SB1131, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would force a “do-over election” for any non-statewide or federal election with less than 25% turnout, declaring the results void and requiring the election to be repeated when a statewide or federal office is also on the ballot. Many school bond and override elections suffer low turnout, but forcing an election mulligan is not the solution. It disenfranchises the voters who bothered to show up and may present constitutional issues. Scheduled for Senate Elections Committee, Monday. OPPOSE.
SB1182, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), is a shower-only version of last year’s “bathroom bill” that would ban trans kids from using the showers at school that align with their gender identities. Anyone who “encounters” a trans person in a shower area could file suit against public schools. A federal court found that these policies violate the US Constitution and Title IX, so in addition to being monstrously cruel and creating harm from continued anti-trans rhetoric, this would open Arizona to a host of lawsuits at taxpayer expense. Polls show that Americans from every political ideology and age group oppose anti-trans legislation. Gov. Hobbs vetoed last year’s bill. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1187, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would require public schools in a district that has a bond or override election on the ballot to be polling places “only if other nearby appropriate government buildings are unavailable,” creating potential issues relating to child safety and available space — and voiding current exemptions. No external entity knows better for local schools than their own staff; state lawmakers should not be mandating this decision for them. Scheduled for Senate Elections Committee, Monday. OPPOSE.
SB1286, sponsored by Jake Hoffman, would require all district schools to close on primary and general election days, and district schools (but not charter or ESA voucher-funded schools) to offer their gymnasiums as polling places. Teachers would be required to attend inservice training and banned from taking a vacation day, presumably to keep them from working the polls. Arizona and the nation are already struggling to find enough election workers; it makes no sense to legislate a ban on teachers doing their patriotic duty — to say nothing of the disruption this would cause to families. Similar to a bill from last year that Gov. Hobbs vetoed. Scheduled for Senate Elections Committee, Monday. OPPOSE.
SB1287, sponsored by Jake Hoffman (R-15), would ban district and charter schools from exposing minors to so-called “sexually explicit materials.” The incredibly broad description includes text, audio and video that references sexual contact, sexual excitement, and even physical contact with a person’s clothed or unclothed buttocks. This would ban many classic works of literature, from Shakespeare to Maya Angelou. Violations would be a class 5 felony, punishable by up to 2 years in jail. Arizona law already covers this subject. Gov. Hobbs vetoed the same bill last year. Scheduled for Senate Government Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1369, sponsored by Shawnna Bolick (R-2), would require each school district and individual public school to post on its website information on students’ race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and age that is meant for the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. Schools would also have to complete a newly created survey from the Arizona Department of Education on bullying, fighting, harassment and other school safety issues, which ADE would post on their website. Public schools are already subject to many laws covering discrimination and bullying, making this an excessive overreach. Meanwhile, bills that would expand these protections to kids at ESA voucher-funded schools are going unheard. Use your comments to mention that! Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1370, sponsored by Shawnna Bolick (R-2), would ban cities from requiring businesses run by youth under 18 to be licensed or pay sales taxes if they make under $10,000 per year. While no one wants to stifle entrepreneurship for young people, this bill removes requirements for licensure, potentially opening the door to exposing kids to predatory practices or exploiting kids. Scheduled for Senate Government Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1455, sponsored by Ken Bennett (R-1), extends the deadline for the public school tax credit to be used for broader purposes, including capital items, school meal programs, consumable health care supplies, playground equipment and shade structures. The current deadline is June 30, 2024. Having the flexibility to determine what needs attention most will benefit our local schools. Scheduled for Senate Finance & Commerce Committee, Monday. SUPPORT.
SB1461, sponsored by Ken Bennett (R-1), would restructure the state charter board by removing the governor’s responsibility to appoint four of its members and dividing that responsibility between the Speaker of the House and Senate President instead. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SB1465, sponsored by Ken Bennett (R-1), would make the required literacy endorsement for certificated K-5 teachers (passed in 2021) voluntary. Teachers must do all of this on their own time and with their own money, meaning these onerous requirements are encouraging many educators to leave the classroom. Making it voluntary would level the playing field a bit between highly regulated certificated teachers and other, less regulated types of educators. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. SUPPORT.
SB1495, sponsored by JD Mesnard (R-13), would more than double certain business property tax exemptions, from $207,366 to $500,000 for each taxpayer. With a projected two-year deficit of more than $1.7 billion, now is not the time to give away even more state revenue via tax cuts! Scheduled for Senate Finance & Commerce Committee, Monday. OPPOSE.
SB1556, sponsored by Ken Bennett (R-1), is a tax cut for out-of-state remote sellers. Arizona has required out-of-state sellers to pay sales tax since 2019, following a 2018 US Supreme Court ruling (South Dakota v. Wayfair). Since then, far-right factions have been trying to undo or limit the law. This would hold long-term, negative and potentially disastrous impacts for the state general fund (which is already running a $1.7 billion two-year deficit) and would negatively impact public schools. Scheduled for Senate Finance & Commerce Committee, Monday. OPPOSE.
