Impact by the Numbers
1,724 bills and resolutions were introduced this session. The ACLU of Arizona tracked 116 bills that impact civil rights and liberties.
Here’s what we accomplished with your support:
- Testified on 70 bills in committee hearings
- Worked with lawmakers to introduce 4 bills
- Lobbied for, and secured, 45 vetoes
- ACLU of Arizona supporters sent 6,166 email messages and made 121 phone calls to lawmakers
- Defeated over 90% of the bills we opposed
- Our policy positions were mentioned in the news more than 40 times
The ACLU of Arizona, our partners, and community members fought hard to defend liberty, democracy, equity, and justice. Keep reading to get a full picture of our work at the capitol or skip ahead to specific issues by using the links below.
Table of Contents
Criminal Justice Reform
The ACLU of Arizona made progress to ensure the state upholds constitutional rights for people involved in the criminal legal system. Lawmakers introduced 52 bills that fuel mass incarceration, deepen systemic racism, and unjustly criminalize people, threatening the integrity of Arizona’s criminal legal system.
Bills Introduced
We worked with lawmakers to introduce two efforts to reform Arizona’s broken criminal legal system.
- HB 2229 would have allowed the Board of Executive Clemency to release certain incarcerated people, like those with terminal illnesses, to receive care in the community.
- HB 2917 would have eliminated penalties for possessing or using drug paraphernalia providing a pathway for expanded treatment and reduced overdose deaths.
Veto Victories
Governor Hobbs vetoed multiple bills that would have banned essential services and resources for those battling substance use or experiencing homelessness.
- HB 2798 would have prohibited municipalities and counties from developing safe-use sites, none of which currently exist in Arizona. These sites allow people who use drugs to do so in a safe and supervised consumption location and have proven to be effective in other states.
- HB 2803 was an attempt to stop cities from paying hotels to provide shelter to people experiencing homelessness in Arizona.
- HB 2437 would have increased legal penalties for drug use in areas surrounding homelessness service centers.
- SB 1725 would have charged more people with possession for sale when carrying fentanyl, barring them from getting probation on their first and second offenses and allowing them to access the community-based treatment they need
Bad News
Governor Hobbs signed HB 2607, which increases penalties for anyone with 200 grams of fentanyl in a vehicle. This measure arbitrarily increases penalties for people who use substances while reducing avenues for vital treatment.
Disability Rights
The ACLU of Arizona fought against policies that discriminate against Arizonans with disabilities and limit access to equal opportunities.
Policy Pushback
The ACLU of Arizona opposed and helped stop legislation that would expand involuntary commitment, which allows the court to order a mental health evaluation and treatment for someone suffering from mental health challenges, substance use disorder or homelessness and even allow for detention. This troubling practice often leads to abuse and systemic violations of the rights, dignity, and autonomy of people with disabilities, undermining their decision-making and reinforcing harmful power imbalances.
Bad News
Governor Hobbs signed several bills like SB 1604, HB 2742, and HB 2944 which expand funding avenues for involuntary commitment facilities and strips people of their rights without prioritizing treatment and proper oversight.
First Amendment Rights
In Arizona, lawmakers advanced measures that threaten First Amendment rights. We fought against legislation that sought to control the exchange of ideas, ban books, and punish people for protesting. We remain vigilant against any proposals that limit free expression and weaken democracy.
Policy Pushback
The ACLU of Arizona stopped harmful bills that would have undermined free speech, expression, and democracy.
- HB 2113 would have made it illegal to display certain flags, including the pride flag, at schools and in government buildings.
- HB 2684 would have criminalized asking for financial assistance in public and prohibited congregating on medians.
- HB 2803 attempted to require hotels to display stigmatizing signage requirements if they provide lodging to both paying guests and those experiencing homelessness, escaping domestic violence, and recovering from a disaster.
- SB 1269 would have allowed school districts and charter schools the ability to hire religious chaplains to provide counseling services to children.
- SB 1090 / SB 1099 would have banned access to materials about sex or sexuality in public schools and libraries for people under the age of 18, putting teachers, staff, and librarians at risk of felony charges if they even referred to those materials without parental consent.
Bad News
Governor Hobbs signed several bills that limit protected speech.
- HB 2112 requires websites to verify a user’s age before allowing them to view content deemed “harmful to minors.” Vague and open for interpretation, this law may potentially restrict other forms of content relating to LGBTQ+ people’s experiences, abortion, and sexual health.
