| ADVOCACY AND ACTION
Call to Action
March 9, 2025 | Published by LWVAZ Advocacy Committee to update members on news and calls to action.
Editors: Gitelle Seer, Pinny Sheoran
| Read our Calls to Action emails, submit your comments on RTS, and call the legislators on the committees with your concerns or support. Every Arizona citizen must make their voice heard on bills that affect their lives and the lives of their community.
The link to all issues of “Call to Action” is posted on our website.
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CALENDARS
2025 Legislative Calendar
Fri, Mar. 28 Last day to hear bills in the other chamber
Fri, Apr. 18 Last day for consideration of bills in Conference Committee
Sat. Apr. 26 Adjournment Sine Die
Events:
March 12, 9:30- 11:00 a.m. - Democracy at Risk: Reactions to Voter Decline Globally. 69th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women Parallel Event
| Democracy at Risk: Reactions to Voter Decline Globally
69th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women presented by
The League of Women Voters of the United States
and the Global NGO Executive Committee
Democracy at Risk: Reactions to Voter Decline Globally
March 12, 2025
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm Eastern Time (New York)
9:30 am - 11:00 am (AZ)
Please register in advance to join our Zoom Webinar
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DMzrMAb7RD-IDyjpGyAhdQ
(After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.)
With the global decline in voter participation, democracy is at risk. There is a pressing need to revitalize voter engagement, particularly among women and marginalized communities. Our panelists will examine critical issues affecting voter participation, including youth disengagement, institutional challenges, civic mistrust, and cultural barriers, and highlight policy innovations that can foster democratic resilience. In this discussion, panelists will present actionable strategies to engage citizens and revitalize democratic processes worldwide.
Moderated by:
Connie Sobon Sensor chief NGO representative to the United Nations for the League of Women Voters of the United States
Panel of Expert Speakers:
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Dr. Seema Shah, Head of International IDEA's Democracy Assessment Unit
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Celina Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of the League of Women Voters of the United States
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Maria Isabel Aninat Sahli, Dean of Faculty of Law at the Universidad Adolfo Ibañez in Chile
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Idrissa Mamoud Tarawallie, Head of Programme Sierra Leone for the International IDEA
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Stuti Bhakat, International Legal Studies, LLM Candidate, NYU School of Law
For the complete flyer and speaker bios, see United Nations CSW69 Complete
| Legislative Calls to Action |
Arizona Legislative Lingo: Understanding the Language of Lawmaking
The LWVAZ Legislative Analysis Team (LAT) prepared this comprehensive guide to the language of lawmaking, which is key to navigating the Arizona Legislature. Whether you're a policy expert tracking bills or a concerned citizen looking to engage with the legislative process, knowing the terminology used in bills, amendments, and debates can help you understand what’s happening at the Capitol. With clearer insight into the words shaping Arizona’s laws, you’ll be better equipped to follow, analyze, and participate in the policymaking process.
Arizona Legislative Lingo_Terminology
| Committee Hearings on Bills
Week of March 10-13
RTS NOW!
Please use RTS (Request to Speak) to inform legislators if you support or oppose these bills. You can also email the committee members and request your testimony and statements be entered into the public record.
League recommendations are based on research of the bills by the Legislative Analysis Issue Teams under the State Advocacy Committee. The issue teams’ reviews include analyzing the pros and cons, assessing the impact on diverse communities, and recommending support or opposition.
NOTE: RTS closes an hour before the hearing
Hearings on Bills Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Senate Natural Resources, 1:30 pm, Room SHR 1
 HB2270 (Climate) Reference title: groundwater model; stormwater recharge; AMAs
Prime sponsor, Party: Griffin (R)
House Education, 2 pm, Room HHR 1
SB1091 (Education) Reference title: school districts; bonds; overrides; ballots
Prime sponsor, Party: Hoffman (R)
SB1269 (Education) Reference title: public schools; volunteer chaplains; authorization
Prime sponsor, Party: Rogers (R)
SB1441 (Education) Reference title: school districts; partisan elections
Prime sponsor, Party: Werner (R)
Hearings on Bills Wednesday, March 11, 2025
Senate Government, 9 am, Room SHR 1
HCR2042 (Education) Reference title: preferential treatment; discrimination; prohibited acts
Prime sponsor, Party: Montenegro (R)
House Judiciary, 9 am, Room HHR 4
SB1020 (Education) Reference title: disruption; educational institution; concealed weapon
Prime sponsor, Party: Rogers (R)
Senate Education, 1:30 pm, Room SHR 1
HB2610 (Education) Reference title: school districts; board members; superintendent
Prime sponsor, Party: Gress (R)
Senate Judiciary & Elections, 1:30 pm, SHR 2
HB2046 (Elections, Voting Rights) Reference title: audits; precincts; voting centers
Prime sponsor, Party: Kolodin (R)
HB2050 (Elections, Voting Rights) Reference title: provisional ballots; cure data
Prime sponsor, Party: Kolodin (R)
HB2649 (Elections, Voting Rights) Reference title: electoral college; support
Prime sponsor, Party: Montenegro (R)
HB2651 (Elections, Voting Rights) Reference title: voting equipment; requirements; origin
Prime sponsor, Party: Montenegro (R)
House Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections, 2 pm, Room HHR 4
SB1052 (Elections, Voting Rights) Reference title: voter registration; temporary absence
Prime sponsor, Party: Rogers (R)
 SB1142 (Elections, Voting Rights) Reference title: elections; foreign contributions; prohibition Prime sponsor, Party: Finchem (R)
SB1271 (Elections, Voting Rights) Reference title: ballots; count; identification number; appropriation Prime sponsor, Party: Bolick (R)
SB1289 (Elections, Voting Rights) Reference title: elections; canvass; certification; acknowledgment Prime sponsor, Party: Kavanagh (R) | Read details about the bills listed in this RTS Calls to Action for the week of March 10-13 at bit.ly/LWVAZCTA | REQUEST TO SPEAK (RTS): USE RTS TO INFLUENCE OUTCOME OF LEGISLATION | What is Request to Speak (RTS)?
