Legislative update and action alert 2/11/22

Secular AZ is continuing to testify against numerous bills seeking to undermine democracy and advance the interests of Christian nationalism. Here’s a breakdown of what happened last week, and what’s coming up:

Top secular bills for the week of 2/14/22:

HB2707 would require teachers to have students say the Pledge of Allegiance and have a two-minute moment of silent reflection. It also burdens teachers with a requirement to “encourage” parents to instruct their children on how to use the silent reflection.

HB2314 forces students to make a written request to use a gendered school bathroom (or similar accommodation) not consistent with their gender at birth.  And it creates a “separate but equal” system for these facilities.

You can read more and send messages to lawmakers about these bills using our form here.

Request to Speak—bills coming up next week:

The following is a full list of bills that, while not all explicitly relating to secular government, impact the the private and public lives of all Arizonans. We urge constituents who are signed up for Request to Speak to sign in before next week.

Monday, 2/14/22:

Senate Government

SB1063: legislative vacancies; precinct committeemen OPPOSE

SB1169: email; prohibition; political campaigns OPPOSE

SB1198: limiting school board associations’ ability to pay for lobbying OPPOSE

SB1255: lieutenant governor; duties; ballot OPPOSE

SB1259: recounts; requests; procedures; audits OPPOSE

SB1338: paper ballots; hand count; precincts OPPOSE

SB1346: state employees; vaccinations inquiries OPPOSE

SB1460: voting law amendments OPPOSE

SB1465: voting equipment; requirements OPPOSE

SB1476: public meetings; in-person mandate OPPOSE

SB1478: elections; county supervisors; ballots; markers OPPOSE

SB1509: state officers; residency requirements; a deputy or assistant does not have to be a resident of the state OPPOSE

SB1570: election equipment; security; results; no internet access for voting equipment OPPOSE

SB1571: ballot drop boxes; surveillance OPPOSE

SB1572: voting lists; images; cast votes OPPOSE

SB1574: voting irregularities; report; Class 2 misdemeanor OPPOSE

SB1576: tabulating equipment; fractional votes OPPOSE

SB1577: elections; adjudicated ballots OPPOSE

SB1578: legislative district committees; committee members OPPOSE

SB1592: governor’s declaration; fiscal impact analysis OPPOSE

SB1609: election contests; invalidated election; sanctions OPPOSE

SB1625: public officers; announcements; restrictions OPPOSE

SB1629: registration; verification; images; audits; boxes OPPOSE

SB1638: early ballots; visually impaired voters OPPOSE

SB1642: election management systems; security OPPOSE

SCR1012: legislature; 90 House districts OPPOSE

SCR1024: lieutenant governor OPPOSE

SCR1032: plenary legislative authority; elections OPPOSE

SCR1048: article V; term limits OPPOSE

House Military Affairs

HB2448: mandatory gun training in schools OPPOSE

HB2471: State of emergency; termination OPPOSE

Tuesday, 2/15/22: 

House Education

HB2179: School district accounting reporting; responsibility OPPOSE

HB2314: bathroom bill for public schools; single occupancy; accommodation OPPOSE

HB2325: schools; instruction; 9/11 OPPOSE

HB2426: Arizona online instruction; cost-study OPPOSE

HB2026: literacy endorsement; requirement for non-certified teachers OPPOSE

HB2086: DHS; immunizations; exclusions OPPOSE

HB2707: moment of silence; quiet reflection OPPOSE

HB2739: school board associations; open meeting OPPOSE

HB2800: concurrent coursework; average daily membership OPPOSE

HB2808: schools; operations; improvements; letter grades; superintendent penalty/closures; Arizona Achievement Network establishment OPPOSE

Senate Education

SB1329: Arizona national rankings; ranked states OPPOSE

SB1361: schools; certificates of educational convenience OPPOSE

SB1617: school districts; property; peaceful protesting OPPOSE

SB1682: juveniles; educational classes SUPPORT

SB1683: education programs; county jails; appropriation; increases age from 18 to 21: SUPPORT

SB1510: bullying policy; schools; definition SUPPORT

 

Wednesday, 2/16/2022

House Government (22 bills)

HB2009: school violations; fines OPPOSE

HB2041: ballot fraud countermeasures; paper/ink OPPOSE

HB2240: elections; voting centers; validation requirements OPPOSE

HB2239: electronic ballot adjudication OPPOSE

HB2242: voter registration; validation OPPOSE

HB2276: state law; violations; schools; universities OPPOSE

HB2377: polling places; photographs OPPOSE

HB2378: election lawsuits OPPOSE

HB2491: elections; signature matching OPPOSE

HB2492: voter registration; citizenship OPPOSE

HB2567: nominating petitions; multiple petition signatures OPPOSE

HB2578: emergency executive powers; legislative oversight OPPOSE

HB2619: post vaccine injuries; COVID; posting OPPOSE

HB2637: divestment; K-12; abortion; explicit materials – investments in any org that provides abortion or sex ed to K-12 OPPOSE

HB2703: auditor general; audits; county elections OPPOSE

HB2710: registrations; counting procedures; observers; verification OPPOSE

HB2780: voter lists; images; voting records OPPOSE

HB2783: election law violations; procedures manual OPPOSE

HB2786: voter registrations; ballot requests; source OPPOSE

HB2787: dividing Maricopa County into four separate counties OPPOSE

HB2837: district committees; reapportionment; reorganization OPPOSE

HCR2025: government-issued voter identification OPPOSE

 

House Judiciary

HB2608: gender transition; prohibition (mirror bill of SB1138, which died in Senate) OPPOSE

HB2811: unlawful abortion medication (complete prohibition of abortion medication) OPPOSE

Senate House & Human Services

SB1044: sex education; planned parenthood OPPOSE

SB1138: Gender transition restriction OPPOSE

Continuing work:

  • The Christian nationalist “Pine Tree” flag is still flying in the State House. It has now been three weeks with no response to our letter to Speaker Bowers. Please call House Speaker Rusty Bowers at 602-926-3128 as well as your own Representative demanding its removal.

This week, we’ll continue to testify in committee on your behalf and will be working furiously with partners to strategize on major pieces of religious-based legislation coming up. We also will have some updates to share shortly about Secular Day at the Capitol on March 14th.