Arizona Executive Order 2023-16: Extreme Heat Planning and Preparedness

On August 11, 2023, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs issued Executive Order 2023-16, Extreme Heat Planning and Preparedness, requiring the development of a statewide plan to address and prepare for the increasing impacts of extreme heat in Arizona. The EO recognizes the worsening public health effects from heat events and establishes new requirements for the Governor’s Office of Resiliency and the Department of Health Services, among other agencies, to improve planning and preparedness for extreme heat.

Arizona has experienced longer and more intense heat waves in recent years, with some communities in the state experiencing 30 consecutive days over 110 degrees Fahrenheit in 2023. Heat-related deaths have increased as well, with an average 100 statewide annually between 2012 and 2015, increasing to a record 671 deaths statewide in 2022. The EO also recognizes the energy challenges that extreme heat creates, both for the grid infrastructure and for families that experience a disproportionately high cost burden from the energy needed to keep their homes cool.

The EO requires the Governor’s Office of Resiliency to lead the development of an Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan by March 1, 2024, and to coordinate across state agencies throughout the process. The Office of Resiliency is also responsible for creating and leading an Interagency Resiliency Forum for ongoing collaboration across state government around extreme heat response and other resilience and sustainability efforts. The EO also directs the Office of Resiliency to develop proposals for legislation that would better protect residents from extreme heat, especially individuals and populations more vulnerable to heat impacts like older adults, young children, and those with medical conditions.

The Arizona Department of Health Services is required to develop recommendations for inclusion in the Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan and to oversee and improve data collection requirements that will help facilitate better preparation and response to extreme heat-related challenges. The Department is also responsible for overseeing coordination of and facilitating a network of cooling centers around the state, and for public outreach related to extreme heat.

The Arizona Department of Administration is directed to establish a process that would allow state employees to opt to serve at cooling centers or support other state heat relief efforts and receive regular pay for these additional days of voluntary work. The EO also includes other requirements for additional agencies such as the Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, the Department of Housing, and others, to participate in and inform the development of the Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan by providing information related to their work and recommending policy changes to bolster heat preparedness.

Concurrent with the issuance of this EO, the Governor also declared a state of emergency on August 11, 2023 in order to support local jurisdictions’ efforts to respond to the extreme heat the state was experiencing at the time. On March 1, 2024, the state published its first Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan as directed by this EO.

Related Resource:

Arizona’s Extreme Heat Preparedness Plan

Publication Date: August 11, 2023

Related Organizations: