For Immediate Release
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Contact: Morgan Dick, mdick@azdem.org
ADP and ADLCC Respond to Historic Attack on Arizona Families and Children
PHOENIX, AZ – Today, Governor Ducey signed three extremely harmful pieces of legislation attacking Arizona’s families and children that are antithetical to the values of Arizonans across our state, including a 15-week abortion ban and two bills aimed at harming trans-youth.
SB1164, makes Arizona the second state to pass a restrictive 15-week abortion ban. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Barto and every single Republican lawmaker severely limits access to safe, legal abortions for Arizona families. This law is a blatantly unconstitutional attack on abortion and is extreme government overreach into a deeply personal choice individuals and families make with their healthcare providers.
SB1138, sponsored by Sen. Warren Petersen prohibits gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, and SB1165, sponsored also by Sen. Nancy Barto follows a national trend of banning transgender kids from participating in youth sports. Both bills are shameful attacks on children and will only result in more harm and direct discrimination of trans kids at the hands of the state.
Every single Republican in the legislature voted to pass these bills while Democrats stood in firm opposition. Upon the signing of these three bills – ADP Chairwoman Raquel Terán released the following statement:
“These unconstitutional attacks on abortion and inhuman attacks on trans kids are not what Arizona needs and they are not what Arizonans want. Doug Ducey and Republicans in the legislature are making desperate attempts to claim they are protecting children, while with the same stroke of the pen they are actively harming Arizona’s most vulnerable children.”
“Democrats have a vision of an Arizona with a strong public education system, one that works for all of Arizona’s students. This must include LGBTQ students who we know feel the impacts of these bills that send the message that this already vulnerable group of students are unwelcome in our communities.”
“While GOP politicians like Doug Ducey continue to push their personal anti-choice and transphobic agenda on Arizonans, Democrats will continue to defend the constitutional rights of all Arizonans. And importantly, Arizona voters will remember today in November, and they will remember exactly who fought for their freedoms and who worked to rip them away.”
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