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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
assisted living; notice; study committee
Purpose
Establishes the Vulnerable Adult System Study Committee and outlines membership, duties and reporting requirements. Requires assisted living facility discharge or eviction notices to provide a statement of the resident's rights.
Background
Laws 2024, Ch. 100 established the Vulnerable Adult System Study Committee to evaluate Arizona's vulnerable adult system and make recommendations to improve coordination and oversight. The Study Committee consisted of 25 members appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Speaker of the House) and the Senate President and was assigned specified duties, including researching and recommending best practices for coordination, investigations into allegations of abuse or neglect, case management and data collection. In 2025, the Study Committee issued its final recommendations, including a recommendation to extend the Study Committee to December 31, 2026. The Study Committee was repealed on December 31, 2025 (Vulnerable Adult System Study Committee Final Report).
The Arizona Administrative Code prescribes requirements for termination of residency in assisted living facilities. Residency may be terminated without notice if a resident exhibits behavior that presents an immediate threat to the health and safety of the resident or other individuals in the facility. Assisted living facility managers may also terminate residency with 14 days' written notice for nonpayment of fees or if the facility is unable to meet the resident's needs. Termination for any other reason requires 30 days' notice. The notice must include the date of and reason for termination, refund information and the disposition of the resident's fees or deposits, contact information for the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman and a copy of the resident's current service plan (A.A.C. § R9-10-807).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires assisted living facility discharge or eviction notices to provide a statement of the resident's rights.
2. Establishes the 25-member Vulnerable Adult System Study Committee (Study Committee), consisting of:
a) two members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House, who are members of different political parties, one of whom to serve as Co-Chairperson;
b) two members of the Senate, appointed by the Senate President, who are members of different political parties, one of whom to serve as Co-Chairperson;
c) the Director of DHS or the Director's designee;
d) the Director of DES or the Director's designee;
e) the Director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System or the Director's designee;
f) one member representing the Governor's Office, appointed by the Governor;
g) one member representing the Attorney General's office, appointed by the Attorney General;
h) the current DES Long-Term Care Ombudsman or the Ombudsman's designee;
i) a current public fiduciary, appointed by the Governor;
j) two employees of a local law enforcement agency or statewide organization representing law enforcement, appointed by the Governor;
k) the Executive Director of the Navajo Area Agency on Aging or the Executive Director's designee;
l) the Executive Director of the Intertribal Council of Arizona or the Executive Director's designee;
m) two members representing assisted living facilities, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
n) two members representing nursing care institutions, appointed by the Governor;
p) one member representing a statewide organization that advocates on behalf of persons affected by Alzheimer's disease, appointed by the Senate President;
q) one member representing a statewide association that advocates on behalf of persons who provide services to persons with developmental disabilities, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
r) a licensed health care professional that provides health care services to elderly vulnerable adults, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
s) one member who serves on the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging, appointed by the Governor; and
t) one member who represents a statewide association representing Arizona firefighters, appointed by the Senate President.
3. Requires the Study Committee to:
a) develop and implement a coordinated vulnerable adults delivery system that ensures the health and safety of vulnerable adults;
b) recommend best practices relating to responding and investigating complaints;
c) research best practices related to APS at the state, municipal and community levels;
d) research and make recommendations on how the vulnerable adult system can ensure that vulnerable adults receive required services, including assigning a specific agency the responsibility to provide or coordinate case management;
e) research and identify common statewide outcomes;
f) identify best practices for data collection and data sharing by various entities involved in providing vulnerable adult services; and
g) review and recommend changes to the statutes and rules governing vulnerable adult services.
4. Allows the Co-Chairpersons of the Study Committee to designate work groups to research, study and make recommendations to the Study Committee.
5. Requires at least two work groups to be established to separately address the needs of persons with developmental disabilities and persons who are elderly or have a physical disability, including the training requirements for persons providing care for these populations.
6. Requires DES, in conjunction with the work groups, to develop an action plan for implementation once a strategic direction is established.
7. Specifies that public members are eligible for travel, lodging, meal and incidental expense reimbursement.
8. Requires, by October 1, 2026, and each October 1 thereafter, the Study Committee to submit a report regarding its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House and to provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.
9. Repeals the Study Committee on January 1, 2029.
10. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 16, 2026
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