This legislative session in Arizona saw thirteen anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced, a clear attack on our community. All of these bad bills were defeated — many by the governor’s veto pen — and in the case of at least one potential ballot measure, by legislators crossing party divides to stand up for LGBTQ+ Arizonans. The results of this session follow the overall trend of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being defeated nationwide, though the overwhelming number of extreme bills filed to begin with is still cause for concern.

Session Highlights

One such bill vetoed by Gov. Hobbs, SB 1628 — referred to by pro-equality advocates as the “LGBTQ+ Erasure Act” — would have strictly classified individuals under Arizona law on the basis of their biological sex at birth. Her veto stamp on the bill ensures that trans Arizonans can continue to update their documentation to reflect their gender identity, and prevents a narrow, discriminatory definition of gender from getting codified into state law.

Republican State Senator Ken Bennett blocked a ballot referral, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1013, that would have put trans-inclusive school policies up for a vote. If voters had approved it, it would have prevented teachers from using a student’s pronouns or name without first receiving parental permission, which could endanger students and lead to forced “outing.” Schools would also have been required to monitor bathroom and locker room use based on biological sex, an intrusion on students’ privacy and safety.

We know that LGBTQ+ rights are not a partisan issue — they are fundamental human rights. Sen. Bennett shared during a hearing this session that he had family members who would have been impacted by this ballot measure if they were still in school. It is encouraging to see lawmakers like Sen. Bennett break with artificial partisan divides and stand on the side of justice for all Arizonans.

There are also reproductive justice wins to honor this session — Arizona’s Civil War-era abortion ban was repealed with bipartisan support. Arizonans are also continuing the effort to get abortion rights on the ballot as a state constitutional amendment (yet another reason to mobilize the vote coming this November)! Reproductive rights are an essential part of LGBTQ+ justice as an intersecting issue; we know that lack of access to abortion care disproportionately impacts our queer community.

As we have seen crop up in states across the country — reflective of a broader Christian Nationalist agenda — a “Ten Commandments” bill emerged this session, designed to erode the separation of church and state. Governor Hobbs vetoed this bill (SB 1151) which would have opened the door to the Ten Commandments being posted and recited in public classrooms, a clear attack on our constitutional rights protecting religious minorities. With the emergence of the Project 2025 playbook, these kinds of attacks on our democracy reveal a coordinated and ongoing attempt nationwide to eliminate protections for historically marginalized people.

Continue the Fight!

Governor Hobbs’s decisive actions in overriding anti-LGBTQ+ legislation not only protected Arizonans’ rights but also demonstrated the importance of electing representatives who will truly stand up for our LGBTQ+ community and all Arizonans. With this in mind, we know there’s a lot we can do to mobilize the vote, weigh in on ballot measures that directly impact our communities, and elect candidates who champion justice and equality.

While we celebrate the defeat of bad bills, we can’t let up — we must continue the fight!

• Arizonans: Thank Governor Hobbs for defending our LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities
• Reach out to Keshet to get involved and bring Get Out the Vote work to your community