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HB2189 • 2026

licensed health aides; rules

HB2189 - licensed health aides; rules

Healthcare
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Julie Willoughby
Last action
2026-04-21
Official status
House minority caucus
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Rules for Licensed Health Aides

This bill requires the Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBN) to create rules by October 1, 2026, defining how licensed health aides can work and what training they need.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the AZBN to adopt rules about how licensed health aides should work by October 1, 2026.
  • Includes standards for training programs, eligibility requirements, and specific tasks like routine ventilator care.
  • Specifies that a medical provider must confirm a patient is suitable for care from a licensed health aide before they can join the program.
  • Sets rules about conduct and discipline for licensed health aides who do not follow proper procedures.
  • Requires collecting data each year on how licensed health aides are used in Arizona.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Licensed health aides
  • Arizona State Board of Nursing

Terms To Know

licensed medical provider
A doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant who is allowed to practice in Arizona.
routine ventilator care
Care given to patients using a machine that helps them breathe.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact details of how data collection will protect patient privacy.
  • It is unclear what specific changes this will bring to current practices for licensed health aides.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Plain English: Adopted 1

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.

Plain English: Fifty-seventh Legislature Health & Human Services Second Regular Session H.B.

  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Health & Human Services Second Regular Session H.B.
  • 2189 PROPOSED HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO H.B.
  • 2189 (Reference to printed bill) The bill as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows: 1 Section 1.
  • Licensed health aides; scope of practice; rules 2 On or before October 1, 2026, the Arizona state board of nursing 3 shall adopt rules to implement the scope of practice for licensed health 4 aides as defined in section 32-1601, Arizona Revised Statutes.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Plain English: L KILBEY 2/19/2026 (602) 926-3848 ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FLOOR AMENDMENT EXPLANATION 57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session Majority Research Staff HB 2189: licensed health aides; rules BLISS FLOOR AMENDMENT 1.

  • L KILBEY 2/19/2026 (602) 926-3848 ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FLOOR AMENDMENT EXPLANATION 57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session Majority Research Staff HB 2189: licensed health aides; rules BLISS FLOOR AMENDMENT 1.
  • Expands on the rules that the Arizona State Board of Nursing must address.
  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Bliss Second Regular Session H.B.
  • 2189 BLISS SUBSTITUTE FLOOR AMENDMENT HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO H.B.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Plain English: Fifty-seventh Legislature Health and Human Services Second Regular Session H.B.

  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Health and Human Services Second Regular Session H.B.
  • 2189 PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.B.
  • 2189 (Reference to House engrossed bill) The bill as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows: 1 Section 1.
  • Licensed health aides; scope of practice; rules; 2 definition 3 [A.] On or before October 1, 2026, the Arizona state board of 4 nursing shall adopt rules to implement the scope of practice for licensed 5 health aides as defined in section 32-1601, Arizona Revised Statutes.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Plain English: Fifty-seventh Legislature Health and Human Services Second Regular Session H.B.

  • Fifty-seventh Legislature Health and Human Services Second Regular Session H.B.
  • 2189 COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.B.
  • 2189 (Reference to House engrossed bill) The bill as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows: 1 Section 1.
  • Licensed health aides; scope of practice; rules; 2 definition 3 [A.] On or before October 1, 2026, the Arizona state board of 4 nursing shall adopt rules to implement the scope of practice for licensed 5 health aides as defined in section 32-1601, Arizona Revised Statutes.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-21 House

    House minority caucus

  2. 2026-04-15 House

    Transmitted to House

  3. 2026-04-15 Senate

    Senate third read passed

  4. 2026-04-02 Senate

    Senate committee of the whole

  5. 2026-03-24 Senate

    Senate minority caucus

  6. 2026-03-24 Senate

    Senate majority caucus

  7. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Senate second read

  8. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Senate Rules: PFC

  9. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Senate Health and Human Services: DPA

  10. 2026-03-05 Senate

    Senate first read

  11. 2026-02-26 Senate

    Transmitted to Senate

  12. 2026-02-26 House

    House third read passed

  13. 2026-02-25 House

    House committee of the whole

  14. 2026-02-24 House

    House minority caucus

  15. 2026-02-24 House

    House majority caucus

  16. 2026-01-20 House

    House second read

  17. 2026-01-15 House

    House Rules: C&P

  18. 2026-01-15 House

    House Health & Human Services: DPA

  19. 2026-01-15 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2189 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
HHS������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ AS
PASSED BY COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2189

licensed health
aides; rules

Purpose

Requires the
Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBN) to adopt rules to implement the
prescribed scope of practice for licensed health aides.

