HB 2561 Summary

• Adds Chapter 45 to Title 32 of Arizona Revised Statutes to establish a framework for private certification programs that allow individuals to practice lawful occupations based on voluntary private certification regardless of government occupational regulations.

• Requires private certifying organizations to publish scope of practice, personal qualification requirements, and names/addresses of certified individuals on a publicly accessible website, and to verify qualifications before and periodically after certification.

• Allows privately certified individuals to engage in regulated occupations without government licensing or occupational regulation, and prohibits state and local governments from imposing monetary assessments, penalties, or fees on those individuals for complying with this chapter.

• Requires privately certified individuals to display a sign stating they are not government-licensed or regulated, and prohibits using the terms "licensed," "certified," or "registered" if not actually credentialed by a government agency; violations are a Class 1 misdemeanor with fines up to $2,500.

• Makes falsely claiming private certification a Class 6 felony with fines of up to the last 12 months of revenue from the occupation or $5,000, whichever is greater; assigns enforcement authority to the Arizona Attorney General.