HERO

SB1040, Kavanagh’s anti-trans bathroom bill for schools, was sent to the Governor today. While there’s every reason to believe she will veto it, we need to back that up with a show of support. Please write Gov. Hobbs and ask her to veto SB1040. You can email her at [email protected], or reach her through the official contact page.

Contact Governor Hobbs Send an email to Governor Hobbs

SB1001, Kavanagh’s anti-trans pronoun bill for schools, has been sent to the Governor (other bills have to pass through the Senate first). While there’s every reason to believe she will veto it, we need to back that up with a show of support. Please write Gov. Hobbs and ask her to veto SB1001. You can email her at [email protected], reach her through the official contact page.

Contact Governor Hobbs Send an email to Governor Hobbs

The final push is on in the legislature for this session. ALL of the remaining anti-LGBTQ bills are up for vote on the House floor on Monday. Republicans finally have their replacement for Liz Harris, they have got their majority, and they are going to cram a long list of bills down the throats of Democrats to finish off the session. These bills are up for vote Monday:

SB1001 - anti-trans pronoun bill for schools, forcing pronouns to be used according to s*x at birth
SB1040 - anti-trans bathroom bill for schools
SB1026 - anti-drag bill on use of state money
SB1694 - bans all diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, including on gender identity
SB1028 and SB1030, which both started as anti-drag bills, had drag references amended out of them, but Republicans still think will restrict how, when, and where drag can be performed.

Please contact your state representatives, if you haven’t already, and ask them to oppose these bills. Please also contact the new Republican, Julie Willoughby, who has not heard from us on these bills yet, and these other Republicans who might be swayable:
Julie Willoughby- [email protected] - 602-926-4153
Matt Gress - [email protected] – 602-926-4105
Michele Peña - [email protected] – 602-926-3696
Timothy Dunn - [email protected] - 602-926-4139

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The Department of Education is accepting public comment on a proposed policy for transgender participation in school sports. Please submit your comments in support of trans-athletes by May 15th.

Let Us Play Let trans and inters*x students play sports!Participating in sports gives young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to learn and play, be part of a team, and nurture relationships. That’s why we’re advocating for real policy change at the federal level. Send a message to the Biden-Harris ad...

SB1001, Kavanagh’s anti-trans pronoun bill, is apparently up for House floor debate tomorrow, Tuesday, 4/25/23. This bill will ban faculty in a school from referring to a trans student by their preferred pronouns or name other than their legal name or related nickname unless they have written consent from a parent. I say “apparently” because it showed up on a COW calendar for today, but the House did not have a floor session today. My guess is that it will be up tomorrow. This is just debate. I don’t know when they will vote on it, because ousted Republican Liz Harris has not been replaced, and House leadership appears to be hesitant to move forward on partisan votes until she’s replaced.

Please write your representatives and ask them to oppose SB1001. You can find your legislators at the link below. You can also write these Republicans, who are in my assessment, in order, the most likely to vote against it.
Matt Gress - [email protected] – 602-926-4105
Michele Peña - [email protected] – 602-926-3696
Timothy Dunn - [email protected] - 602-926-4139

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Anti-drag bill SB1026 and the anti-trans bathroom bill for schools SB1040 are both up for final House floor vote tomorrow, Wednesday 4/12/23. SB1028 and SB1030, which started as anti-drag bills but had the drag references amended out of them (but Republicans still think will be used against drag shows) are also up for final vote. If you haven't done so, please contact your House representatives and ask them to vote against these bills.

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SB1040, the anti-trans bathroom bill in schools, is up for House floor debate on Monday, 4/10/23. A vote on the bill will follow within the following couple of days. This bill bans restroom use that is not consistent with one's birth s*x as defined by both original birth certificate and genetics. It does require schools to make “reasonable accommodation” for trans students to use either single occupant bathrooms or employee bathrooms if written request is given, unless the school demonstrates “undue burden”. Since there is no appropriations consideration in this bill, any school that doesn’t already have such a restroom can say it’s too expensive to make one. No exception for the trans student is given in such a situation. It doesn’t limit who can request to use the single occupant restroom, and does not allow the school to refuse the request. A single use restroom can become overwhelmed leaving the trans student with none to use.