- HB 2195 requires apps “directed” at children to prohibit a wide variety of advertising content, including content that could be deemed violent, sexual, explicit, or contain the use of intoxicating substances. This vague ban could lead to the censorship of platforms used by Arizonans of all ages.
- HB 2880 broadly bans encampments on public school campuses and grants government officials the ability to censor protests for causes they disagree with.
Immigrants’ Rights
Once again, Arizona saw a surge of cruel and dehumanizing anti-immigrant bills that were only strengthened by the passage of Proposition 314 and Trump’s re-election. While the governor’s office doubled down on their "tough on the border" rhetoric, our community applied pressure to stop bills that would have had devastating impacts.
Veto Victories
We secured vetoes against cruel and wasteful anti-immigrant legislation that was introduced this year.
- SB 1164, also referred to as the Arizona ICE Act, would have required local law enforcement to assist ICE.
- SB 1610 would have forced the state to detain individuals suspected of being undocumented and later be transferred to federal custody.
- HB 2099 would have required the governor’s office and the attorney general to comply with all orders and directives from the Trump administration.
- SB 1268 sought to mandate hospitals to track the immigration status of their patients.
Bad News
HCR 2055 was referred to the ballot. This proposition will be put to voters in 2026 to decide whether drug cartels should be considered terrorist organizations under Arizona law. If passed, this proposal would create a costly and unnecessary expansion of law enforcement. It also presents a risk of being used to unjustly and unlawfully target immigrant communities.
LGBTQ+ Rights
Arizona remains a breeding ground for anti-LGBTQ extremism, but we continue to work with lawmakers and partners to advocate for a win. All direct attacks on LGBTQ+ people were vetoed by Governor Hobbs.
Bill Introduced
We introduced HB 2364 (previously HB 2625 in 2024), our coalition-backed nondiscrimination bill for a third year in a row with the full support of the LGBTQ+ Legislative Caucus.
Racial Justice
Arizona lawmakers attempted to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the state and prohibit the free expression of ideas around our unique and shared cultural history.
Policy Pushback
We testified against anti-DEI bills this legislative session, disrupting baseless and harmful policies designed to erase people’s backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. All these measures were vetoed by the governor or did not advance in the legislative process.
Reproductive Freedom
Although Arizonans overwhelmingly voted to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution last year, it didn’t stop lawmakers from proposing harmful new bills that ignore the will of the people. In total, there were 34 bills that would have impacted access to abortion and reproductive healthcare.
Bill Introduced
The ACLU of Arizona worked with the Arizona Proactive Reproductive Justice Alliance to introduce SB 1553, a comprehensive bill to repeal all anti-abortion laws on the books.
Policy Pushback
- No anti-abortion bill was signed into law.
- The most serious threat to abortion rights, HCR 2025, was NOT referred to the ballot. This referral would have required 60% supermajority of voter support for any future referral that would amend the state constitution – unless it was to weaken the state’s new amendment to protect the right to abortion (only requiring 51%).
Voting Rights
We successfully advocated for fair access to the ballot and free and fair elections. We testified against many bills that sought to restrict ballot access, impose unnecessary burdens on election administrators, and discriminate against voters. We also drafted several memos outlining the harms of voting disenfranchisement, highlighting state level data showing Arizonans strong reliance on and support for mail-in, early voting to ensure lawmakers had accurate information. Fortunately, none of the bills that would disenfranchise Arizona voters became law.
Veto Victories
Governor Hobbs used her veto power to stop several anti-voter bills from becoming laws.
- HB 2017 would have limited access by banning widely used vote centers assigning every voter a specific neighborhood polling location.
- HB 2703 would have banned voters from dropping off their early ballots at a polling location on Election Day and instead require them to go to the country recorder’s office.
- HB 2205 would have modified Arizona’s Election Procedures Manual law by stipulating that the Secretary of State does not have the legal authority in creating the manual.
Looking Back and Forging Ahead
While the legislature adjourned a few months ago, our work is never done. The ACLU of Arizona is actively gearing up for the 2026 legislative session. Next year’s session will no doubt be challenging, but we will continue to fight for the rights, liberties, and dignity of all Arizonans.
As we look to 2026, Arizonans should know they have reason to be hopeful. The 2025 legislative session demonstrated the power of community, organizing, staying informed and speaking out – especially as lawmakers continue to propose harmful bills that will strip Arizonans of their rights and liberties. Thank you for showing up to make your voice heard.
Want to join us at the capitol in 2026? You can help advance and protect civil rights and liberties in the Grand Canyon State by joining our Activist Network!