Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs Vetoes Parental Rights Bill

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) vetoes parental rights bill passed by Republican majorities in the state legislature.

By Eileen Griffin

Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill supporting parental rights in Arizona.

In March the state Senate passed SB1001 and in May the House also voted in support, the Daily Caller reported.

Pronoun Notes

Legislators in Arizona crafted the bill to provide parental notification if a teacher intended to use different pronouns or a different name for a student than the one the parents gave them. Under the bill all students under the age of 18 would be referred to by the name on the student’s  record.

The bill was vetoed by Hobbs who promoted her decision in a tweet.

“Today, I proudly vetoed SB1001 which was an attack on transgender youth,” Hobbs wrote. “Instead of coming up with new ways to target and isolate our children, we should be working together to create an Arizona where everyone has the freedom to be who they are without fear of harassment or judgement.”

In a statement reported by Fox 10 Phoenix, the bill’s sponsor, State Sen. John Kavanaugh (R-Fountain Hills) said:

“Parents have a right to know if their children are in psychological turmoil. … Parents also need to know if their children are confused, depressed, anxious, isolating themselves, having suicidal thoughts, or are in need of mental health care because of gender dysphoria. Parents can’t get their children the counseling or therapy they need if the school is hiding that information from them.”

Hobbs has already established a track record of vetoes, KJZZ radio reports. In addition to overruling the gender notification bill, she has rejected other efforts in support of parental rights and improved educational outcomes supported by the Republican-led legislature.

Critical Race Theory

Another bill Hobbs vetoed, Senate Bill 1305, would have banned the teaching of critical race theory (CRT) in public schools.

“It is time to stop pushing students and teachers into cultural wars based on fearmongering and evidence-free accusation,” Hobbs told KOLD 13 in March, as she vetoed the bill.

Hobbs claims that CRT is not a real problem but what is needed is more money and better compensation for teachers.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler), responded to the veto.

“As lawmakers, we are called to protect the vulnerable, including impressionable and innocent kids,” Mesnard said. “Her action today is a slap in the face to parents who came forward with serious concerns about the racism being taught in their children’s classrooms.”

Sex Offenders

Another bill aimed to protect children, Senate Bill 1253, was also vetoed by Hobbs. Passed by the legislature, it would have required sex offenders to notify their child’s school of their status, the AZ Mirror reports.

Critics of the bill expressed concern that sex offenders might be bullied if their status was known. Supporters of the bill preferred awareness for parents and protection for minors in a school environment.

Arizona is one of several blue states restricting parental rights while red states are taking steps to ensure that parents have a voice and a role in their child’s education.

Red States, Right Turns

States such as Alaska, Texas, Indiana, and Pennsylvania have taken steps to protect parents’ rights, Heartland Daily News previously reported.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) has made education a priority for his state. He signed a bill in March to protect parents’ rights in education.

“Parents’ rights have been increasingly under assault around the nation, but in Florida we stand up for the rights of parents and the fundamental role they play in the education of their children,” DeSantis said in a news release. “Parents have every right to be informed about services offered to their child at school and should be protected from schools using classroom instruction to sexualize their kids as young as 5 years old.”

“Red state lawmakers across the country are pushing for transparency within the classroom by increasing parental rights,” writes Reagan Reese for Daily Caller.

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