House Engrossed

emergency medicine; study committee

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2183

AN ACT

Establishing the emergency medicine study committee.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Emergency medicine study committee; membership; duties; reports; delayed repeal

A. The emergency medicine study committee is established consisting of the following members:

1. Three members of the house of representatives, not more than two of whom are members of the same political party and who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. The speaker of the house of representatives shall designate one of these members to serve as chairperson of the study committee.

2. Three members of the senate, not more than two of whom are members of the same political party and who are appointed by the president of the senate.

3. The director of the department of health services or the director's designee.

4. Two individuals who operate an emergency department, one in a county with a population of less than five hundred thousand persons and one in a county with a population of five hundred thousand or more persons, who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

5. Three physicians who are licensed in this state pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17, Arizona Revised Statutes, and who are appointed by the president of the senate as follows:

(a) One who practices emergency medicine in a county with a population of less than five hundred thousand persons.

(b) One who practices emergency medicine in a county of five hundred thousand or more persons.

(c) One who serves as a medical director for an emergency medical services agency.

6. One registered nurse or nurse practitioner who is licensed in this state pursuant to title 32, chapter 15, Arizona Revised Statutes, who works in emergency medicine and who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

7. One person who provides emergency medical services before a patient arrives at a hospital in a county with a population of less than five hundred thousand persons and who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

8. One person who provides emergency medical services before a patient arrives at a hospital in a county with a population of five hundred thousand or more persons and who is appointed by the president of the senate.

B. The study committee shall do all of the following:

1. Review the delivery of the emergency medical services system in this state and obstacles facing the delivery and sustainability of the emergency medical services system in this state.

2. Analyze the emergency medicine capacity in this state, including factors impacting emergency medical service delivery and adequacy in rural and urban areas of this state.

3. Review the impact of uncompensated care on the financial viability of the practice of emergency medicine in this state.

4. Identify factors that impact the stability of entities that deliver emergency medicine in this state.

5. Solicit input from patients, health care providers and stakeholders to gather information regarding service delivery and financial viability of emergency medicine in this state.

C. The study committee may hold hearings, conduct fact-finding tours, request data from the department of health services and take testimony from witnesses who may assist the study committee in fulfilling its responsibilities. All hearings of the study committee shall be open to the public.

D. The legislature and the department of health services shall provide staff and support services to the study committee.

E. Study committee members are not eligible to receive compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.

F. On or before December 31, 2026 and each year after, the study committee shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state.

G. This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2029.