This is the last stop before it goes to the governor, and yes, she will veto it, but Republicans want that to use it against her. They will say that the governor isn’t protecting girls from trans kids. Let’s not let them use us as pawns.

Please call or write your state senator and ask them to oppose SB1040. You can find your legislators at the link below. We need to get just one Republican to vote against it. You can also write these Republicans, who are in my assessment, in order, the most likely to vote against it.
Matt Gress - [email protected] – 602-926-4105
Michele Peña - [email protected] – 602-926-3696
Liz Harris - [email protected] – 602-926-4153
Timothy Dunn - [email protected] - 602-926-4139
Teresa Martinez - [email protected] – 602-926-3158

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SB1026, Kavanagh’s anti-drag bill, is up for floor debate tomorrow Wednesday, 4/5/23, to be followed by a floor vote. SB1026 bars any state money or federal money passing through the state going to any entity that presents a drag show “targeting” minors. This is an attempt to shut down drag story telling and book readings. It would install in statute the insinuation that drag is somehow dangerous, and create a definition of drag in law that may be used as a reference in future legislation. If it passes the House, it goes to the Governor. She will likely veto it, but that’s probably Kavanagh’s goal.

Please write your representatives and ask them to vote no on SB1026. You can also write these Republicans, who are the most likely to vote against it.
Matt Gress - [email protected] – 602-926-4105
Michele Peña - [email protected] – 602-926-3696
Liz Harris - [email protected] – 602-926-4153
Timothy Dunn - [email protected] - 602-926-4139
Teresa Martinez - [email protected] – 602-926-3158

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Anti-drag bill SB1026 being heard in the House Government Committee this Wednesday, 3/22/23 at 9:00 AM. This bill passed the Senate on 3/2/23.

SB1026 bars any state money or federal money passing through the state going to any entity that presents a drag show “targeting” minors. This is an attempt to shut down drag story telling and book readings. It would install in statute the insinuation that drag is somehow dangerous, and create a definition of drag in law that may be used as a reference in future legislation.

Please write the members of the House Gov committee asking them to oppose this bill, and if you have a Request To Speak account, please register your opposition.

Republicans:
Timothy Dunn - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-4139
John Gillette - Vice - [email protected] - 602-926-4100
Rachel Jones - [email protected] - 602-926-3558
Steve Montenegro - [email protected] - 602-926-3635
Kevin Payne - [email protected] - 602-926-4854

Democrats:
Flavio Bravo - [email protected] - 602-926-4033
Lydia Hernandez - [email protected] - 602-926-3553
Jennifer Longdon - [email protected] - 602-926-3264
Mae Peshlakai - [email protected] - 602-926-3708
https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/1R/bills/SB1026S.htm

Anti-drag bill SB1026 being heard in the House Government Committee this Wednesday, 3/22/23 at 9:00 AM. This bill passed the Senate on 3/2/23.

SB1026 bars any state money or federal money passing through the state going to any entity that presents a drag show “targeting” minors. This is an attempt to shut down drag story telling and book readings. It would install in statute the insinuation that drag is somehow dangerous, and create a definition of drag in law that may be used as a reference in future legislation.

Please write the members of the House Gov committee asking them to oppose this bill, and if you have a Request To Speak account, please register your opposition.

