LEGISLATIVE TRIUMPHS
Summary of Governmental Affairs Activities
August 2025
Chair: Kathleen Peterson
SB1207: ArSHA engaged Senator Vince Leach (R-District 17) to sponsor SB1207 which would remove the exclusion of outpatient speech therapy services and cochlear implants for adult patient on AHCCCS. This bill received overwhelming bipartisan support in both the Senate and in the House. At the end of the legislative session, SB1207 was removed in the House. Our Lobbyist along with the lobbyist for the Arizona Otolaryngology Society led by Dr. Shawn Stevens was able to get an amendment added to SB1741 and that bill passed.
Governor Hobbs signed the bill into law. Arizona’s adult patients now have access to outpatient speech therapy services as well as cochlear implants.
SB1075: Sevita Medical engaged Senator TJ Shope (R-LD16) to sponsor SB1075 which would allow licensed speech-language pathologists and audiologists to join the Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC). This bill also received bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House. This bill passed and was signed into law in May 2025. The Interstate Compact is projected to be active in the fall of 2025.
July 2023-2025
Chair: Kathleen Peterson
2024: ArSHA did not sponsor a bill and concentrated on educating legislators about the work of Arizona SLPs and AuDs
HB2230: This bill was an exact duplicate of the bill that ArSHA sponsored in 2023 that would have removed the exclusion in AHCCCS for SLP services for the 21+ population. ArSHA supported this bill. Unfortunately, the sponsor (Representative Jennifer Longdon) resigned her seat in January 2024 and none of the co-sponsors brought the bill forward. The bill was never heard in committee.
HB2112: This bill was introduced by Representative Julie Willoughby. The bill would have required insurance companies that sell policies in Arizona cover hearing aids for children (One hearing aid per hearing impaired ear up to $2200 every 36 months for children under the age of 18 or who is under 21 years of age if the child is still attending high school). ArSHA supported this bill but unfortunately, this bill died at the end of the legislative session.
Capitol Hill Day:
Spring 2024
July 2021-2023
Chair: Jennifer Casteix
ArSHA SPONSORED SB 1016: This bill would have removed the exclusion of SLP services for adults over the age of 21 from the AHCCCS bill. Unfortunately, even though we had bipartisan support, the bill did not receive a final vote and died at the end of the legislative session.
ArSHA SUPPORTED SB 1017: This bill would have removed the exclusion of cochlear implants for adults over the age of 21 from the AHCCCS bill. Unfortunately, even though we had bipartisan support, the bill did not receive a final vote and died at the end of the legislative session.
Capitol Hill Day:
Spring 2022
Spring 2023
July 2019-2021
Chair: Jeff Meeks
Advocated for permanent telehealth & tele supervision
Advocated for permanent reimbursement for MIPS via teletherapy
Introduced and discussed the Interstate Compact
SUPPORTED SB 1458:
https://legiscan.com/AZ/text/SB1458/2021
Changed the supervision of SLPA’s to include tele supervision of SLPA’s by a licensed SLP. Telecommunication is permissible but must be synchronous and not the review of a taped session after the fact. The bill also added SLPA representation to the AZDHS advisory committee. This bill passed (2021).
Engaged in writing the HB 2225 speech and hearing omnibus bill:
https://legiscan.com/AZ/text/HB2225/2020
Removed paperwork barriers for audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech-language pathology assistants seeking licensure. Included SLPA tele supervision. This bill passed (2020).
HB 2536:
https://legiscan.com/AZ/text/HB2536/2020
Collaborated with the lobbyists and leaders from the Tri-Alliance to support and pass HB 2536 which permanently changed the telehealth statute to include our professions. This bill passed (2020).
Collaborated with AZDHS Special Licensing on the Speech and Hearing Rules changes in 2021 which, among other things, allowed applicants to submit a copy of their CCC in lieu of transcripts.
Capitol Hill Day:
Spring 2020
Spring 2021
Current Issues and Advocacy
ASHA and SB1293- Providing Hearing Aids for Minors in Arizona
The American Speech and Hearing Association has supported Arizona’s audiologists in the effort to provide hearing aids for minors. State Bill 1293 would establish a minimum coverage for hearing aids as provided by a certified and licensed audiologist. ASHA President Judy Rich wrote a direct and informative letter in support of HB1293. ArSHA would like to thank ASHA for their support on this issue, and for sharing the letter with us! ASHA Support Letter to AZ re SB 1293 Hearing Aid Coverage_Porter Marsh
A Quiet Crisis: Quarter Two AAC Update- by the ArSHA AAC Committee
A Quiet Crisis: Quarter Two AAC Update- by the ArSHA AAC Committee If you read the previous AAC Update from February, found here, then you know that just as the rest of the world was beginning to horde toilet paper and self-quarantine due to COVID-19, hundreds of special needs individuals and families in Arizona were simultaneously facing another, quieter crisis: the delay or denial of their or their children’s AAC devices, repairs, and training. Some individuals have never been given a voice. Some wait for a repair; a broken button, a cracked screen. Many have been waiting for six months…
AHCCCS, Communication and the ABA
ArSHA needs your help with an urgent advocacy effort! AHCCCS has proposed new policy expanding reimbursement for ABA services. ArSHA is not opposed to the work of Behavior Analysts and we appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with these providers. However, our concern is with specific language regarding the assessment and treatment of communication (see page 3 paragraph 2 and page 6 bullet 15c) as we feel this falls outside the scope of Behavior Analysts. We invite you to read the proposed policy (https://comments.azahcccs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/AMPM-320-S-Applied-Behavior-Analysis.pdf) and provide comment (https://comments.azahcccs.gov/chapter-100-introduction/ampm-320-s-applied-behavior-analysis-2/). Public comment closes on 9/21 so please act soon!
Advocacy Update (July 8, 2019)
On Monday 7/1, Jeff Meeks (Government Affairs Chair) and Todd Baughman (ArSHA’s Lobbyist) met with representatives from the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Arizona Department of Education to address licensing and certification issues impacting Audiologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Speech-Language Technicians, and Speech-Language Pathologist Assistants. Among the many topics discussed is what appears to be an ongoing confusion on the part of school-based practitioners and public schools regarding the need for SLPs and SLTs to possess BOTH an AZDHS license and ADE certificate. Lack of either the certificate or the license means the provider is not fully qualified to practice…
