Arizona HB2801 (2025)
- Sam Shepherd
- Feb 26
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 17
Introduction
In the beginning of 2025, 3DA drafted its first bill, which is now Arizona HB2801. As one of our main priorities is providing assistive technology resources and advocating for assistive technology advancements, this bill was created with the purpose of creating and expanding assistive technology initiatives in Arizona by creating an assistive technology study committee.
Members of the Committee
This study committee would comprise of the most important stakeholders for assistive technology in Arizona:
Assistive technology users
Parent advocates
Arizona Technology Access Program (AzTAP)
Arizona’s two University Centers on Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs)
The Arizona Department of Education
Arizona’s State advisory and planning councils
Division on Developmental Disabilities
Disability Rights Arizona
Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
3DA
It’s essential for this committee to include people who use assistive technology, as they can provide lived experiences and expertise on assistive technology. It’s important to include parent advocates, as they are also directly involved in assistive technology usage.
Moving forward, AzTAP is another necessary group to be included in this study committee, as their experience as the state’s designated assistive technology program will be important in regards to the technology itself as well as the provision, initiative, and implementation of assistive technology.
Furthermore, Arizona has two UCEDDs, the Institute for Human Development at Northern Arizona University and the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities at the University of Arizona, both of which are important groups to contribute to this committee, as they contribute research and work in disabilities.
The Arizona Department of Education is necessary due to assistive technology being needed by many students in schools as well as the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) reauthorization from 2004 requiring schools to consider assistive technology in every student’s IEP as well as provide the technologies and related services.
Disability Rights Arizona is the state Protection and Advocacy Agency, and therefore another organization that is vital to be a part of this study committee.
3DA provides resources, research, and advocacy regarding assistive technology, and is also the reason for this committee; us being the organization to create this bill.
What the Study Committee Would Do
The study committee would be charged with studying different assistive technology initiatives. One of the assistive technology initiatives that’s happening in many other states around the country is Technology First, which is an initiative and framework that is to consider technology before other solutions when it comes to independence for individuals with developmental disabilities. More on Technology First can be found in our other article, Technology First: A Brief Overview.
It’s also charged for this committee to analyze emerging trends and changes in assistive technology as well as how to better serve individuals with assistive technology needs. The committee would meet twice per year and provide a report to the Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and Governor by October 1, 2026.
With all being said, it’s important that this committee makes recommended solutions that are unique to Arizona’s challenges and resources and that this study committee can be the start of a great leap forward for assistive technology initiatives in Arizona.
More Information
For more information to HB2801:
To watch HB2801 presented in the Science and Technology Committee meeting (skip to 20:45):