2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

SB1604

Restricts co-mingling of non-competent/non-restorable (NCNR) defendants with civil commitment patients in secure behavioral health residential facilities (SBHRF). Signed into law on May 2nd, 2025; this vital piece of legislation resolved a technicality in Arizona statute which was necessary for opening desperately needed secure facilities.

Stop counting jail days toward inpatient hospital treatment limits when administering Court-Ordered Treatment (COT). Signed into law on May 13th, 2025; this closes an important gap during the critical time when SMI loved ones are discharging from jail and need hospitalization. 

Originally seeking an appropriation of $25M for secure residential facilities (SBHRF’s), this bill resulted in an important $5M appropriation in the state budget to assist with opening of new secure facilities ($5M is better than $0 – we’ll take it). 

SB1720

(Discussion hearing only). Stipulations for improved access to clozapine; this bill elevated important SMI causes thanks to amazing testimony from brave survivors Nick and Calvin, and several SMI caregivers. Watch an unforgettable 15-minute clip of this committee hearing: https://youtu.be/FCd99H0waUI 

(Discussion hearing only). Requiring inpatient behavioral health hospitals to honor Power of Attorney documents. Several family members testified regarding this tragic gap in the current system. 

Removes psychiatric disability discrimination from Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS). This first-year bill gave visibility to this important issue and generated important high-level discussions about the lack of services available for the most acute and chronically mentally ill. The bill did not pass due to unresolved budgetary concerns but had a lot of bipartisan support. 

HB2706

Allows mental health court judge to order residential treatment, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), and other treatment needs as part of Court-Ordered Treatment (COT). This bill passed very favorably through committees in both chambers with strong bipartisan support but did not get placed on agendas for final votes due to minor budgetary and political reasons.

Allows counties to pay for guardianship psychiatric evaluation and clarifies that a guardian can consent to ACT, residential treatment and medication observation services. This is another bill that passed almost unanimously in committees but did not get placed on agendas for final votes due to minor budgetary and political reasons.

“Joshua’s Law,” creates a duty to treat psychiatric disability in jails/prisons and requires specific SMI accommodations for loved ones transferring to prison. Currently, we are witnessing state-sanctioned torture of the mentally ill. Sadly, this bill was not scheduled for any committee hearings for strictly political reasons.

Clozapine REMS

Thanks to several national advocacy groups, The Angry Moms, and the Arizona Mad Moms, the FDA’s clozapine REMS ceased to exist on June 13th, 2025. Even though these deadly federal restrictions have been lifted, the clozapine story is far from over – stay tuned for details.