Anti-transgender legislation meets resistance at Legislature SB1628, a bill that would legally define gender as fixedly male or female passed House Judiciary Committee. Committee members heard from concerned constituents, including powerful testimony from a parent of a nonbinary child. The bill has passed committee and is headed for the House floor. Transgender bathroom discrimination resolution SCR1013 failed to pass the Senate, with Republican Ken Bennett voting against the majority. Bennett cited the personal impact to his own family as his reason for opposing the bill. (Bennett has still voted for numerous other anti-LGBTQ+ bills.) | |
LDS church tries to fill Phoenix schools with missionaries A proposal to fill schools with LDS missionaries appeared on Paradise Valley Unified School District's March 7th agenda the night before the meeting. The program would have seen the district partner with the church to create vaguely-defined volunteer positions in schools for missionaries. Provisions required that missionaries would wear name tags (above) identifying them as members of the church, essentially advertising their presence and consisting of a form of proselytizing. The proposal was removed from the agenda (for now) thanks to a quick response by Secular AZ’s legal team (read the letter here) as well as concerned parents in the district. | |
 | Class on Christian nationalism by Sun City resident Kay Klinkenborg of Sun City will present a class on Christian nationalism, focusing on a 116-page document designed by right-wing think tanks outlining plans to disrupt the government should Donald Trump not be re-elected. The presentation, open to the public, is 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, March 16, in King Hall at The Church of the Palms, 14808 N. Boswell Blvd. Sun City Registration is required (no fee). Call Church of the Palms at 623-997-8359 or visit the church office 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Thursday. | | |  | ESA fraud indictment Five people have been indicted for defrauding Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship (school voucher) program for $600,000. Defendants include three former employees of the state Department of Education, who allegedly approved voucher applications for fictitious students using fake birth certificates and other false documents. | | | |
 | New Legislation Bolsters Religious Freedom in Military A new bill mandates prompt responses to complaints related to the separation of church and state in the military, with the Department Secretary handling them within 30 days. While limited, secular activists in the military see the amendment as a success, as it ensures complaints are taken seriously and triggers change within the military, even if the expedited process outlined in the amendment is not guaranteed for all cases. | | | | |  | Secular AZ at the Tucson Festival of Books Many books facing bans today are targeted over religiously-rooted discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, as well over religious objections to content such as sex education and even blasphemy. Many other titles are banned to perpetuate white Christian nationalist versions of history, silencing and erasing minority groups. So we’ve decided to launch a banned book drive! We're bringing a bunch of donated banned books to the March 9-10th Tucson Festival of Books. The books will be offered at our booth for a name-your-price donation. You can also bring a book for us to give to students at future events. | | | |
Secular Day at the Capitol is back April 11th, 2024 Day at the Capitol is a chance for secular Arizonans from all over the state to meet, learn about issues, and make our voices heard at Arizona’s legislature. Save the date for a dynamic and inclusive event with engaging discussions, presentations, and community-building activities, which fosters a space for diverse perspectives and secular values. More details and registration info to be announced soon! | |
