Committee advances bill letting cath-lab staff skip heavy lead if real‑time protection is used

Senator Karen Warner introduced legislation aimed at reducing long‑term injuries tied to wearing heavy lead aprons in cardiac catheterization labs and to expand the use of enhanced radiation‑protection devices.

Warner told the committee she had shadowed procedures in cath labs and heard from interventional cardiologists who report orthopedic injuries and possible elevated left‑sided brain cancer that they attribute to cumulative radiation and to wearing roughly 20‑pound lead aprons for many hours. “It is our duty as lawmakers to protect the very health care professionals that save our families’ lives,” she said.

Logan, the committee staffer, explained SB 11‑21 would allow hospitals that have an approved radiation‑protection system to permit professionals working primarily inside the protection zone to forgo a lead apron if they wear a real‑time dosimeter. The later Bliss Amendment keeps a safety carve‑out allowing a hospital radiation safety officer to require lead, thyroid collars or other protection when exposures approach occupational thresholds.

Interventional cardiologists who use the devices testified they markedly reduce scatter and can be set up quickly. Dr. Mort Kern and Dr. Ashish Bershad described routine use without lead in their systems and said dosimetry and shielding reduce orthopedic strain and radiation exposure. Several professional groups and hospital associations sought clarity or backed off opposition after the amendment; Jenny Harris of the Arizona Radiological Society urged caution about prescriptive mandates and pointed to operational constraints in some rooms.

The committee voted to adopt the Bliss Amendment and returned SB 11‑21 with a due‑pass recommendation (vote recorded by committee secretary). A companion bill, SB 11‑20, which would have required 50% of applicable rooms in hospitals to be equipped with protection systems by fixed dates, drew stronger opposition over cost and vendor specificity and failed on a 6–6 tie.

What’s next: SB 11‑21 (as amended) will move to the next legislative stage with the committee’s recommendation; the broader SB 11‑20 did not pass out of committee.

Attribution: Quotes and attributions in this story come from testimony and staff explanations during the Health & Human Services committee hearing. Speakers include Senator Karen Warner (bill sponsor), Logan (committee staff), Dr. Mort Kern, Dr. Ashish Bershad, Britney Kaufman (Health System Alliance of Arizona) and Jenny Harris (Arizona Radiological Society).