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Senate Engrossed
radiation protection systems; medical procedures |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session 2026
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SENATE BILL 1121 |
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AN ACT
Amending title 36, chapter 4, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 36-420.06; relating to health care institutions.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 36, chapter 4, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 36-420.06, to read:
36-420.06. Procedures involving ionizing radiation; lead aprons; radiation protection systems; real-time dosimeters; definitions
A. A hospital that performs cardiac catheterization procedures involving real-time x-ray imaging may not require that physicians, physician assistants, nurses or other health professionals wear lead aprons during these procedures if the procedure room is equipped with a radiation protection system and the radiation protection system is in use according to the manufacturer's instructions.
B. A hospital shall require that health professionals wear lead aprons during procedures in procedure rooms that are equipped with radiation protection systems if the health professional is not working primarily in the radiation protection system's designated safety zone.
C. If a health professional who is working primarily in the radiation protection system's designated safety zone chooses to not wear a lead apron because the procedure room is equipped with a radiation protection system, the hospital shall require the health professional to wear a real-time dosimeter to monitor radiation exposure.
D. This section does not prohibit a health professional from voluntarily choosing to wear a lead apron during a procedure involving real-time x-ray imaging even if the procedure room is equipped with a radiation protection system.
E. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Designated safety zone" means the specific area within a procedure room that is identified by a hospital as providing primary radiation shielding or exposure reduction.
2. "radiation protection system" means a shielding system that is designed to protect against scatter or direct ionizing radiation exposure, that provides protection equal to or greater than the shielding effectiveness of a .25 millimeter lead-equivalent apron and that includes real-time dosimetry to measure radiation exposure to health professionals throughout an ionizing radiation medical procedure.
Sec. 2. Expedited rulemaking
Notwithstanding any other law, the department of health services may adopt rules necessary to implement this act using an expedited rulemaking process pursuant to section 41-1027, Arizona Revised Statutes.