We want you to be informed before November’s election!
The Secular Coalition for Arizona offered each candidate the opportunity to respond to a survey about their views on secular-related issues. We’ll publish each survey as we receive it.
2017 Legislative Wrap Up is Here
The Secular Coalition for Arizona (Secular AZ) ignited our 2017 legislative work in a charged political environment colored by the general election. We started strong, locking arms in solidarity with over 40 anti-discrimination groups during an Opening Day rally. We began lobbying immediately on January 12th against regressive bills aimed at education, science, and women’s reproductive rights. Despite the steep challenges, we remain excited by our steady gains in visibility and impact in recent years. Here’s a summary of key wins and obstacles. Read the 2017 Legislative Wrap Up here.
Step-by-step guide on Legislature’s “Request to Speak” System (RTS)
You’ve heard us ask you to sign into the “Request to Speak” system in support or opposition to bills we are following at the Arizona State Legislature. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use this system from the comfort of your own home. A few reminders about the limitations of the system:
1. You may only comment on bills that are currently assigned to a committee agenda; once the bill is heard in the committee you may not add a comment
2. You must activate your account the first time you use it at the AZ State Capitol. We can help you with this if you are not able to get to the Capitol or Tucson Legislative office.
AZ State Legislature – A Look Into 2017
The Secular Coalition for Arizona is dismayed about the results of Tuesday night’s election. We’re especially concerned about preserving secular public education, equal rights for all, safe and affordable access to women’s reproductive health services, and religious freedom for all.
While these are concerns nationally, we are especially concerned regarding the new leadership at the Arizona State Senate and Arizona House of Representatives.
Going into the election, there was hope that the Arizona Senate would turn into a 15-15 split evenly between Democrats and Republicans, offering some hope for stopping bad bills and negotiating a bipartisan budget. Unfortunately, this has not happened. The gains made by Democrats will not outweigh the losses, and are not enough to produce an even split, but the Arizona State Senate will still be our best avenue to stop bad bills.
Senator Steve Yarbrough, owner of the Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization, will lead the Senate as the new Senate President. Senator Kimberly Yee, regularly known for sponsoring and pushing anti-choice and junk science legislation, will serve as Senate Majority Leader. Senator Gail Griffin, who scored a low 14% on our Secular Scorecard, will serve as Majority Whip.
Senate Democrats look brighter for Secular Government, as several of our “Secular Stars” were chosen for leadership positions. Senate Democrats chose Secular Star Senator Katie Hobbs as Minority Leader, Senator Steve Farley as Assistant Minority Leader, and Secular Star Senator Martin Quezada and Senator Lupe Contreras as Minority Whips.
In the House of Representatives, Representative JD Mesnard was chosen for the new Speaker of the House. He is accompanied by Representative John Allen as Majority Leader and Representative Kelly Townsend as Majority Whip.
Democrats chose Representative Rebecca Rios as Minority Leader, Secular Star Representative Randall Friese as Assistant Minority Leader, and Representative Charlene Fernandez as Minority Whip.
Secular AZ will fight earnestly with new leadership in both changes to preserve secular public policy and freedom for all Arizonans. We encourage you to amplify your voice in our new government by becoming a member today!