Background

A
licensed
health aide
is a person who: 1) is licensed by the AZBN to provide or
assist in providing nursing-related services, as prescribed, under the Arizona
Long-term Care System (ALTCS); 2) is the parent, guardian or family member, by
affinity or consanguinity, of an ALTCS member and provides licensed health aide
services consistent with the member's plan of care, only to that member; 3) has
the same scope of practice as a licensed nursing assistant and may provide
medication administration, tracheostomy, enteral care and routine ventilator
care and therapy as well as any other tasks approved by the AZBN by rule; and
4) may provide outlined care under the supervision and direction of a licensed
nursing staff member. A licensed health aide may provide home health agency
services that include intermittent health maintenance, continued treatment or
monitoring of a health condition and supportive care for activities of daily
living that are provided within the ALTCS member's residence (A.R.S. ��
32-1601

and
36-2939
).

The AZBN's
duties include: 1) approving regulated training and educational programs;

2) establishing approval and reapproval processes by rule for nursing and
nursing assistant training programs; 3) publishing and distributing copies of
AZBN rules; 4) adopting rules to establish competency standards for obtaining
and maintaining a license; 5) determining and administering appropriate
disciplinary action against all regulated parties who are found guilty of
violating statute or rules adopted by the AZBN; and 6) performing functions
necessary to carry out the prescribed requirements of the nursing assistant and
nurse aide training and competency evaluation program (
A.R.S.
� 32-1606
).

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

Provisions

1.

Requires the AZBN, by October 1, 2026, to adopt rules to implement the
scope of practice for licensed health aides as prescribed.

2.

Specifies
that the rules must address at least the following:

a)

updated standards for licensed health aide training programs, including
curriculum and training and eligibility requirements for licensed health aides,
including specific requirements for licensed health aides to perform routine
ventilator care;

b)

required documentation from a licensed medical provider attesting that a
singular patient is suitable for licensed health aide-level care in order for a
licensed health aide training program to allow a person to participate in the
program;

c)

an updated definition of
family member
;

d)

standards of conduct specific for licensed health aides that take into
consideration the circumstances of caring for a family member;

e)

a discipline process for a licensed health aide who acts outside of the
standards of conduct, including providing care outside of the licensed health
aide's trained competencies related to the health care needs of the individual
patient for whom the licensed health aide provides care;

f)

a process to collect aggregated annual data on the use of and outcomes
associated with licensed health aides in Arizona; and

g)

a
definition of routine ventilator care.

3.

Defines
licensed medical provider
as a licensed allopathic or
osteopathic physician, a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant.

4.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Amendments Adopted by
Committee:

1.

Modifies AZBN rulemaking requirements for licensed health aides to require
documentation from a medical provider attesting that a singular patient is
suitable for licensed health

aide-level care for purposes of participation in a licensed health aide
training program, rather than an attestation process based on patient acuity.

2.

Removes the specification that the data collection process must protect
patient private health information.

3.

Defines
licensed medical provider
.

House Action
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Senate
Action

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Prepared by Senate Research

March 24, 2026

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Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB2189 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed
House Bill

licensed health
aides; rules

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2189

AN
ACT

Requiring the ARizona state board of nursing
to adopt rules relating to licensed health aides.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1.
Licensed
health aides; scope of practice; rules; definition

A. On or before October 1,
2026, the Arizona state board of nursing shall adopt rules to implement the
scope of practice for licensed health aides as defined in section 32-1601,
Arizona Revised Statutes. The rules shall address at least the following:

1. Updated
standards for licensed health aide training programs,
including curriculum and training and eligibility requirements for licensed
health aides, including specific requirements for licensed health aides to
perform routine ventilator care.

2.
Required documentation from a licensed medical provider
attesting that a
singular patient is suitable
for licensed health aide-level care
in
order for a licensed health aide training program to allow a person to
participate in the program's curriculum, competency examination and training.

3. An updated definition of
family member.

4. Standards of conduct
specific for licensed health aides that take into consideration the
circumstances of caring for a family member.

5. A discipline process for
a licensed health aide who acts outside of the standards of conduct, including
providing care outside of their trained competencies related to the health care
needs of the individual patient for whom the licensed health aide provides
care.

6. A process to collect
aggregated annual data on the use of
and outcomes associated with licensed health aides in this
state.

7. A definition of routine
ventilator care.

B.
For
the purposes of this section, "licensed medical provider" means a
physician who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17, Arizona
Revised Statutes, a nurse practitioner who is licensed pursuant to title 32,
chapter 15, Arizona Revised Statutes, or a physician assistant who is licensed
pursuant to title 32, chapter 25, Arizona Revised Statutes.