Sen. Rosanna Gabaldón

Maddy summarySB 1428 requires Arizona school districts to implement "Stop the Bleed" programs starting in the 2025-2026 school year, directly affecting schools, nurses, and students. It mandates schools to place at least one federally endorsed bleed control kit (containing tourniquets, bandages, gloves, and instructional materials) in accessible locations, include kits in safety plans, and inspect them annually. The state will fund the initiative with $180,000 for kit purchases and distribution through the Department of Health Services, with the program ending December 31, 2028. The bill focuses on equipping schools to manage severe bleeding emergencies through standardized first-aid resources and training.

Maddy summarySB 1397 establishes a state-run health insurance consumer assistance program to help Arizona residents resolve disputes with insurers, including denied claims, appeals, and coverage issues. It requires health insurers to prominently display program information on benefit statements and report denial data to the state. Insurers that wrongfully deny valid claims face civil penalties up to $25,000 per violation, must pay double damages to affected consumers, and could lose their license. The program also mandates annual state reports tracking denial rates and insurer compliance.

Maddy summarySB 1401, the "Pregnant Workers Protection Act," requires Arizona employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers without causing undue hardship. It mandates specific accommodations like modified equipment, more frequent breaks, schedule changes, and private breastfeeding areas, while prohibiting employers from forcing pregnant employees to use vacation or sick leave when accommodations are possible. Employers must post notices about these requirements in employee handbooks and provide written notices at hiring, within 180 days of the law’s effective date, and within 10 days of a pregnancy announcement. The bill directly affects pregnant employees and their employers in covered workplaces, focusing on concrete policy changes to support workplace accommodations.

Maddy summarySB 1400 amends Arizona's drug paraphernalia law to clarify that testing equipment used to detect fentanyl or fentanyl analogs in drugs is not considered illegal paraphernalia. This means fentanyl testing kits, commonly used by law enforcement and harm reduction programs to identify dangerous drugs, will not face criminal penalties or civil forfeiture under this statute. The bill directly affects law enforcement agencies, health organizations, and individuals using these testing tools. The key change removes these specific testing products from the definition of drug paraphernalia, ensuring they are exempt from the law's restrictions.

Maddy summarySB 1381 requires well drillers in Arizona to include precise GPS coordinates for proposed well locations in their application forms. This change directly affects individuals or companies seeking to drill new wells or deepen existing ones, particularly for geophysical, mineralogical, or geotechnical data. The bill amends existing law to add GPS coordinates as a mandatory field in the "notice of intention to drill" form, alongside other details like well depth and owner information. This update aims to improve location accuracy for groundwater management without altering other application requirements or fees.

Maddy summarySB 1430 repeals a law requiring abortion providers in Arizona to submit certain reports to the state. The bill removes this reporting obligation, directly affecting healthcare providers who previously had to comply with these requirements. It does not add new provisions or mechanisms; the sole action is eliminating the existing legal requirement under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 36, Chapter 20, Article 2. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (Senate First/Second Reading).

Maddy summarySB 1431 defines "fertility treatment" in Arizona law to include services like IVF, egg/sperm preservation, artificial insemination, and related medications. It establishes three key rights: individuals can access these treatments without unreasonable barriers, healthcare providers can perform them within their scope, and insurers may cover them. The bill requires the Department of Health Services and health profession boards to create implementing rules within one year, exempting them from standard rulemaking procedures for that initial year. This law directly affects patients seeking fertility care, healthcare providers offering such services, and insurance companies covering these treatments.

Maddy summarySB 1314 terminates the governing board of the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB) on July 1, 2033, and repeals related statutes on January 1, 2034. The bill directly affects the ASDB board of directors and its administrative structure, though it maintains the schools' purpose of providing educational services for sensory-impaired children. Key provisions include setting specific termination dates for the board and related legal sections, ensuring a transition period before full implementation. The legislature states this continuation aims to "promote and maintain educational opportunities of adequate scope and quality" for sensory-impaired students until the board's end date.

Maddy summarySB 1338 would allow Arizona to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC), an agreement among states to award all electoral votes to the candidate who wins the national popular vote. If enacted and if enough states join to control 270+ electoral votes, Arizona would no longer award votes based on its own state election results but instead assign all electoral votes to the candidate with the most votes nationwide. This bill does not change how Arizona voters cast ballots but alters how the state’s presidential electors are selected, requiring the chief election official to calculate national vote totals and certify electors based on the national popular vote winner. The compact takes effect only when member states collectively hold a majority of electoral votes, and Arizona would remain subject to this system only if the agreement is active.

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.