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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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.

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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.

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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.

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)

 

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

Voted Yes (against Secular AZ)