Policy Perspective – April 2024 Legislative and Policy Update
It’s official: Pluto is now Arizona’s State planet, thanks to Gov. Hobbs, who signed HB 2477 in late March. Pluto was discovered right here in Flagstaff by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. All other planets were first cataloged in Europe. The astonishing discovery ignited the world. Classrooms started teaching the nine-planet model. However, it was downgraded to a dwarf planet by 2006.
Exciting news for aspiring tamale makers, Gov. Hobbs also signed a bill (HB 2042) that will allow home cooks who sell food to the public to expand their offerings to include items that require refrigeration, like tamales and cheesecakes.
Things have been moving a little faster since our last update, however, not quite as fast as Pluto orbiting around the sun at 10,623 miles per hour. Gov. Hobbs has signed more than 100 bills, and the Arizona legislature has passed more than 180 bills. The governor has vetoed at least 20 bills at this point. Some of the signed bills are listed below:
HB 2424 - Licensed health aides
Expands the definition of a licensed health aide and permits applicants pursuing a health aide license to allow their prospective employer to discuss their application with the Arizona Board of Nursing (AZBN).
HB 2433 - Mental health transition program; release
Permits early release of inmates into the Mental Health Transition Pilot Program (Pilot Program) under specified circumstances.
Forbids a health care insurer from denying a claim for payment submitted by the state solely based on a lack of prior authorization if the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) authorized the item or service.
SB 1594 - Aggravated assault; developmental disability; exception
Exempts an individual with a developmental disability or cognitive disability from the aggravated assault classification for assaults committed against a health care worker.
Bill still moving:
SB 1435 -Public entity liability; sexual offenses
Subjects a public entity to liability for losses that arise out of an act or omission by a public employee that is determined to be a felony sexual offense if the victim is a child with a disability, and one or more outlined conditions apply.
Federal policy update:
On January 22, 2024, FEMA announced its plan to implement the most significant update to disaster assistance in 20 years. These reforms to federal assistance regulations will take effect for disasters declared on or after March 22, 2024.
People with disabilities:
- Will be able to assess monetary and types of assistance faster
- Will have fewer barriers to overcome when seeking assistance,
- Will no longer need to provide a signed, written appeal letter to accompany the supporting documentation when appealing FEMA’s eligibility decisions
A few examples:
- People with disabilities can make their homes even more accessible than it was pre-disaster, and it will not count against the federal Housing Assistance maximum. This applies to specific accessibility items, such as wheelchair ramps, grab bars, and paved pathways.
- Survivors who received the federal assistance maximum or more for insurance payments for damage to their home were not eligible for home repair assistance from FEMA. This reform will provide more of a financial cushion for people with disabilities who already bear the cost of higher rates for coverage that includes grab bars, ramps, and other accessibility enhancements to a home.
- For people with cognitive disabilities who may struggle with providing a written explanation to FEMA, the new process allows survivors to submit documents supporting their appeal without a written explanation, allowing them to connect faster to available resources. Survivors can also choose to send in FEMA’s new appeal form or a signed, written appeal letter if they want to provide more context. More information can be found here about the process.
Have a great month of April—and go eat some homemade tamales!