Republicans:
Timothy Dunn - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-4139
John Gillette - Vice - [email protected] - 602-926-4100
Rachel Jones - [email protected] - 602-926-3558
Steve Montenegro - [email protected] - 602-926-3635
Kevin Payne - [email protected] - 602-926-4854

Democrats:
Flavio Bravo - [email protected] - 602-926-4033
Lydia Hernandez - [email protected] - 602-926-3553
Jennifer Longdon - [email protected] - 602-926-3264
Mae Peshlakai - [email protected] - 602-926-3708

SB1026 - 561R - S Ver amending title 35, chapter 1, article 5, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 35-196.06; amending section 35-197, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to the prohibited use of state monies.

Today on the AZ Senate floor, Senator Kern's two anti-drag bills, SB1028 and SB1030, were both given floor amendments that removed all references to drag or male and female impersonation from them. They are now generic tightening-up of s*xually oriented performances bills, but are no longer bills targeting gay culture. Kern in his comments made it clear that going after drag shows was still his goal in these bills, but they now treat drag like any other kind of performance. For the moment, we can cal this a win.

2 anti-drag bills are up for floor debate and vote in the Senate tomorrow, Wednesday March 15th. SB1028 criminalizes drag shows from public property or anyplace where they could be seen by a minor.

SB1030 will place regulations on drag shows and businesses that host them. It will create new licensing requirements for places that present drag shows. It will establish new zoning rules on where such businesses can be located. It will define any business showing a drag show as an “Adult oriented business.” It will limit the hours when a drag show can be performed.

Please write your state senator and ask them to oppose these bills.

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On Thursday, SB1026 passed the Senate on a party-line vote. This bill explicitly bans any public money going to a drag show "targeting minors,", or any facility supported by public money hosting such a show. While this is clearly an attempt to eliminate things like drag book readings or story tellings, it would instill in AZ statute the insinuation that drag or gay culture is dangerous to children and something the public must be protected from. Bill sponsor John Kavanagh in his comments from the Senate floor was unreserved in accusing gay people from trying to indoctrinate children. Such claims went unchallenged by Democrats. Sen. Justine Wadsack claimed that the vast majority of parents are horribly offended by drag book readings. Democrats did not challenger her to produce the statistical data supporting that bold claim. Democrats Sundareshan, Mendez, Epstein, and Teran did speak against the bill.

On the AZ Senate floor today, Senator Justine Wadsack appears to have caved to pressure and put forward a floor amendment to remove all references to drag shows from SB1698. It is no longer an anti-drag bill. We can count this as a win.

2 anti-drag bills are up for floor debate and vote in the Senate tomorrow, Thursday, March 2nd, SB1026 would ban any state money from supporting a drag show “targeting” minors. It’s meant to eliminate things like drag story telling or book readings.

SB1698 is a sweeping criminalization of allowing children to see drag, and will equate allowing a child to see a drag performance with child abuse and neglect. It makes exposing a child to a drag performance a Class 4 felony, and categorizes exposing a child to drag as a “dangerous crime against children”. Anyone convicted of allowing a child to see drag will have to register as a s*x offender. The bill was amended to add “s*xually explicit” to the definition of a drag performance, but it still casts drag as something dangerous children must be protected from.

Please contact your state senator and ask them to opposed SB1026 and SB1698 on the Senate floor tomorrow.

Two anti-drag bills being heard in two committee hearing Thursday 2/15/23. SB1030 places zoning restrictions on where businesses showing drag shows can be and restricts the hours they can be shown. This is being heard in the Senate Government hearing at 2.

SB1694 is a sweeping criminalization of allowing a minor to witness any drag performance. It equates allowing a child to see a drag show with child abuse and makes it a Class-4 felony. Anyone found guilty has to register as a s*x offender. This is a veto bait bill designed to draw a veto from Gov Hobbs to accuse her of vetoing a bill protecting children from s*xually explicit entertainment. It will be heard in the Senate Judiciary hearing at 8 AM.

