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SB1296 • 2026

health insurance; private employers; coverage

SB1296 - health insurance; private employers; coverage

Labor
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Brian Fernandez, Lela Alston, Eva Diaz, Denise “Mitzi” Epstein, Kiana Sears, Priya Sundareshan
Last action
2026-01-27
Official status
Senate second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

SB1296: Allowing Private Employers and Individuals to Join State Health Plans

This bill allows private employers and individuals who do not work for the state of Arizona to join the state's health care plans.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new section, 38-659, to the Arizona Revised Statutes regarding compensation and insurance.
  • Allows private employers to participate in the state's health care plans.
  • Permits natural persons who are not employed by the state to join these same health care plans.
  • Gives the Department of Administration authority to create rules needed to carry out this law.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Private employers in Arizona
  • Individuals (natural persons) who do not work for the state government

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the cost or details of the coverage that private employers will receive.
  • It is unclear if there are limits on how many people can join until the Department of Administration writes new rules.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Senate second read

  2. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Senate Rules: None

  3. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Senate Finance: None

  4. 2026-01-26 Senate

    Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1296 - health insurance; private employers; coverage

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB1296 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
health insurance; private employers; coverage

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1296

Introduced by

Senators
Fernandez: Alston, Diaz, Epstein, Sears, Sundareshan

AN
ACT

amending title 38, chapter 4, article 4,
arizona revised statutes, by adding section 38-659; relating to
compensation and insurance.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 38, chapter 4, article 4,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 38-659, to read:

START_STATUTE
38-659.

Private employers; natural persons; state health care plan; rules

A. Private employers and natural
persons who are not employed by this state may participate in this state's
health care plans.

B. The department of administration
may adopt rules to implement this section.
END_STATUTE