Official Summary Text
HB2673 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
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PASSED BY COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR
h.b. 2673
mental
illness; prisoners; diagnosis; treatment.
(
NOW: study committee; inmate mental health
)
Purpose
Establishes the
Study Committee on Inmate Mental Health Services (Study Committee) and
prescribes membership and reporting requirements.
Background
When a person is
confined in a county jail, upon an arrest for or conviction of a misdemeanor
manifests symptoms of a mental disorder, the county sheriff must notify a
licensed physician who must examine the person. If the physician determines
that the person is suffering from a mental disorder, proceedings must be taken
for a court-ordered evaluation. Evaluation proceedings must be separate from
court proceedings relating to the misdemeanor charge (
A.R.S.
� 31-126
). On receiving an application for evaluation, a screening agency
must provide prepetition screening within 48 hours. If the screening agency
determines that there is reasonable cause to believe that the proposed patient
is a danger to self or others as a result of mental disorder or has a
persistent or acute disability or a grave disability and is unable or unwilling
to voluntarily receive evaluation, the agency must prepare a petition for
court-ordered evaluation (
A.R.S.
� 36-521
). A person admitted to an evaluation agency must receive an
evaluation as soon as possible after the court's order and receive care and
treatment as required by the person's condition for the full period that the
person is hospitalized. An inpatient evaluation must be completed in less than
72 hours, during which time the person receiving the evaluation must remain in
the facility (
A.R.S.
� 36-530
).
If a prisoner
who is confined in any facility operated by the Arizona Department of
Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) displays symptoms of mental
disorder to such a degree that transfer to the Arizona State Hospital or a
mental health inpatient treatment facility operated by ADCRR is necessary to
ensure adequate treatment, the psychiatrist or physician at the facility must
examine the prisoner and make a written report containing recommendations to
the Director of ADCRR. If, within 120 days of the prisoner's scheduled release
from prison or during any time that the prisoner is on release status, the
prisoner appears to be a danger to self or others or has a grave disability and
is unwilling to undergo a voluntary evaluation, a court-ordered evaluation may
be filed as prescribed. If the court orders inpatient evaluation, the order
must take effect on the day of the prisoner's scheduled release, or on a date
determined by the court, if the prisoner is on release status. ADCRR must
deliver the prisoner to the evaluation agency (
A.R.S.
� 31-226
).
There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Establishes
the Study Committee which consists of:
a)
two members of the House of Representatives (House) who are from
different political parties and are appointed by the Speaker of the House
(Speaker), one of whom the Speaker must designate as cochairperson of the Study
Committee;
b)
two members of the Senate who are from different political parties and
are appointed by the President of the Senate (President), one of whom the
President must designate as cochairperson of the Study Committee;
c)
the Director of ADCRR or the Director's designee;
d)
the Director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System or the
Director's designee;
e)
four members appointed by the Speaker, one of whom:
i.
represents the RHBA;
ii.
has a
family member who is currently in jail or prison and who has a mental health
diagnosis;
iii.
is a state,
city, town or county prosecutor who prosecutes defendants with mental illness;
and
iv.
represents a law
enforcement agency from a county with a population of fewer than 1,000,000
persons; and
f)
three members appointed by the President, one of whom:
i.
is employed by a special health care district;
ii.
is
an attorney with experience representing mentally ill defendants who are in
jail or are sentenced to prison; and
iii.
represents a law
enforcement agency from a county with a population of 1,000,000 persons or more.
2.
Requires
the Study Committee to:
a)
examine ways to improve the screening process for individuals who are
arrested and taken to jail or prison;
b)
study and recommend ways to improve access to adequate mental health
screenings for individuals who are in jail or prison;
c)
study and address ways to improve screenings for mental health risks,
including dangers to the individual and others, for individuals who are in jail
or prison; and
d)
submit, by December 31, 2026, and December 31, 2027, a report regarding
the Study Committee's activities and recommendations to the Governor, President
and Speaker and provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.
3.
Requires
the Study Committee to meet at least once each year at a date and time
determined by the Study Committee.
4.
Specifies
that Study Committee members are not eligible to receive compensation but are
eligible for reimbursement of expenses.
5.
Repeals
the Study Committee on January 1, 2028.
6.
Makes
technical and conforming changes.
7.
Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by
Committee
�
Removes all modifications and requirements relating to the
provision of mental disorder and illness screenings, evaluations and treatment
for persons confined in county jails and facilities run by ADCRR, excluding the
Study Committee.
House Action
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Senate
Action
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Prepared by Senate Research
March 27, 2026
KJA/SDR/ci
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
Chapter 0105 - 572R - S Ver of HB2673
Senate Engrossed
House Bill
mental
illness; prisoners; diagnosis; treatment.
(now:� study
committee; inmate mental health)
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
CHAPTER 105
HOUSE BILL 2673
AN
ACT
Establishing the study committee on
inmate mental health services.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1.
Study committee on inmate mental health
services; membership; duties; reports; delayed repeal
A. The study committee on
inmate mental health services is established consisting of the following
members:
1. Two members of the house
of representatives who are from different political parties and who are
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
The speaker of the house of representatives shall designate one of these
members to serve as cochairperson of the committee
.
2. Two members of the
senate who are from different political parties and who are appointed by the
president of the senate. The president of the senate shall designate one member
to serve as cochairperson of the committee.
3. The director of the
state department of corrections or the director's designee.
4. The director of the
Arizona health care cost containment system administration or the director's
designee.
5. The following members
who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives:
(a) One member who
represents the regional behavioral health authority.
(b) One member with a
family member who is currently in jail or prison and who has a mental health
diagnosis.
(c) One member who is a
prosecutor with a city, town or county or this state and who prosecutes
defendants with mental illness.
(d) One member who
represents a law enforcement agency from a county with a population of less
than one million persons.
6. The following members
who are appointed by the president of the senate:
(a) One member who is
employed by a special health care district.
(b) One member who is an
attorney with experience representing mentally ill defendants who are in jail
or who are sentenced to prison.
(c) One member who
represents a law enforcement agency from a county with a population of one
million persons or more.
B. The committee shall meet
at least once each year at a date and time determined by the committee.
C. Committee members are
not eligible to receive compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of
expenses under title 38, chapter 4, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.
D. The committee shall:
1. Examine ways to improve
the screening process for individuals who are arrested and taken to jail or
prison.
2. Study and recommend ways
to improve access to adequate mental health screenings for individuals who are
in jail or prison.
3. Study and address ways
to improve screenings for mental health risks, including dangers to the
individual and others, for individuals who are in jail or prison.
4. On or before December
31, 2026 and December 31, 2027, submit a report regarding the committee's
activities and recommendations to the governor, the president of the senate and
the speaker of the house of representatives and provide a copy of this report
to the secretary of state.
E. This section is repealed
from and after December 31, 2027.
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 4, 2026.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE JUNE 5, 2026.