Senate Government chairman Jake Hoffman is playing games with hearings, probably to cut out public comment on controversial bills. He now has scheduled two hearings this week, one on Wednesday at 9:30 and one on Thursday at 2, with an identical set of bills on both of them. I’m sure Thursday is going to be described as an overflow hearing. There are 20 bills on the docket, which is a lot. He didn’t have the decency to break them up into two different sets. Since the chairman can call bills in any order he wants, he can time the controversial bills to waste speakers’ time, and make them potentially have to be at the capitol for two days just to get 90 seconds to speak. The affected bills for the LGBTQ community are SB1030, the drag show zoning bill, and SB1694, the anti-woke bill. He’s probably more invested in cramming through SB1694.
Wednesday agenda:
https://www.azleg.gov/agendas/0215012022127.docx.htm
Thursday agenda:
https://www.azleg.gov/agendas/0216012022127.docx.htm

Agenda 1 on Thursday, 2/16/2023 Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting the Senate Secretary’s Office: (602) 926-4231 (voice). Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.

SB1698 is a sweeping criminalization of allowing children to see drag, and will equate allowing a child to see a drag performance with child abuse and neglect. It makes exposing a child to a drag performance a Class 4 felony, and categorizes exposing a child to drag as a “dangerous crime against children”. Anyone convicted of allowing a child to see drag will have to register as a s*x offender. It will be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this Thursday, 2/16/23 at 8:00. It is sponsored by Justine Wadsack.

Please call or write the committee members and oppose this outright attack on gay culture. All of the Republicans on this committee are some of the most extreme social conservatives in the Senate. Please consider speaking against this bill in committee.
Republicans:
Anthony Kern - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-3497
John Kavanagh - Vice - [email protected] - 602-926-5170
Wendy Rogers - [email protected] - 602-926-3042
Justine Wadsack - [email protected] - 602-926-3106
Democrats:
Mitzi Epstein - [email protected] - 602-926-4870
Anna Hernandez - [email protected] - 602-926-3492
Christine Marsh - [email protected] - 602-926-3184

SB1698 - 561R - I Ver amending sections 8-201, 11-811, 12-741, 13-705 and 13-1425, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending title 13, chapter 35, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 13-3508; amending sections 13-3620 and 13-3821, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to adult oriented performances and businesses.

SB1700 will be heard in the Senate Education hearing this Wednesday at 2:00 (along with SB1040). SB1700 will give parents the power to have removed from school libraries, and effectively bans, any books they find objectionable on a s*xual basis, and includes any books that, “PROMOTE GENDER FLUIDITY OR GENDER PRONOUNS.” A clear attack on trans-acceptance, it equates being nice to trans kids with pe******ia. Gender fluidity is not a thing promoted, but is a naturally occurring phenomenon some people experience. The use of “gender pronouns” is particularly puzzling. Pronouns are a basic part of speech, and most languages have gendered pronouns. I don’t see how you could have any English textbook, or pretty much any book written in English or a Romance Language, in a school library.

Please write the members of the Senate Education Committee asking them to oppose this bill, or at least call for it to be amended to remove the gender references. This bill is sponsored by Justine Wadsack, the committee’s Vice Chair. Ken Bennett is the best hope to get a Republican to oppose it.
Republicans:
Ken Bennett - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-5829
Justine Wadsack - Vice-Chair - [email protected] - 602-926-3106
Steve Kaiser - [email protected] - 602-926-3314
Sine Kerr - [email protected] - 602-926-5955
Democrats:
Sally Ann Gonzales- [email protected] - 602-926-3278
Christine Marsh - [email protected] - 602-926-3184
Catherine Miranda - [email protected] - 602-926-3413

SB1700 - 561R - I Ver amending sections 15-102, 15-113 and 15-189.07, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending title 15, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-249.01; amending sections 15-341, 15-362, 15-721 and 15-722, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to public schools.

SB1030 was held in the Senate Government Committee last week, but is back on the agenda for this Wednesday, 2/15/23 at 9:30 AM. SB1030 will place regulations on drag shows and businesses that host them. It will create new licensing requirements for places that present drag shows. It will establish new zoning rules on where such businesses can be located. It will define any business showing a drag show as an “Adult oriented business.” It will limit the hours when a drag show can be performed.

