Representative Walter Blackman
Republican, LD-6
2022 Legislative Score
0%
0 out of 22 votes matched Secular AZ positions
2022 Vote Summary:
SB1138: irreversible gender reassignment surgery; minors
What it did: Banned gender reassignment surgery for minors.
Why we opposed it: Perpetuated religious-based discrimination against transgender youth
Outcome: Signed into law
SB1164: abortion; gestational age; limit
What it did: Banned all abortions that happen after 15 weeks of gestation.
Why we opposed it: Restricted healthcare for religious reasons.
Outcome: Signed into law
SB1165: interscholastic; intramural athletics; biological sex
What it did: Banned transgender female students from participating in girls’/women’s sports teams.
Why we opposed it: Perpetuated religious-based discrimination against transgender youth.
Outcome: Signed into law
SB1211: Materials; activities; review; posting; schools
What it did: Forced schools to publicly post all materials intended to be used for teaching online before their implementation.
Why we opposed it: Law would be a severe administrative burden on teachers and staff in order to discourage the teaching of subjects that do not conform to white Christian nationalist views
Outcome: Passed Senate, held in House.
SB1399: Foster care; religious foster care; adoption;
What it did: Banned the state from taking action against foster care agencies on the basis that they discriminate for religious reasons.
Why we opposed it: Constituted a state endorsement of religion-based discrimination.
Outcome: Signed into law
HB2009: violations of state law; schools
What it did: At the request of any Legislator, required the Attorney General to investigate school districts for alleged constitutional violations.
Why we opposed it: This gave any one Legislator the means retaliate against school districts that do not conform to that Legislator’s views on such matters as religion or social justice.
Outcome: Passed Senate, failed in the House.
HB2112: Classroom instruction; race; ethnicity; sex – anti-CRT
What it did: Banned schools from teaching certain subjects relating to racial and gender-based injustices (largely those commonly misidentified as “critical race theory”).
Why we opposed it: This bill censored the teaching about history or social studies topics that do not conform to white Christian nationalist points of view.
Outcome: Passed House, Held in Senate
HB2161: parental rights; schools; educational records
What it did: Forced schools to disclose information that would “out” LGBTQ+ students to their parents.
Why we opposed it: This bill actively sought to suppress LGBTQ+ identity in schools so as to promote religious views on heteronormativity
Outcome: Signed into law.
HB2166: TPT; use tax; exemption; firearms
What it did: Would make guns and gun accessories tax-exempt.
Why we opposed it: Gun proliferation laws serve to arm religious extremists.
Outcome: Passed House, held in Senate
HB2316: misconduct involving weapons; public places
What it did: Allowed the carrying of concealed guns on college campuses.
Why we opposed it: Gun proliferation laws serve to arm religious extremists.
Outcome: Passed House, held in Senate
HB2414: misconduct involving weapons; school grounds
What it did: Allowed parents to bypass gun-free zones at public schools and keep loaded and unlocked weapons within reach in their cars while dropping off and picking up children.
Why we opposed it: Gun proliferation laws serve to arm religious extremists.
Outcome: Passed House, held in Senate
HB2439: school library; review; policy
What it did: Banned books from schools that discuss even the most minor aspects of sexuality or race.
Why we opposed it: Book ban bills are an instrument to censor literature that does not conform to white Christian nationalist viewpoints.
Outcome: Signed into law
HB2448: firearms safety; training; school
What it did: Required mandatory gun safety training in schools, implicitly favoring a controversial NRA curriculum of disputed effectiveness.
Why we opposed it: Secular AZ opposes the normalization of gun culture, which is closely linked to Christian nationalism.
Outcome: Passed House, held in Senate
HB2449: care facilities; clergy visitation
What it did: Granted clergy special privileges to enter health care facilities and ignore their safety protocols.
Why we opposed it: Created special privileges for certain religious individuals without equal guarantees for secular people or religious minorities.
Outcome: Signed into law
HB2473: guns; discrimination
What it did: Banned public entities from contracting with companies that divest from firearm entities.
Why we opposed it: Secular AZ opposes the normalization of gun culture, which is closely linked to Christian nationalism.
Outcome: Passed House, held in Senate
HB2495: Schools; sexually explicit materials; prohibition;
What it did: Banned books in schools that talk about sexuality or race.
Why we opposed it: Bills like this are used to censor all forms of literature that do not conform to white Christian nationalist viewpoints.
Outcome: Signed into law
HB2507: Religious services; essential services
What it did: Amends Arizona’s civil rights code to declare all religious organizations “essential services,” and gives preferential treatment to these entities in matters when enforcing criminal and public safety codes.
Why we opposed it: A massive expansion of religious privilege. Makes the practice of one’s religion an allowable defense in any civil or criminal case. (See our article series.)
Outcome: Signed into law
HB2637: divestment; K-12; abortion; explicit materials
What it did: forced the state to divest from organizations that provide both abortion and sex ed to K-12. (i.e. Planned Parenthood).
Why we opposed it: This bill constituted a religious-based attack on both women’s reproductive rights and sex education.
Outcome: Passed House, failed Senate
HB2707: moment of silence; quiet reflection
What it did: Required teachers to have students recite the Pledge of Allegiance and observe a two-minute moment of “silent reflection.” Required teacher to “encourage” parents to instruct their children on how to use the silent reflection.
Why we opposed it: Mandatory recitation of the Pledge including the phrase “under God” in public schools constitutes religious coercion. Silent reflection provisions also create conditions in which children may be coerced into prayer in classrooms.
Outcome: Signed into law
HB2739: school board associations; open meeting
What it did: Among other provisions, banned members of school board associations (like Arizona School Board Association) from holding membership on school boards.
Why we opposed it: Bill is partly designed to limit the number of qualified candidates for school boards who support secular policies.
Outcome: Failed in House
HB2811: unlawful abortion medication; offense
What it did: Completely prohibited the making or distribution of abortion medication, under penalty of class 3 felony.
Why we opposed it: Restricted access to healthcare for religious reasons.
Outcome: Failed in House
HB2853: Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts; appropriation
What it did: Expanded the Empowerment Scholarship Account (school voucher) program
Why we opposed it: School voucher programs funnel public money into religious and private schools, including those that may discriminate for religious reasons.
Outcome: Passed Legislature