# Arizona HB 2179: air ambulance services

Arizona HB 2179, air ambulance services, is a Fifty-seventh Legislature - Second Regular Session House bill sponsored by Julie Willoughby (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Signed by Governor); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-HB2179-57th-2nd-regular
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arizona HB 2179
- State: Arizona
- Session: Fifty-seventh Legislature - Second Regular Session
- Title: air ambulance services
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Signed by Governor
- Sponsor: Julie Willoughby (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: air ambulance services, courts and civil proceedings - title 12, criminal code - title 13, emergency medical services, professions and occupations - title 32, public health and safety - title 36, state government - title 41
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 5 (111 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 8

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- AHCCCS covers needed air ambulance rides: benefit, medium. AHCCCS covers medically necessary air ambulance rides. A doctor-directed ride needs prior approval. A qualifying ride started by calling 911 or another designated emergency system does not need prior approval.
- Air ambulances join victim compensation program: benefit, low. Qualifying air ambulance services can receive money from Arizona’s victim compensation program if they agree to its rules. This adds eligible providers for people using the program, but the law gives no funding amount.
- Emergency crews exempt from transport ban: benefit, low. First responders, ambulance attendants, air ambulance attendants, and emergency medical technicians are exempt from the state transport restriction when they act under Arizona’s emergency medical services law. The exception does not cover other transportation.
- More protection for emergency crews: benefit, low. During a governor-declared public health pandemic emergency, ambulance and air ambulance attendants receive certain legal protections for good-faith care. Licensed ambulance attendants, air ambulance attendants, drivers, and pilots also receive protection when they give free, good-faith emergency c…
- New reviews for air ambulance staff: cost, low. The state director may let an air ambulance service investigate an employee’s fitness to care for patients. The service must have required safeguards and report its findings. It may limit an attendant’s work during an investigation, but this authority does not apply to a felony conviction, plea, or…
- Arizona updates air ambulance oversight: mixed, low. The state director must set reasonable equipment, staffing, and safety standards for ambulance and air ambulance services. The director may contract with air ambulance services and may support emergency communications with them. Officials must recommend standards that account for urban, rural, and…
- Rules for out-of-state air ambulances: mixed, low. Some out-of-state air ambulances are exempt from Arizona rules for qualifying transports and emergency responses when Arizona has too few registered ambulances. An out-of-state service must be registered to pick up a patient in Arizona and take them to another place in Arizona, unless the stated em…
- Air ambulance operators face new rules: mixed, low. Air ambulance operators need a state registration certificate and proof of insurance. The state may charge up to $50 per aircraft for registration or renewal; volunteer nonprofit services pay no registration fee. Registered aircraft must be inspected at least every 12 months, and transport vehicles…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Julie Willoughby (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-07 | Senate | Third Reading: Passed | pass | 28 | 1 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Health and Human Services: DP | pass | 7 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-23 | House | Third Reading: Passed | pass | 56 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-02 | House | Rules: C&P | pass | 8 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-22 | House | Health & Human Services: DP | pass | 12 | 0 |   |

## Actions (12)

- 2026-04-13: Signed by Governor (Governor)
- 2026-04-07: Third Reading: Passed (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Rules: PFC (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Health and Human Services: DP (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Senate Second Reading (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Senate First Reading (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Third Reading: Passed (House)
- 2026-02-19: Committee of the Whole: do pass amended (House)
- 2026-02-02: Rules: C&P (House)
- 2026-01-22: Health & Human Services: DP (House)
- 2026-01-14: House Second Reading (House)
- 2026-01-13: House First Reading (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered Version: [HTML](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/laws/0051.htm), [PDF](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/542402)
- House Engrossed Version (02/23/2026): [HTML](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/HB2179H.htm), [PDF](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/538112)
- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/HB2179P.htm), [PDF](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/533234)

## Related bills

- HB 2104: agricultural property; classification; inspection (signed)
- SB 1630: home; community-based services; mental illness (signed)
- SB 1552: ADOT; revisions. (signed)
- SB 1563: barbering and cosmetology board; continuation (signed)
- SB 1497: classical learning; tests; examinations (signed)
- SB 1336: state land department; continuation; oversight (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered Version (HTML)](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/laws/0051.htm)
- [Chaptered Version (PDF)](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/542402)
- [House Engrossed Version (02/23/2026) (HTML)](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/HB2179H.htm)
- [House Engrossed Version (02/23/2026) (PDF)](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/538112)
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/HB2179P.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/GetDocumentPdf/533234)

## Related
- [HB 2104: agricultural property; classification; inspection](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-HB2104-57th-2nd-regular)
- [SB 1630: home; community-based services; mental illness](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1630-57th-2nd-regular)
- [SB 1552: ADOT; revisions.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1552-57th-2nd-regular)
- [SB 1563: barbering and cosmetology board; continuation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1563-57th-2nd-regular)
- [SB 1497: classical learning; tests; examinations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1497-57th-2nd-regular)
- [SB 1336: state land department; continuation; oversight](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-SB1336-57th-2nd-regular)
- [Arizona bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arizona/bills)
- [Arizona state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arizona)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AZ-HB2179-57th-2nd-regular (as of 2026-11-04).