SB1051 • 2026

hospitals; patient immigration status; reporting

SB1051 - hospitals; patient immigration status; reporting

Healthcare

Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor: Wendy Rogers
Last action: 2026-02-20
Official status: Governor vetoed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill text uses the term 'aliens who are not lawfully present' when discussing costs, while using broader terms for admission counts; this distinction is preserved in the summary.

SB1051: Hospital Reporting on Patient Immigration Status

This bill requires Arizona hospitals that accept certain payments to ask patients about their immigration status and report the results without sharing personal names.

What This Bill Does

Requires hospitals to add a question on admission forms asking if a patient is a U.S. citizen, lawfully present in the United States, or not lawfully present in the United States.
Mandates that hospital forms include a statement saying the answer will not change medical care and will not be reported to immigration authorities.
Requires hospitals to send quarterly reports to the state department showing how many patients answered each option or declined to answer.
Allows the state department to create rules for report formats but forbids requiring patient names or personal identifying information.
Directs the department to submit an annual report to top state leaders that includes total admission numbers and costs of uncompensated care for people not lawfully present.

Who It Names or Affects

Hospitals in Arizona that accept payment under chapter 29, article 1 of title 36.
Patients or their representatives filling out hospital admission forms.
The state department responsible for receiving and analyzing the reports.

Terms To Know

Lawfully present: A person who is allowed to be in the United States under federal immigration laws, such as a citizen or someone with legal status.
Uncompensated care: Medical services provided by hospitals that are not paid for by insurance companies or patients.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill was vetoed by the governor on February 20, 2026, so it is not currently law unless lawmakers override the veto.
The text does not specify which specific state department will receive and publish these reports.

Bill History

2026-02-17 V
Governor vetoed
2026-02-16 Senate
Transmitted to Senate
2026-02-16 House
House third read passed
2026-02-10 House
Transmitted to House
2026-02-10 Senate
Senate third read passed
2026-02-10 Senate
Senate committee of the whole
2026-02-03 Senate
Senate minority caucus
2026-02-03 Senate
Senate majority caucus
2026-02-02 Senate
Senate consent calendar
2026-01-14 Senate
Senate second read
2026-01-12 Senate
Senate Rules: PFC
2026-01-12 Senate
Senate Health and Human Services: DP
2026-01-12 Senate
Senate Military Affairs and Border Security: W/D
2026-01-12 Senate
Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1051 - hospitals; patient immigration status; reporting

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SB1051 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

hospitals; patient
immigration status; reporting

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1051

AN
ACT

Amending title 36, chapter 4, article 1, Arizona
Revised Statutes, by adding section 36-407.04; RElating to health care
institutions.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 36, chapter 4, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 36-407.04, to read:

START_STATUTE
36-407.04.

Hospitals; patient immigration status; data collection; reporting
requirements

A. Each hospital that accepts payment
pursuant to chapter 29, article 1 of this title shall include a place on its
patient admission or registration form for the patient or the patient's
representative to state or indicate whether the patient is a United States
citizen or lawfully present in the United States or is not lawfully present in
the United States.� The inquiry must be followed by a statement on the form
that the patient's response will not affect the patient's care or result in a
report of the patient's immigration status to immigration authorities.

B. Each hospital shall submit a
quarterly report to the department within thirty days after the end of each
calendar quarter that states the number of hospital admissions or emergency
department visits within the previous quarter that were made by patients who
indicated that they are a citizen of the United States or lawfully present in
the United States, indicated that they are not lawfully present in the United
States or declined to answer the question.

C. The department may adopt rules
relating to the format and information to be contained in quarterly reports and
the acceptable formats for hospitals to use in requesting information regarding
a patient's immigration status on hospital admission or registration forms.�
The rules may not require the disclosure of patient names or any other personal
identifying information to the department.

D. On or before March 1 of each year,
the department shall submit a report to the governor, the president of the
senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that includes the total
number of hospital admissions and emergency department visits for the previous
calendar year for which the patient or patient's representative reported that
the patient is a citizen of the United States, is lawfully present in the
United States or is not lawfully present in the United States or declined to
answer the question.� The report must also describe information relating to the
costs of uncompensated care for aliens who are not lawfully present in the
United States, the impact of uncompensated care on the cost or ability of
hospitals to provide services to the public, hospital funding needs and other
related information.� The department shall provide a copy of the report to the
secretary of state.
END_STATUTE