veterans; mobile service units

HB2603 - veterans; mobile service units

Agriculture

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Walt Blackman
Last action: 2026-01-26
Official status: House second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is not listed in the provided metadata or text excerpt.

HB2603: Mobile Service Units for Rural and Tribal Veterans

This law requires the Arizona Department of Veterans' Services to create mobile units that bring health care, telehealth, and claims help to veterans in six specific counties.

What This Bill Does

Requires the department to provide mobile care services and telehealth through service units for rural or tribal veterans who cannot travel easily or must travel long distances.
Allows the department to hire staff to operate these mobile veteran service units.
Mandates that the units visit rural and tribal communities on a monthly schedule published by the department.
Requires the units to offer behavioral health services, mental health referrals, veterans claims assistance, access to telehealth for veterans with disabilities, and other needed care.
Orders the department to set guidelines for determining which rural or tribal veterans are eligible for these services.
Orders the department to submit quarterly reports starting in 2027 about how many veterans received aid, what types of help they got, claims filed, and suggestions for improvement.

Who It Names or Affects

Rural veterans living in areas with limited access to state services as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Tribal veterans residing on federally recognized tribal nations within Arizona.
Veterans specifically located in Navajo, Apache, Coconino, Mohave, Yavapai, and Gila counties.

Terms To Know

Mobile veteran service units: Vehicles or teams that travel to communities to provide health care, telehealth access, and claims help directly to veterans.
Rural veteran: A veteran living in a rural, frontier, or remote area with limited access to department services as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Tribal veteran: A veteran who lives on a federally recognized tribal nation within Arizona.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not state how much money will be used to fund these mobile units or hire staff.
The specific monthly schedule for visits is not listed in the text and must be published later by the department.
The exact guidelines for determining veteran eligibility are not detailed in this law.

Bill History

2026-01-26 House
House second read
2026-01-22 House
House Rules: None
2026-01-22 House
House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections: None
2026-01-22 House
House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2603 - veterans; mobile service units

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2603 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
veterans; mobile service units

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2603

Introduced by

Representative
Blackman

AN
ACT

Amending title 41, chapter 3, article 7,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-610.03; relating to the
Department of veterans' services.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 41, chapter 3, article 7,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-610.03, to read:

START_STATUTE
41-610.03.

Mobile veteran service units; rural and tribal veterans;
quarterly reports; definitions

A. The department shall provide
mobile care services and telehealth services through mobile veteran service
units to rural veterans and tribal veterans in this state who are unable to
travel or who would need to travel long distances for basic health services.

B. The department may employ staff to
operate the mobile veteran service units that provide mobile care services

and telehealth services. mobile veteran service units shall
provide all of the following:

1. Monthly service visits to rural
and tribal communities on a schedule published by the department.

2. Access to telehealth for veterans
with disabilities.

3. Behavioral health services.

4. Veterans claims assistance.

5. Mental health referrals.

6. Any other care services that rural
or tribal veterans require.

C. Mobile veteran service units shall
be compliant with the Americans with disabilities act and have accessible
entrances and service equipment.

D. The department shall set
guidelines for determining the eligibility for rural veterans and tribal
veterans in this state to qualify for any care services provided by the mobile
veteran service units.

E. The mobile veteran service units
shall serve eligible veterans in all of the following:

1. Navajo county.

2. Apache county.

3. Coconino county.

4. Mohave county.

5. Yavapai county.

6. Gila county.

F. On or before December 31, 2027 and
quarterly thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the governor, the
president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives
regarding all of the following:

1. The number of veterans who
received aid.

2. The type of aid the veterans
received.

3. The number of claims filed for
veterans.

4. Any suggestions on how to improve
aid to rural veterans and tribal veterans in this state.

G. For
the purposes of this section:

1. "Americans
with disabilities act" means 42 United States Code sections 12101 through
12213, 47 United States Code sections 225 and 611 and the ADA amendments act of
2008 (P.L. 110-325; 122 Stat. 3553; 42 United States Code sections 13103
and 12205
a
).

2. "Rural veteran" means a
veteran residing in a rural or frontier and remote area as determined by the
United States department of agriculture, economic research service with limited
access to department services.

3. "Tribal veteran" means a
veteran residing on a federally recognized tribal nation in this state.

END_STATUTE