state hospital; governing board

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on the cost of implementation or the number of additional patients who might be admitted as a result of this law, leaving these points uncertain.

Arizona State Hospital; Bed Availability

This bill requires Arizona State Hospital (ASH) to admit patients based on their medical needs and prohibits ASH from limiting admissions based on a patient's county of residence.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the Arizona State Hospital (ASH) to admit patients based on clinical need for treatment.
• Prohibits ASH from setting limits on admitting patients based on where they live in the state.

Who It Names or Affects

• Patients seeking admission to Arizona State Hospital for mental health treatment.
• The Department of Health Services, which oversees the hospital.

Terms To Know

Clinical need

Medical requirements based on a patient's health condition and treatment needs.

Arizona State Hospital (ASH)

A state-run facility that provides long-term psychiatric care for individuals with mental illnesses, personality disorders or emotional conditions.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much it will cost the state to implement these changes.
• It is unclear how many additional patients might be admitted as a result of this law.

Official Summary Text

SB1813 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
HHS�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� AS
PASSED BY COW

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

REVISED

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1813

state
hospital; governing board

(
NOW:
state hospital; bed availability
)

Purpose

Requires the Arizona State Hospital (ASH) to admit patients based on
clinical need and prohibits ASH from limiting admission based on a patient�s
county of residence.

Background

ASH is a 260-bed facility, operated and regulated by the Department of
Health Services (DHS), that provides long-term inpatient psychiatric care to
individuals with mental illnesses, personality disorders or emotional
conditions who are admitted civil commitment proceedings or other court orders.
Treatment at ASH is considered the highest and most restrictive level of mental
health care in Arizona. Patients are admitted as a result of an inability to be
treated in a community facility or due to the patients' legal status (
DHS
).

ASH applies a 55-bed limitation to Maricopa County civil hospital
admissions under the
Arnold
v. Sarn Exit Stipulation
. The remaining civil hospital beds are allocated
to patients from other counties and tribal communities (
DHS
)

The Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimates that SB 1813 would
increase state General Fund costs at ASH but that the magnitude of the costs
will depend on the potential demand for new beds and how S.B. 1813 is
interpreted relative to the 55-bed limitation for Maricopa County residents (
JLBC
fiscal note
).

Provisions

1.

Requires
ASH to admit patients based on clinical need for treatment.

2.

Prohibits
ASH from limiting admission based on a patient's county of residence.

3.

Makes
conforming changes.

4.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

Amendments
Adopted by Committee

1.

Adopted
the strike everything amendment.

2.

Removes
the prohibition on admission to ASH for non-U.S. citizens.

Revisions

�

Updates the fiscal impact statement.

Senate
Action

HHS������� 2/19/25������� DPA/SE������ 5-2-0

Prepared by Senate Research

March 11, 2026

MM/hk

Current Bill Text

SB1813 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

state
hospital; governing board

(now: state
hospital; bed availability)

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1813

AN
ACT

amending section 36-202, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to the Arizona state hospital.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 36-202, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
36-202.

Arizona state hospital; purpose; facilities and equipment

A. A state hospital shall be maintained
for the
to
care
for
and

treatment of
treat
persons with
mental disorders and persons with other personality disorders or emotional
conditions who will benefit from care and treatment. Admissions to
the state hospital shall be in accordance with law.
� The state
hospital shall admit patients based on clinical need for treatment and shall
not place any limit on admission based on a patient's county of residence.
�The
hospital shall be called the Arizona state hospital.

B. Subject to legislative appropriation, the state
hospital may provide services to persons
who are
suffering
from alcoholism and
to persons suffering
from drug abuse.

C. The state hospital shall have adequate facilities
and equipment for enlightened and scientific treatment of nervous and mental
diseases in accordance with approved methods of mental
therapeutics. The facilities shall include, among other things:

1. Facilities for medical and psychiatric treatment
with special attention to occupational therapy and other special therapies.

2. Facilities for proper segregation and care of
child patients.

3. Facilities for recreation and physical training.

4. An institutional library for the use of patients.

5. A properly equipped dental department.

6. A properly equipped laboratory and x-ray
department.

7. A patient tracking system approved by the
director that monitors individual progress on an inpatient basis and ensures
suitable aftercare placement.

D. The state hospital shall be under the charge and
control of the director of the department of health services, pursuant to this
article.
END_STATUTE