition without secret ballots) for construction projects and amends environmental review rules to prohibit such agreements as conditions for project approval. It directly affects developers and contractors seeking environmental compatibility certificates for facilities like power plants or transmission lines, removing a requirement to negotiate with labor organizations during the approval process. The key mechanism eliminates mandates for project labor agreements, including neutrality agreements or release of employee information, from the environmental review standards. This bill does not change wage rates or other labor contract terms, focusing solely on streamlining project approvals by removing this specific regulatory barrier.

Maddy summaryHB 2358 prohibits defendants from claiming "justification" for violence based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, including situations where the victim made an unwanted romantic advance or the parties were dating. It specifically removes these factors from the legal definition of "adequate provocation" in Arizona law. The bill directly affects criminal cases where defendants might otherwise argue such discoveries as a reason for violent acts. This is a policy change clarifying that LGBTQ+ identity cannot be used to excuse violence in court.

Maddy summaryHB 2293 raises Arizona's minimum age for purchasing tobacco products and vaping devices from 18 to 21. It prohibits retailers from selling these items to anyone under 21 and makes it a petty offense for minors to buy, possess, or receive them, with penalties including fines of at least $100 or 30 hours of community service. The law includes exceptions for religious use of tobacco products and gifts of smoking paraphernalia that aren't intended for use. This directly affects underage youth, retailers, and those supplying tobacco or vaping products.