SB1583, sponsored by Justine Wadsack (R-17), would require each public school in Arizona to give parents an overview of the ESA voucher program, including award amount and approved expenses; a list of charter schools located a “reasonable distance” from the school; and several pages of information on “Arizona’s school choice options” for the parent to sign. The school would be required to keep a copy of the signed disclosure in the student’s file and to assist any parent who wants to switch schools after reading the pamphlet. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SCR1013, sponsored by John Kavanagh (R-3), would ask voters to ban trans kids from using the school bathrooms, changing facilities and “sleeping quarters” that align with their gender identities. It would create a situation where trans kids couldn’t use any facilities at all without undue scrutiny of their bodies, calling that a “reasonable accommodation.” Anyone who “encounters” a trans person in a bathroom could file suit against public schools. A federal court found that these policies violate the US Constitution and Title IX, so in addition to being monstrously cruel and creating harm from continued anti-trans rhetoric, this would open Arizona to a host of lawsuits at taxpayer expense. Gov. Hobbs vetoed a similar bill last year; this referral would go directly to the voters, so she can’t veto it. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SCR1015, sponsored by Anthony Kern (R-27), would ask voters to ban Arizona, its cities and counties, and its state universities and community colleges (but not voucher-funded schools or the ADE’s new PragerU partnership) from spending public funds to promote a laundry list of culture-war conspiracy theories. These include reducing meat or dairy consumption or production, eating insects, walking or biking more, taking public transit, reducing air travel, limiting the number of articles of clothing a person may buy or own, recycling water for drinking, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, limiting the increase of global temperature, producing or adopting a climate action plan, replacing private ownership, or implementing mass surveillance systems to monitor motor vehicle travel. As we’ve said before, the legislature should not be setting curriculum. See mirror bill HCR2040, sponsored by Austin Smith (R-29). Scheduled for Senate Government Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
SCR1020, sponsored by J.D. Mesnard (R-13), would ask voters to amend the state Constitution to automatically extend the previous year’s state budget if lawmakers don’t pass one in time. This would remove the only real motivation for lawmakers to work together and avoid shutting down our state. Lawmakers’ only constitutional responsibility is to pass a budget by the start of the new fiscal year (no later than June 30). The same bill failed to pass last year. Scheduled for Senate Appropriations Committee, Tuesday. OPPOSE.
SCR1027, sponsored by JD Mesnard (R-13), would ask voters to put a new version of Prop 123 in the state Constitution that restricts funds to “eligible teachers” only, rather than the many and varied needs of public schools as the expiring version of Prop 123 allows. Individual schools are best suited to determine their own needs, and don’t need a top-down mandate. We encourage Republican lawmakers to work with the governor and their Democratic colleagues to craft a more flexible solution that has bipartisan support and will be roundly approved by voters. Please use your RTS comments to say the same. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE with comments.
SCR1034, sponsored by Jake Hoffman (R-15), would ask voters to set the actual salary schedule for Prop 123. Normally the legislature does this internally in case anything needs changing, but sending it to voters makes it impossible to tweak later. It directs funds to classroom teachers only, expecting the strapped general fund (which is currently running a $1.7 billion two-year deficit) to somehow backfill the current $257 million for general school funding. It bars district and charter schools from reducing teacher salaries below the FY2024-25 amount, even if the prop fails to direct the necessary funds to schools. This inflexible proposal will force districts to cut programs, slash resources, close schools and lay off teachers. It restricts funds to only certain types of teachers, which Judy Schwiebert (D-2) said is like buying a new transmission for a car but not replacing its four flat tires. And it puts two measures on the ballot in an already crowded year, which would both need to pass to be functional. We encourage Republican lawmakers to work with the governor and their Democratic colleagues to craft a more flexible solution that has bipartisan support and will be roundly approved by voters. Please use your RTS comments to say the same. Scheduled for Senate Education Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE with comments.
HB2483, sponsored by Barbara Parker (R-10), would require public K-12 schools and universities (but not voucher-funded private schools) to disclose their admissions criteria and would regulate any supposed discrimination, preferential treatment and “traditional academic success factors.” Are lawmakers trying the classic “look over there!” technique because of all the bad press on ESA vouchers? Scheduled for House Municipal Oversight & Elections Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HB2588, sponsored by Tim Dunn (R-25), would require notaries to get a valid fingerprint clearance card, provide their thumbprint with each notarization, and notify the secretary of state via certified mail if they change their email address. Many private citizens become notaries to assist with citizen initiatives; this unnecessary red tape would stifle citizen participation in democracy. Scheduled for House Government Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HB2719, sponsored by Michael Carbone (R-25), would require school bond and override measures to have 60%+ approval from eligible voters — not just voters who turn out — in order to pass. In effect, this measure would stop school districts from ever passing desperately needed bonds or overrides again. The measure also applies to cities, counties and community college districts. Scheduled for House Municipal Oversight & Elections Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.
HCR2040, sponsored by Austin Smith (R-29), would ask voters to ban Arizona, its cities and counties, and its state universities and community colleges (but not voucher-funded schools or the ADE’s new PragerU partnership) from spending public funds to promote a laundry list of culture-war conspiracy theories. These include reducing meat or dairy consumption or production, eating insects, walking or biking more, taking public transit, reducing air travel, limiting the number of articles of clothing a person may buy or own, recycling water for drinking, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, limiting the increase of global temperature, producing or adopting a climate action plan, replacing private ownership, or implementing mass surveillance systems to monitor motor vehicle travel. As we’ve said before, the legislature should not be setting curriculum. See mirror bill SCR1015, sponsored by Anthony Kern (R-27). Scheduled for House Municipal Oversight & Elections Committee, Wednesday. OPPOSE.