10/23/2026
Rep. Selina Bliss Receives AzHHA’s 2026 Legislator of the Year Award
STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX (Friday, October 23, 2026) – State Representative Selina Bliss, Chairman of the House Health & Human Services Committee, has received the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association’s (AzHHA) 2026 Legislator of the Year Award for her leadership on healthcare issues affecting Arizona hospitals and patients.
The award, presented Thursday at the Arizona Hospital Leadership Conference in Tucson, recognized Representative Bliss for her leadership on Senate Bill 1127, which was signed into law in June. Representative Bliss secured an amendment allowing hospital staff to delegate reports of suspected child abuse or neglect to a designated agent when necessary to continue patient care or comply with applicable standards of care. The provision is especially important for rural hospitals and facilities with limited staffing.
“As a nurse, I know that what we pass at the Capitol has to work in a hospital,” said Representative Bliss. “Reporting suspected child abuse is a serious responsibility, and we needed to make sure the law gave hospital staff a practical way to meet that responsibility while caring for their patients. I’m pleased we got that change into law, and I appreciate AzHHA’s recognition and its work on behalf of Arizona hospitals.”
“Representative Bliss brings a nurse’s perspective to every healthcare conversation at the Capitol,” said AzHHA Director of Government Relations Damien Johnson. “On SB1127, she ensured Arizona’s child abuse reporting law protects children without pulling caregivers away from the bedside when patients need them most. Her steady, practical leadership has made a real difference for Arizona hospitals and the patients we serve.”
Selina Bliss is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives, serving Legislative District 1 in Yavapai County, and Chairman of the House Health and Human Services Committee. Follow her on X at .
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https://www.azleg.gov/press/house/57LEG/2R/261023BLISS.pdf
Arizona House GOP Steve Montenegro Michael Carbone Julie Willoughby Neal Carter