If you haven’t already, please write the members of the Sen Gov committee asking them to oppose this bill, and if you have a Request To Speak account, please register your opposition.

Republicans:
Jake Hoffman - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-3292
Wendy Rogers - Vice Chair - [email protected] - 602-926-3042
David C. Farnsworth - [email protected] - 602-926-3387
Janae Shamp - [email protected] - 602-926-3499
Justine Wadsack - [email protected] - 602-926-3106

Democrats:
Eva Diaz - [email protected] - 602-926-3473
Juan Mendez - [email protected] - 602-926-4124
Priya Sundareshan - [email protected] - 602-926-3437

SB1030 - 561R - I Ver A. Pursuant to this article, the board of supervisors may shall adopt a zoning ordinance in order to conserve and promote the public health, safety, convenience and general welfare. The zoning ordinance and all rezonings and zoning regulations amendments adopted under this article shall be consisten...

SB1040, the anti-trans bathroom bill in schools, is up before the Senate Education Committee this Wednesday, 2/15/23, at 2 PM. This bill bans restroom use that is not consistent with ones birth s*x as defined by both original birth certificate and genetics. It does require schools to make “reasonable accommodation” for trans students to use either single occupant bathrooms or employee bathrooms if written request is given, unless the school demonstrates “undue burden”. Since there is no appropriations consideration in this bill, any school that doesn’t already have such a restroom can say it’s too expensive to make one. No exception for the trans student is given in such a situation. It doesn’t limit who can request to use the single occupant restroom, and does not allow the school to refuse the request. A single use restroom can become overwhelmed leaving the trans student with none to use.

Please write the the Senate Education Committee members and ask them to vote against SB1040. Please consider coming to the Capitol to speak against it if you can. You can also speak against SB1694 in the morning Judiciary hearing. Chairman Bennett is our best hope for a Republican to vote against it.
Republicans:
Ken Bennett - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-5829
Justine Wadsack - Vice-Chair - [email protected] - 602-926-3106
Steve Kaiser - [email protected] - 602-926-3314
Sine Kerr - [email protected] - 602-926-5955
Democrats:
Sally Ann Gonzales- [email protected] - 602-926-3278
Christine Marsh - [email protected] - 602-926-3184
Catherine Miranda - [email protected] - 602-926-3413

SB1040 - 561R - I Ver amending title 15, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-120.04; relating to public schools

The horrible SB1694, which I will call the anti-woke bill, will be up before the Senate Government Committee this Wednesday, 2/15/23, at 9:30. It outright bans all diversity, equity, or inclusion programs from any public entity (like schools), for any subcontractor of the state government, or any expenditure of public moneys. Included in their list of things that cannot be supported are “transgenderism” (their word), “neopronouns”, anti-racism, social justice, s*xual orientation, and gender identity or theory. Seriously, read this thing. It’s beyond shocking.

Please write the members of the Senate Government committee and ask them to vote against this monstrosity. Committee chair Jake Hoffman is the bill's sponsor. You won’t get very far with him. Rogers and Wadsack will gleefully vote fore it, and I suspect the same with Shamp and Farnsworth, but they won’t be quite as aggressive in supporting it. It will pass committee, but there should be a huge show of opposition to it to try to keep Senate leadership from moving it forward after this.
Republicans:
Jake Hoffman - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-3292
Wendy Rogers - Vice Chair - [email protected] - 602-926-3042
David C. Farnsworth - [email protected] - 602-926-3387
Janae Shamp - [email protected] - 602-926-3499
Justine Wadsack - [email protected] - 602-926-3106
Democrats:
Eva Diaz - [email protected] - 602-926-3473
Juan Mendez - [email protected] - 602-926-4124
Priya Sundareshan - [email protected] - 602-926-3437

SB1694 - 561R - I Ver 4. spend public monies to acquire services, supplies, information technology or goods for a DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM.

