candidate petitions; felony disclosure, the official text

Senate Engrossed
House Bill

[candidate
petitions; felony disclosure]

(now:  releasing
medical records; promptness)

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2557

AN
ACT

amending section 12-2293, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to patient records.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 12-2293, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE12-2293. Release of medical records and payment records to patients and
health care decision makers; definitions

A. Except as provided in subsections B and C of this
section, on the written request of a patient or the patient's health care
decision maker for access to or copies of the patient's medical records and
payment records, the health care provider in possession of the medical
record or payment record shall provide access to or copies of the medical records or payment records to the patient or the
patient's health care decision maker promptly and within not
more than seven business days.

B. A health care provider may deny a request for
access to or copies of medical records or payment records if a health
professional determines that either:

1. Access by the patient is reasonably likely to
endanger the life or physical safety of the patient or another person.

2. The medical records or payment records
make reference to a person other than a health professional and access by the
patient or the patient's health care decision maker is reasonably likely to
cause substantial harm to that other person.

3. Access by the patient's health care decision
maker is reasonably likely to cause substantial harm to the patient or another
person.

4. Access by the patient or the patient's health
care decision maker would reveal information obtained under a promise of
confidentiality with someone other than a health professional and access would
be reasonably likely to reveal the source of the information.

C. A health care provider may deny a request for
access to or copies of medical records or payment records if the health care
provider determines that either:

1. The information was created or obtained in the
course of clinical research and the patient or the patient's health care
decision maker agreed to the denial of access when consenting to participate in
the research and was informed that the right of access will be reinstated on
completion of the research.

2. A health care provider is a correctional
institution or is acting under the direction of a correctional institution and
access by a patient who is an inmate in the correctional institution would
jeopardize the health, safety, security, custody or rehabilitation of the
patient or other inmates or the safety of any officer, employee or other person
at the correctional institution or of a person who is responsible for
transporting the inmate.

D. If the health care
provider denies a request for access to or copies of the medical records or
payment records, the health care provider must note this determination in the
patient's medical records or payment records and provide
to the patient or the patient's health care decision maker a written
explanation of the reason for the denial of access.  The health care provider
must release the medical records or payment records information for which there
is not a basis to deny access under subsection B of this section.

E. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this SECTION, a health care provider shall respond to a request
for medical records within the following time frames:

1. If the request is made by a
patient or the patient's health care decision maker and is for the purpose of
upcoming medical treatment:

(a) Within ten
business days after receiving the request if the medical records are less than
twelve months old and are maintained in the health care provider's current
electronic health record system.

(b) Within
fifteen business days after receiving the request if the medical records are
twelve months old or more and are maintained in the health care provider's
current electronic health record system.

2. Within thirty calendar days if the
request is for a purpose other than upcoming medical treatment, including:

(a) Litigation.

(b) A request
that is made by a patient for medical records that are not identified as
necessary for upcoming medical treatment, including a request for personal
copies of the patient's medical records when the medical records are otherwise
available through a patient portal.

(c) Requests
for the purposes of life insurance or life insurance underwriting.

(d) Requests
from payors, unless otherwise specified in a contract between the provider and
the payor.

(e) Requests
from schools or educational institutions.

(f) Requests
for records of a deceased patient.

(g) Any other
request that is not related to current or upcoming medical treatment.

F. Subsection E of this section does
not require a health care provider to create or compile records that do not
otherwise exist.

[E.] G. For
the purposes of this section: [, ]

1. "Health
professional" has the same meaning prescribed in section 32-3201.

2. "upcoming medical
treatment" means a scheduled or anticipated health care service or medical
consultation for which the requested medical records are reasonably necessary
to facilitate diagnosis, treatment or coordination of care.