|
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Hope you're all out and about and enjoyng this beautiful weather from North to South!
For those new to this newsletter, welcome!
This is Eyes on the State, our legislative newsletter published every Monday during the session. Each week, we break down the bills we’re watching as lawmakers convene at the state Capitol for the next four (or so) months.
A quick heads-up: This newsletter will evolve in the coming weeks as we onboard a new full-time staff writer. More on that soon — the hire is finalized, and we’re just working through a few logistics before making the announcement.
It’s also worth remembering that Eyes on the State is a two-way conversation. This newsletter has always been our way of helping readers make sense of what’s happening at the Capitol. So if you have questions, just respond back and ask and we'll be sure to answer what we know. If you have ideas, throw them at us. And if you have events coming up around politics and civic engagement, be sure to flag them for us. This newsletter is your community board!
At the top of this, we'll always try to give a rundown of the bills we're tracking and how they make sense to us. Some of the bills we track are explicitly aimed at the LGBTQ+ community; others are not. That’s intentional.
For years, we’ve argued that LGBTQ+ journalism shouldn’t focus solely on policies that directly target queer people, but also on the issues our community cares deeply about: gun violence, immigration, education and public health. That’s why some of the bills we flag each week may differ from what you’re used to seeing in other queer news outlets. Trust us — it’s on purpose. We believe a fully informed community isn’t single-issue focused, but engaged in holistic civic life.
That said, this week at the Legislature is a doozy, especially on LGBTQ+ bills.
Last week, we published a story tracking nine bills that aim to limit LGBTQ+ rights in Arizona. I’ve since updated our bill tracker — which you can find here and bookmark — and that number has doubled to 18. Six bills aim to expand LGBTQ+ rights in the state. They're also in the tracker at the very top.
Some of these bills may not appear obvious at first glance. Take a proposal from Rep. Matt Gress, R-Paradise Valley — the Legislature’s only openly gay Republican — that would require parental consent for students to join any school club. Why are we tracking it? Because Gay-Straight Alliances have long been targeted by conservative groups seeking to remove them from schools. For many closeted or questioning students, these clubs are often the first place they feel safe talking about their sexuality or gender identity. This bill would effectively require students to out themselves to their parents.
Another proposal would ban amyl nitrates statewide, making possession or use a Class 5 felony — on par with other illegal drugs. Amyl nitrates, commonly known as poppers, are used as sex-enhancement drugs and are closely associated with LGBTQ+ nightlife and club scenes. Advocates warn that if the bill passes, it could open the door to bar raids reminiscent of those seen in decades past. That bill is being heard this Wednesday in the House Judiciary committee at 9 a.m.
Another bill being heard this week you might want to check out? A House Resolution (meaning a bill that would bypass the governor's veto) is being heard tomorrow that would ban all athletes — not just school-aged youth — who are trans women from competing in female athletics. Currently, the state bans youth from competing in sports. That resolution is being heard at 2 p.m. in the House Education Committee.
Want to attend, speak, or register your thoughts on any of the bills being heard this week? Here's a step-by-step manual on how to do so (it takes about 5 minutes of your time.) Or click here to immediately register if you've already signed up.
Next week, we'll get into more detail with events, curated articles, and some more deep-dives into other bills. |