Two anti-drag bills are being heard in the AZ Senate Government Committee this Wednesday at 9:30 AM. They are both attacks on gay culture.

SB1026 bars any state money going to any entity that presents a drag show “targeting” minors. This is an attempt to shut down drag story telling and book readings.

SB1030 will place regulations on drag shows and businesses that host them. It will create new licensing requirements for places that present drag shows. It will establish new zoning rules on where such businesses can be located. It will define any business showing a drag show as an “Adult oriented business.” It will limit the hours when a drag show can be performed.

Please write the members of the Sen Gov committee asking them to oppose this bill, and if you have a Request To Speak account, please register your opposition.

Republicans:
Jake Hoffman - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-3292
Wendy Rogers - Vice Chair - [email protected] - 602-926-3042
David C. Farnsworth - [email protected] - 602-926-3387
Janae Shamp - [email protected] - 602-926-3499
Justine Wadsack - [email protected] - 602-926-3106

Democrats:
Eva Diaz - [email protected] - 602-926-3473
Juan Mendez - [email protected] - 602-926-4124
Priya Sundareshan - [email protected] - 602-926-3437

GetCurrentPDF

Anti-drag bill and direct attack on gay culture, SB1028 will be heard in the AZ Senate Judiciary hearing on Thursday, 2/2/23 at 9 AM. This bill will legally categorize a drag performance the same as a strip show or topless show. It would criminalize being in drag on public property, or within site of a minor. This bill is sponsored by Anthony Kern, who is also chair of the committee.

Please write the members of the Senate expressing your opposition to SB1028. Please consider speaking against the bill at the committee hearing. The Republicans on this committee are all some of the most extreme social conservatives in the legislature.
Republicans:
Anthony Kern - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-3497
John Kavanagh - Vice - [email protected] - 602-926-5170
Wendy Rogers - [email protected] - 602-926-3042
Justine Wadsack - [email protected] - 602-926-3106
Democrats:
Mitzi Epstein - [email protected] - 602-926-4870
Anna Hernandez - [email protected] - 602-926-3492
Christine Marsh - [email protected] - 602-926-3184

SB1028 - 561R - I Ver B. This section does not prohibit a county or municipality from enacting and enforcing ordinances that regulate the location of adult cabaret performances in a manner that is at least as restrictive as this section.

SB1040 is up before the Senate Education committee this Wednesday, 1/18/22 at 2 PM. This bill is an anti-trans bathroom bill for schools restricting restroom use to “biologic s*x” that on the one hand requires schools to make “reasonable accommodation” for trans students to use either single occupant bathrooms or employee bathrooms if written request is given, unless the school demonstrates “undue burden”. Since there is no appropriations consideration in this bill, any school that doesn’t already have such a restroom can say it’s too expensive to make one. Otherwise, it bans restroom use that is not consistent with ones birth s*x as defined by both original birth certificate and genetics. As is the fashion this year, it enforces it all through civil litigation. This bill is a copy and paste refiling of HB2314 from last year that died in committee.

Please write the Senate Education Committee members and ask them to vote against SB1040:
Republicans:
Ken Bennett - Chairman - [email protected] - 602-926-5829
Justine Wadsack - Vice-Chair - [email protected] - 602-926-3106
Steve Kaiser - [email protected] - 602-926-3314
Sine Kerr - [email protected] - 602-926-5955

Democrats:
Sally Ann Gonzales- [email protected] - 602-926-3278
Christine Marsh - [email protected] - 602-926-3184
Catherine Miranda - [email protected] - 602-926-3413

SB1040 - 561R - I Ver amending title 15, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-120.04; relating to public schools

AZ Senate Republicans issue an extreme statement making a direct attack on gay culture and proposing legislation to make it illegal to allow a child to see a drag show, repeatedly equating it to perversion.