Official Summary Text
HB2404 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
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PASSED BY COW
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2404
authorized transporters
(
NOW:
transportation; mental health; patients
)
Purpose
����������� Effective January 1,
2030, requires an authorized transporter to apprehend and transport persons for
mental health services and prohibits a peace officer from transporting persons
for mental health services, except as specified.
Background
����������� When a court, a
person, an evaluation agency or a mental health treatment agency is allowed to
authorize, request or order the apprehension and transportation of a patient or
proposed patient by a peace officer to an evaluation or mental health treatment
agency for a court-ordered evaluation or treatment, the court, person or agency
may authorize the apprehension and transportation by an authorized transporter
if available in the city, town or county and if there are reasonable grounds to
believe that the patient or proposed patient may be safely apprehended and
transported by the authorized transporter without the assistance of a peace
officer (
A.R.S.
� 36-503.02
).
����������� An
authorized
transporter
is a transportation entity that is contracted with a city, town
or county to provide mental health services and is either: 1) an ambulance
service that holds a valid certificate of necessity; or 2) a transportation
provider authorized by the state to provide safe behavioral health transportation
for individuals requiring transportation for mental health services
(
A.R.S.
� 36-501
).
����������� The Joint Legislative
Budget Committee (JLBC) fiscal note estimates that, based on cost data provided
by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), H.B. 2404 will
result in increased state General Fund costs for AHCCCS of at least $345,000
annually due to increased charges for interfacility transports. JLBC is awaiting
a response from the Arizona Department of Administration for the Department's
perspective on associated costs
(
JLBC fiscal
note
).
Provisions
1.
Requires an authorized transporter to conduct any apprehension and
transport of a patient or proposed patient.
2.
Prohibits a peace officer
from
conducting the transport of a person from a hospital
emergency department or a locked unit of a behavioral health facility to
another health care institution, an evaluation agency or a mental health
treatment agency, unless
:
a)
the person is incarcerated;
b)
a court, a person
or
an evaluation or mental health treatment agency has
reasonable grounds to believe that the patient or proposed patient cannot be
safely apprehended without the assistance of a peace officer; or
c)
any person requests a peace officer by
dialing 911 or a similar designated telephone number for emergency calls and
needs emergency assistance.
3.
Specifies that the prohibition is notwithstanding any other law
to the contrary.
4.
Becomes effective on January 1, 2030.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
of the Whole
1.
Adds a delayed effective date of January 1, 2030.
2.
Removes the requirement that the prohibition against peace officers
transporting patients for mental health services begins on July 1, 2027.
House Action
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Senate
Action
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Prepared by
Senate Research
June 9, 2026
KJA/KM/hk
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
Chapter 0199 - 572R - S Ver of HB2404
Senate Engrossed
House Bill
authorized
transporters
(now: transportation;
mental health; patients)
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
CHAPTER 199
HOUSE BILL 2404
AN
ACT
Amending title 36, chapter 5, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 36-503.05; relating to mental
health services.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 36, chapter 5, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is
amended by adding section 36-503.05, to read:
START_STATUTE
36-503.05.
Mental health patients; proposed patients; transportation; use of
peace officers prohibited; exceptions
A. Notwithstanding
any other law to the contrary, A peace officer may not conduct
the transport
of a person
from
a hospital emergency department or a locked unit of a behavioral health
facility to another health care institution, an evaluation agency or a mental
health treatment agency, unless one of the following applies:
1. The person is incarcerated.
2. A court, a person, an evaluation
agency or a mental health treatment agency has reasonable grounds to believe
that the patient or proposed patient cannot be safely apprehended without the
assistance of a peace officer.
3. Any person requests a peace
officer by dialing 911 or a similar designated telephone number for emergency
calls and needs emergency assistance.
B. Except as provided in subsection A
of this section, an authorized transporter shall conduct any apprehension and
transport of a patient or proposed patient.
END_STATUTE
Sec. 2.
Effective date
Section 36-503.05, Arizona
Revised Statutes, as added by this act, is effective from and after December
31, 2029.
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 19, 2026.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 22, 2026.