AZ SB1173

Beginning January 1, 2027, applicants, licensees, and owners of behavioral health facilities in Arizona must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and possess a valid fingerprint clearance card to obtain or maintain licensure.

The fingerprint clearance requirement applies to six types of behavioral health facilities: outpatient treatment centers providing only behavioral health services, behavioral health inpatient facilities, behavioral health residential facilities, counseling facilities, substance abuse transitional facilities, and behavioral health specialized transitional facilities.

The bill adds Section 36-411.02 to Arizona Revised Statutes and amends multiple sections (41-619.51, 41-1758, 41-1758.01, and 41-1758.07) to incorporate the new fingerprinting requirements into existing state agency and fingerprinting division frameworks.

The fingerprinting division in the Department of Public Safety will conduct background checks and issue Level I fingerprint clearance cards for behavioral health facility applicants, with precluding offenses including sexual abuse, homicide, child abuse, domestic violence felonies, and various drug-related felonies.