Good morning, Rj! Happy Sunday! ☀️ 

AZGOP aims to bully trans students. Republicans are continuing to waste time, prioritizing attacks on LGBTQ+ students instead of focusing on real issues, like funding education. On Wednesday, they advanced SB1001, which would make it illegal for teachers and school staff to use a student’s preferred pronouns or nickname without parental permission. The bill would not require school staff to do so if they have a “religious or moral” objection. After heartfelt testimony from numerous Arizona teachers, parents, and students opposing SB1001, Arizona Republicans advanced it though the Senate education committee, despite there being “zero chance” Gov. Katie Hobbs would sign this hateful bill. 

AZ ♡‘s early voting. The Arizona Court of Appeals has ruled against the AZGOP in their lawsuit to end early voting in Arizona, which has been utilized for decades.The suit was yet another example of the Republican Party’s pathetic attempt to restrict our freedom to vote because they don’t like the decisions we’ve made at the ballot boxes. 

Tom Horne is “America’s worst state education official”. During his prior term as Arizona’s state superintendent, he led with bigotry, instituting a discriminatory ban on bilingual educational services and leading the fight to ban ethnic studies. Now he’s back with plans to revamp that agenda, now targeting so-called “critical race theory” that isn’t even taught in K-12 schools. Instead of actually supporting and funding public education, these are Horne’s priorities.

Rent control bills at the #AZLEG. Democrat state Reps. Analise Ortiz and Judy Scwiebert  have introduced a slate of five bills aimed at addressing the affordable housing crisis. HB2161 would repeal the current statewide ban on rent control by cities and counties, while HB2086 would implement statewide rent control measures. Read about these bills and the other proposals here. 

Where is Sinema? In Switzerland schmoozing with billionaire CEO’s, her chosen constituency. 

Sign up for Request to Speak. With this helpful online tool, Arizona voters can offer their input on proposed legislation as they go through the legislative process. It’s easy, and you don’t even have to leave your home! Sign up here. 

Thanks for reading Last Week, This Morning!

Abigail with Progress Arizona

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