A bill, HB2575, sponsored by Rep. Quang Nguyen, that requires a hospital to facilitate an in-person visit by clergy for religious purposes if the hospital allows in-person visitation of any kind, was given final approval on Friday in the Arizona House of Representatives.
Nguyen’s bill will now be transmitted to the governor for signature into law.
The bill also requires that in an end-of-life cases, hospitals must facilitate the visitation with clergy regardless of the time of day.
Nguyen’s bill safeguards health and safety, requiring clergy members to comply with all reasonable precautions imposed by hospitals when interacting with patients.
“Pandemic or not, people should have the right to receive in-person spiritual care, especially when they are near the end of their life,” said Representative Nguyen. “It’s hard to imagine, but that isn’t always accommodated, especially during the past year. That’s why I sponsored this bill providing a commonsense protection for patients and their families who seek spiritual comfort and support during such a difficult time.”