Sen. Rosanna Gabaldón

Maddy summarySB 1137 sets July 1, 2033, as the termination date for Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program, which provides state-funded scholarships for private school tuition and educational expenses. The bill mandates a comprehensive program review and performance audit to be completed by October 1, 2032, assessing the program's effectiveness, management efficiency, and whether it meets its original goals. This review includes a draft report for the administering department to comment on, a public hearing, and an audit of program outcomes by the state auditor. The legislature must pass and the governor must sign a continuation bill before July 1, 2033, for the program to continue; otherwise, it ends on that date. The law governing the program will be repealed after December 31, 2033.

Maddy summarySB 1138 establishes a school safety program in Arizona that provides state funding for school districts and charter schools to hire school psychologists, counselors, and social workers. Schools applying for this funding must submit detailed proposals describing safety needs, outlining how they'll implement counseling programs with community partnerships, and including parent communication plans and confidentiality policies. The program requires schools to evaluate the effectiveness of their counseling services and report annually to state officials. This directly affects Arizona public schools seeking mental health support staff, focusing on creating safer learning environments through counseling resources rather than security personnel. The bill mandates specific program requirements and annual reporting to ensure accountability for funded mental health services.

Maddy summarySB 1139 sets new requirements for staff at Arizona schools participating in the state’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program. It mandates that all personnel providing academic instruction must have either a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college, three years of teaching experience, or specialized subject-matter expertise. The bill specifically applies to schools accepting ESA payments, affecting both paid employees and certain non-employee instructors directly teaching students. It does not alter existing requirements for public schools but adds these standards for ESA-participating schools.

Maddy summarySB 1140 establishes Arizona's "Homeless Recovery Telehealth Pilot Program," creating a public-private partnership to provide telehealth services for homeless individuals with mental health or addiction needs. The program requires the state health department to select a single telehealth provider via competitive bidding to set up access points in shelters and healthcare facilities, track patient outcomes, and maintain secure data. Key provisions include requiring the provider to share 5-10% of annual revenue with the state, creating a statewide homeless census, and developing personalized recovery plans. The $10 million state appropriation (fiscal year 2025-2026) funds the five-year pilot, which will be evaluated for potential expansion by 2033.

Maddy summaryHB 2460 amends Arizona's children's health insurance program (CHIP) eligibility rules by adjusting income thresholds for children under 19. It sets the following income limits relative to the federal poverty level: 200% for 1999-2023, 225% (with CMS approval) for 2023-2025, and 300% starting October 1, 2025. The bill directly affects low-income Arizona families with children under 19 whose household income meets these revised thresholds. It does not change program benefits or structure, only the income eligibility percentages. The amendment is part of defining program terms in Arizona Revised Statutes Section 36-2981.

Maddy summarySB 1044 creates licensing requirements for secure behavioral health residential facilities in Arizona. It restricts these facilities to serving only patients committed by court order under specific statutes (36-550.09 or 13-4521), limits facilities to 16 beds, and prohibits mixing patients from different court orders. Facilities must provide 24/7 supervised treatment by staff with behavioral health training, and the Arizona health care cost containment system must annually report on funding use and bed availability. The bill defines "secure" as limiting patient egress only as necessary for their court-ordered treatment plan.

Maddy summarySB 1045 appropriates $25 million from the state general fund for constructing five secure behavioral health residential facilities in Arizona. These facilities will serve court-ordered patients with serious mental illness who are chronically resistant to treatment, with three facilities in the central area and one each in northern and southern regions. The bill also allocates $10 million from state funds plus $18.77 million from Medicaid for ongoing provider rate increases. The Arizona health care cost containment system administration must issue requests for proposals by December 2025 or report delays to legislative leaders.

Maddy summarySB 1043 creates a state fund to finance homeless shelter and services by appropriating money for grants. It requires cities and towns with more than 75 homeless individuals (based on the 2024 point-in-time count) to provide at least one shelter bed per four homeless people and establish a judicial diversion program for homelessness or mental illness. The fund will award grants to counties, cities, tribes, and nonprofits to increase shelter beds, improve services like behavioral health treatment and substance use programs, and support heat respite efforts. Grantees must provide matching funds, avoid policies that hinder public camping enforcement, and report detailed data on service outcomes and participant demographics.

Maddy summaryThis Arizona bill requires the state Department of Education to create guidelines and resources for teaching digital citizenship and media literacy by January 15, 2025. It establishes an advisory committee made up of teachers, parents, librarians, and experts to help develop these practices and recommend updates to state academic standards. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, school districts and charter schools must annually review and update their own policies on internet safety and media literacy by consulting with parents, staff, and students. The legislation defines digital citizenship as responsible behavior online and media literacy as the ability to critically analyze and use various forms of media.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the existence of the board of directors for the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind until July 1, 2033, ensuring continued oversight for sensory-impaired children. It achieves this by repealing a previous statute that would have ended the board's term earlier and adding a new provision that sets the specific termination date and outlines when related laws will be removed. The legislation also includes a statement of purpose confirming that the legislature intends to maintain adequate educational opportunities for these students during this extended period.