Some Republican state lawmakers want all long-term care facilities in Arizona to have a chaplain program.

This bill is one of three measures related to nursing homes put forth by the same senator. 

The bill is sponsored by Sen. Steve Kaiser, and it would require facilities to create a chaplain program where they would visit residents twice a week.

As it stands, the measure would apply to both skilled nursing facilities and assisted living centers and care homes. In a statement, the Arizona Health Care Association, which represents skilled nursing facilities, called the bill an “unfunded mandate.”

Kaiser’s other long-term care bills include one that would require the Arizona Department of Health Services to create a “dementia services program” and update the Alzheimer’s state plan. The other would allow a third party to perform long-term care inspections instead of DHS.