CAA Bills for Scorecard
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HB 2084: Kinship care; fingerprint requirement; waiver
HB 2111: Appropriation; healthy families program
HB 2205: Children’s Health Insurance Program; Eligibility
HB 2206 and HB 2306: AHCCCS; Dental Care; Pregnant Women
HB 2274: Appropriation; stipend; kinship foster care
HCR 2039: School district expenditures; authorization
HB2622 YATI; Eligibility; AHCCCS
HB2312 and SB1272 12 Month Eligibility Postpartum
HB2551 Children’s Health Insurance Program; Redetermination
SB1325 Independent Living Program; Stipend
HCR 2039, SCR 1050 School District Expenditures, Authorization
HB 2084: Kinship Care; Fingerprint Requirement Waiver
Sponsored by: Representative Joann Osborne
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: This bill passed out of both chambers and was signed by the Governor on March 30th.
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
Kinship foster care is a best practice, mitigating the trauma of parental separation and leading to better outcomes for children. Because kinship foster placements typically occur on an emergency basis, the grandparents and other relatives are often not licensed as foster parents. As a result, they receive just a fraction of the financial support provided to licensed foster parents. Becoming licensed takes time and is filled with many barriers including obtaining Fingerprint Clearance Cards. This bill gives DCS the ability to waive the Fingerprint Clearance Card requirement for kin who have already been deemed safe for placement.
HB 2205: Children’s Health Insurance Program; Eligibility
Sponsored by: Representative Kelli Butler
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: This bill was never assigned to a committee.
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
KidsCare is Arizona’s Children’s Health Insurance Program. It provides low-cost care to children under 19 who live in households earning between 133-200% of the federal poverty limit (FPL). Arizona has the fourth highest rate of uninsured children in the U.S., and more than 16,000 – 10% of all uninsured children in our state – live in households earning slightly too much to qualify for KidsCare. This bill expands eligibility so that the program reaches families earning at up to 250% FPL.
HB 2206 and HB 2306: AHCCCS; Dental Care; Pregnant Women
Sponsored by: Representative Kelli Butler and Representative Jennifer Jermaine
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: These bills were assigned but never heard in committee.
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
AHCCCS insures over 1.2 million adults in Arizona but provides only emergency dental care, which is capped at $1000 annually. Access to routine cleanings, fillings, and other preventive care are out of reach. During pregnancy, people are especially susceptible to oral health issues, and without early and preventive care oral health issues can result in severe complications to both the parent and the infant. This bill would allow pregnant Arizonans who participate in AHCCCS would be able to seek preventive care for oral health concerns before the condition becomes urgent, saving the state money in emergency room costs and sparing people who participate in Medicaid unnecessary hardship due to the lack of preventive care.
HB 2111 and HB 2441 Appropriation; Healthy Families Program
Sponsored by: Representative Walt Blackman and Representative Pamela Powers Hannley
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: This bill has passed through the House and Senate (final status TBD).
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
Healthy Families is a nationally accredited, evidence based voluntary home visitation program for new parents that sets the foundation for a healthy start to their child’s life. HFAz is designed to strengthen and support families during the first years of a child’s life. These first years are notably significant as they establish the foundation for success throughout a child’s life and into adulthood. Back in 2009, monies supporting HFAz were cut from the state general fund and have not been replaced since. HB2111 designates monies to fill the funding gap for this program.
HB 2274 and SB 1530 Appropriation; Stipend; Kinship Care
Sponsored by: Representative Jeff Weninger and Senator Lela Alston
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: This bill has passed the House and is awaiting action in Senate Rules (final status TBD)
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
All children in foster care require financial support so their temporary families can provide them with safety and stability. Yet Arizona does not provide adequate financial support to over 6,000 foster children who are placed with relatives. Grandparents and other relatives step up to care for these children but because they are often not licensed, the children in their care receive just a fraction of the financial support ($75 a month) provided to children placed in non-relative foster homes ($641 a month). This bill increases the kinship care stipend to $300 a month.
HB2622 YATI; Eligibility; AHCCCS
Sponsored by: Representative Walt Blackman
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: This bill passed the House and is awaiting action in the Senate (final status TBD)
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
The Affordable Care Act allows former foster youth to stay enrolled in Medicaid until age 26, regardless of income. Despite being categorically eligible for Medicaid, young adults who have aged out of foster care frequently lose Medicaid coverage due to unnecessary bureaucratic procedures or a failure to complete paperwork they never receive. Many are unaware that they’ve lost coverage until they show up at a doctor’s office or emergency department in need of care, at which point they may have also missed the period they had to appeal the decision and end up saddled with medical bills. This bill aligns state law with federal law and reduces the chance that these young adults will lose coverage.
HB2312 and SB1272 12 Month Eligibility Postpartum
Sponsored by: Representative Jennifer Jermaine and Senator Tyler Pace
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: SB1272 has passed out of the Senate and is awaiting action in the House (Final Status TBD). HB 2312 was assigned to committee but never received a hearing.
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
Arizona’s Medicaid program (AHCCCS) provides coverage to pregnant people earning less than 156% FPL who also meet residency and citizenship requirements. Pregnant people remain eligible for 60 days after their pregnancy ends, at which point AHCCCS assesses their income to see if they still qualify for coverage. Individuals earning too much to qualify for Medicaid expansion lose coverage after 60 days postpartum. This bill expands coverage for one year after pregnancy ends.
HB2551 Children’s Health Insurance Program; Redetermination
Sponsored by: Representative Regina Cobb
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: This bill has passed through the House and is awaiting action in the Senate (Final Status TBD)
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
As the Public Health Emergency unwinds, children and families will once again be at risk of losing health coverage through Medicaid and CHIP (AHCCCS and KidsCare). Continuous coverage ensures families can access the care they need, which in turn yields better health outcomes, reduces health disparities, and lowers health system costs. This bill provides year-round, continuous coverage to children who participate in CHIP.
SB1325: Independent Living program; Stipend
Sponsored by: Senator TJ Shope
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: Bill has passed out of the Senate and is awaiting action in the House (final status TBD)
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
Arizona offers voluntary extended foster care and services up to age 21. If a young person chooses to participate, DCS may continue paying a foster parent or group home, or the young person may be offered a monthly Independent Living Subsidy to support their transition. The subsidy starts at $715 per month and is reduced every 6 months by $50. Meanwhile, the cost of living is skyrocketing. SB 1325 would increase the subsidy and hold the amount constant throughout the young person’s participation in extended foster care.
HCR 2039, SCR 1050 School District Expenditures, Authorization
Sponsored by: Representative Rusty Bowers, Senator Karen Fann
CAA position; Support
Bill Status: This bill passed both the House and the Senate. It did not require the signature of the Governor. It was transmitted to the Secretary of State on February 22nd.
Bill description and/or background exported from priority bill sheets
Arizona’s constitution requires that an aggregate expenditure limit be set for all district schools in Arizona. This year the limit was going to be exceeded forcing districts to reduce spending with only weeks left in the school year. This bill allowed a one-time exception to the limit.