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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
industrial commission; revisions
Purpose
Makes various changes relating to the regulatory statutes governing the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA).
Background
The ICA is a regulatory agency that oversees various functions related to labor and employment in Arizona. The ICA implements the constitutional requirement to establish a workers’ compensation program and is responsible for issues regarding occupational safety and health, youth employment laws, wage dispute resolutions, minimum wage, vocational rehabilitation and whistleblower discrimination complaints.
The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) is established
within the ICA and, on behalf of the ICA: 1) recommends all standards, rules or
changes to the standards or rules to the ICA; 2) has the authority to enforce
all ICA-adopted standards or rules;
3) implements an occupational safety and health program that includes outlined
duties and responsibilities, such as providing consultation training services
to employers and employees and conducts inspections of workplaces; and 4)
administers the requirements for safety conditions for boilers and safety
conditions for elevators and conveyances (A.R.S. Title 23, Chapter 2).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
ICA Regulatory Statutes
1. Removes the authority of the ICA to license and supervise the work of private employment offices, bring together employers seeking employees and working people seeking employment and make known the opportunities for employment in Arizona.
2. Renames the ICA Ombudsman as the Resource Officer.
3. Requires the Resource Officer to assist recipients of benefits under the ICA's purview, rather than only workers' compensation benefits.
4. Allows the resource officer to also provide information about the labor programs under the ICA's purview and rules governing the ICA proceedings for these matters.
5. Renames the ADOSH Director as the ADOSH Chief.
6. Requires the ICA to administer the boiler safety statutes through a Boiler Division, rather than through ADOSH.
7. Designates the administrative duties under the Boiler Division to a Boiler Division Chief.
8. Requires the ICA to administer the elevator and conveyance safety statutes through an Elevator Division, rather than through ADOSH.
9. Designates the administrative duties under the Elevator Division to an Elevator Division Chief.
10. States that the payment made in accordance with the Special Fund for claim reimbursement involving employees with a preexisting injury and that is not included in the annual claim for reimbursement is waived.
11. Requires the ICA to post the schedule of fees for workers' compensation on its website and prepare and file a notice of public information with the website address to be published in the Arizona Administrative Register.
Definitions
12. Defines chief, under the boiler safety statutes, as the Chief of the Boiler Division.
13. Redefines division, under the boiler safety statutes, as the Boiler Division.
14. Removes from the definition of authorized representative, under the boiler safety statutes, the boiler chief.
15. Defines chief, under the elevator and conveyances safety statutes, as the Chief of the Elevator Division.
16. Redefines division, under the elevator and conveyances safety statutes, as the Elevator Division.
17. Removes from the definition of authorized representative, under the elevator and conveyances safety statutes, the elevator chief.
18. Removes the definition of director from the boiler safety and the elevator and conveyance safety statutes.
Miscellaneous
19. Makes technical and conforming changes.
20. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 16, 2026
JT/ci