Official Summary Text
HB2041 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
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COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2041
child
neglect; financial resources; exception
Purpose
Prohibits a parent, guardian or custodian from being considered as
abusing or neglecting a child based solely on the inability to provide
supervision, food, clothing, shelter or medical care due to a lack of financial
resources.
Background
Statute outlines circumstances that constitute child neglect, including
the inability or unwillingness of a parent, guardian or custodian of a child to
provide the child with supervision, food, clothing, shelter or medical care, if
the inability or unwillingness causes substantial risk of harm to the child's
health or welfare. The inability of a parent, guardian or custodian to provide
services to meet the needs of a child with a disability or chronic illness
based solely on the unavailability of reasonable services does not constitute
child neglect (
A.R.S.
� 8-201
).
Any person with a mandatory duty to report who reasonably believes that a
minor is or has been the victim of non-accidental physical injury, abuse, neglect,
deprivation of necessary medical treatment, surgical care or nourishment must
immediately report the information to a peace officer, the Department of Child
Safety or a tribal agency, if applicable. A mandatory reporter includes:
1) any medical and behavioral health professional; 2) law enforcement and
child-welfare personnel; 3) a member of the clergy; 4) a parent, stepparent or
guardian of a minor; 5) school personnel; and 6) any other person who is
responsible for a minor's care or treatment. The report of abuse must outline the
suspected abuse, neglect, serious physical injury, deprivation of necessary
medical treatment or nourishment and include relevant identifying information
and details about the nature and circumstances of the suspected harm (
A.R.S. � 13-3620
).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund
associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1.
Prohibits
a parent, guardian or custodian from being considered as having abused or
neglected, or being charged with abuse or neglect of a child, based solely on
the inability of the parent, guardian or custodian to provide the child with
supervision, food, clothing, shelter or medical care, if the inability is due
solely to a lack of financial resources available.
2.
Makes
technical changes.
3.
Becomes
effective on the general effective date.
House Action
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Prepared by Senate Research
March 17, 2026
AN/ci
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
Chapter 0192 - 572R - H Ver of HB2041
House Engrossed
child neglect;
financial resources; exception
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
CHAPTER 192
HOUSE BILL 2041
AN
ACT
amending
section 8-201.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to child neglect.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of
the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 8-201.01, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE
8-201.01.
Prohibitions
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
chapter or chapter 4, articles 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of this title:
1. A child who in good faith is being furnished
Christian Science treatment by a duly accredited practitioner shall not, for
that reason alone, be considered to be an abused, neglected or dependent child.
2. A child whose parent, guardian or custodian
refuses to put the child on a psychiatric medication or questions the use of a
psychiatric medication shall not be considered to be an abused, neglected or
dependent child for that reason alone.
B. A parent may not be considered as having abused,
neglected or abandoned or
be
charged with abuse, neglect
or abandonment of a biological, foster or adoptive child solely for seeking
inpatient treatment or an out-of-home placement if the child's
behavioral health needs pose a risk to the safety and welfare of the family.
C. A parent may not be considered as having abused
or neglected or
be
charged
with abuse or neglect of a child solely for bringing into the home a
biological, foster or adoptive child whose behavioral health needs pose a risk
to the safety and welfare of the family.
D. A parent, guardian or custodian
may not be considered as having abused or neglected or be charged with abuse or
neglect of a child solely based on the inability of the parent, guardian or
custodian to provide the child with supervision, food, clothing, shelter or
medical care if the inability is due solely to a lack of financial resources
available to the parent, guardian or custodian.
END_STATUTE
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 19, 2026.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 22, 2026.