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Committee backs one-year deadline for non–health-and-safety complaints against physicians; medical board urges discussion
Summary
Senate Bill 1072, which would require certain complaint investigations that are not related to public health and safety to be closed administratively if not resolved within one year, received a due-pass recommendation from the Senate committee after the medical board asked for further discussion.
The Senate Committee on Regulatory Affairs and Government Efficiency returned Senate Bill 1072 with a due-pass recommendation after debate about whether a one-year deadline to close non–health-and-safety complaints against licensed medical professionals is workable for boards handling complex investigations.
Sponsor Senate President Peterson said SB 1072 “adds a requirement for both the Arizona Medical Board and the Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners in Medicine and Surgery to take final action on a complaint that is unrelated to protecting public health and safety within 1 year after receiving the complaint. If no action is taken within a year of the receipt of the complaint, the complaint is deemed administratively closed.” He characterized the measure as an efficiency reform and said he had heard constituent complaints about unresolved matters lingering for more than a year.
Pat McSorley, executive director of the Arizona Medical Board, testified she was neutral and asked for a chance to discuss the bill further with the sponsor. McSorley said the medical board does not open investigations that do not implicate public health and safety and that complex cases can require significant time because of due-process protections, the need to collect medical records, fingerprints or investigative files from other states, and resource constraints. McSorley said the board currently has 12 investigative staff, had added two investigators in fiscal year 2025, and was requesting two more investigators for the upcoming fiscal year.
Committee members raised multiple concerns: whether the bill would unintentionally close complaints that require time-consuming investigation; whether licensing or permit matters are intended to be included (the sponsor said licensing and permitting were not the bill’s current scope though he said he might support extending the rule to those matters); and whether boards should be able to request extensions for resource reasons. Senator Ashley and several other members said stakeholders’ input matters and that staff and sponsor should work with the medical board to refine language before floor consideration.
The bill was moved and returned with a due-pass recommendation on a committee vote of 6 ayes and 1 no. Several senators explained their votes on the record: one senator said she opposed the bill because she wanted more nuance to protect public health and safety while speeding government action; other senators urged the sponsor to consult with boards about resources and possible carve-outs.
What the bill would do
- Require the Arizona Medical Board and the Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners to take final action on complaints not related to protecting public health and safety within one year of receiving the complaint, or the complaint would be administratively closed.
Context and next steps
Pat McSorley said the medical board’s caseloads often involve resource and due-process issues that can extend timelines; she asked to meet with the sponsor to clarify coverage and ensure public health and safety is preserved. Sponsor Peterson said he would meet with board leadership. SB 1072 will move to the full Senate for further consideration.
