agency; chief medical officer; license

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Chief Medical Officer License Requirement

This law requires that anyone working as a chief medical officer for a state agency in Arizona must have an active license to practice medicine.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the chief medical officer of any state agency to hold an active medical license.
• Changes the title of a section in the Arizona Revised Statutes from 'Vaccination Status' to 'State Agencies generally'.
• Adds new section 41-5902 to the Arizona Revised Statutes, which specifies that chief medical officers must have a valid medical license.

Who It Names or Affects

• Chief medical officers of state agencies in Arizona.
• The Arizona Medical Board and the Board of Osteopathic Examiners who issue licenses.

Terms To Know

Active License

A valid license to practice medicine issued by either the Arizona Medical Board or the Board of Osteopathic Examiners.

Chief Medical Officer

The person responsible for overseeing medical operations in a state agency.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify what happens if a chief medical officer does not have an active license.
• There is no expected financial impact on the state General Fund from this law.

Official Summary Text

HB2178 - 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. 2178

agency; chief medical
officer; license

Purpose

Requires any
person serving as a chief medical officer for a state agency to possess an
active license to practice medicine.

Background

Arizona law
regulates the licensure of physicians through the Arizona Medical Board (AMB)
and the
Board of Osteopathic Examiners
in Medicine
and Surgery (Board of Osteopathic Examiners). A
doctor of medicine
is a
person holding a license, registration or permit to practice medicine pursuant
to AMB requirements and a
doctor of osteopathy
is a person holding a
license, registration or permit to practice medicine pursuant to requirements
of the Board of Osteopathic Examiners. An
active license
refers to a
valid and existing license to practice medicine issued pursuant to either AMB
or Board of Osteopathic Examiners requirements and, for osteopathic medical
licenses, includes licenses on probation or subject to restrictions or
conditions (A.R.S. ��
32-1401

and
32-1800
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Requires, notwithstanding any other law, any person serving as the chief
medical officer for a state agency to possess an active medical license from
the AMB or the Board of Osteopathic Examiners.

2.

Makes technical changes.

3.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

March 2, 2026

MM/MS/mg

Current Bill Text

Chapter 0050 - 572R - H Ver of HB2178

House Engrossed

agency; chief medical
officer; license

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

CHAPTER 50

HOUSE BILL 2178

AN
ACT

Amending title 41, chapter 57, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-5902; relating to state
agencies.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1.
Heading change

The article heading of title 41,
chapter 57, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is changed from
"VACCINATION STATUS" to "STATE AGENCIES
generally
".

Sec. 2. Title 41, chapter 57, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-5902, to read:

START_STATUTE
41-5902.

Chief medical officer; medical license

Notwithstanding any other law, any person who is
serving as the chief medical officer for a state agency must possess an active
license to practice medicine in this state pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or
17.
END_STATUTE

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR APRIL 13, 2026.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 13, 2026.