Request to Speak (RTS) is an online real-time system that allows the public to register opinions on bills being heard in committee. You can:
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Indicate whether you are “for” or “against” the bill
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Write a brief comment explaining your position
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Register your willingness to speak (testify) during the committee hearing
We encourage you to use this powerful tool to make your voice heard at the legislature
When Can I Use RTS?
You can only use RTS when a bill is on a committee agenda to be heard in committee and for a few days before the committee hearing.
How Do I Get an RTS Account?
Please fill in this form and a league volunteer will register your account at the Capitol. We will create your account with a generic password. Once you receive an email from us that your account has been set up, we suggest that you change your password immediately. Please note that you cannot register online for RTS.
How do I Use RTS
Follow the steps in this Introduction.
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The LWVAZ hosted a week of successful virtual Lunch and Learn sessions from February 24 to 28. Each day’s program included informative and engaging presentations by expert speakers on subjects of interest and importance to our members and the public. Over 350 + members and nonmembers attended these programs.
Topics ranged from an explanation of how federal and state laws conflict or converge to govern Arizonans, the Arizona water crisis, funding of public schools, challenges to and protection of voting rights, to an inside look at legislative actions.
Federalism and States’ Rights: Intersection of Federal and State Laws and the Impact on Arizonans. Monday, February 24, 2025 YouTube link
Speakers:Professor Sean Beienburg, Associate Professor & Associate Director, School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership (SCETL), Director, Center for American Civics (ASU); Professor Justin Weinstein-Tull, Professor of Law, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law (ASU)
Funding the Future: Strengthening Public Education in Arizona. Tuesday, February 25, 2025 YouTube link
Speakers: Beth Lewis, Executive Director, Save our Schools Arizona, Jennifer Burns, Director of Government Relations & Health Policy, Children's Action Alliance
Drought and Debate: The Legislative Landscape of Arizona Water Policy. Wednesday, February 26, 2025 YouTube link
Speakers: Kathy Jacobs, Director of the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions, University of Arizona; Cynthia Campbell, Director of Research, GF Global Institute of Sustainability & Innovation, Arizona State University
Ballots & Bills: The Legislative Fight for Voting Rights in Arizona, Thursday, February 27, 2025 YouTube link
Speakers: Alex Alvarez, Progress Arizona Director; Patty Ferguson-Bohnee, Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence, Faculty Director for Indian Legal Clinic; Eric Chalmers, Founder, Resilient Strategies; Michael Ramirez, American Votes, Arizona State Director
Navigating the Legislative Landscape: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 YouTube link
Speakers: Elizabeth Higgins, Senate Minority General Counsel/Policy Advisor, Michael Hans, Policy Advisor Senate Democratic Staff, Rhonda Barnes, House Minority Deputy Chief of Staff/General Counsel
Learn more about these topics Lunch and Learn Resources 2025.pdf
Visit the LWVArizona YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@lwvarizona3069 to view these videos and more. Please like and subscribe to @lwvarizona3069 share the link with your professional or personal networks.
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The League of Women Voters of the United States and League of Women Voters of Arizona Joins Voting Rights Groups to applaud Decision Affirming Voting rights in Arizona
Phoenix, AZ - The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS), League of Women Voters of Arizona (LWV Arizona), and co-amici applaud the February 25, 2025 decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The decision protects the rights of all eligible Arizona voters to register and vote in all federal elections.
LWV Arizona, LWVUS, the Secure Families Initiative, and the Modern Military Association of America, represented by the ACLU, Brennan Center, Keker Van Nest & Peters LLP, and Demos, jointly filed an amicus brief in a federal lawsuit to defend the National Voter Registration Act’s applicability to presidential elections. The brief challenged Arizona’s HB 2492, which imposed proof of citizenship requirements for presidential voting, among other restrictions. After the District Court enjoined these provisions, the defendants appealed to the Ninth Circuit, arguing the NVRA didn’t apply to presidential elections. The Ninth Circuit’s decision upheld and confirmed the NVRA’s applicability to all federal elections.
Read the complete press release here.
Read timeline of Mi Familia Vota V. Fontes Case here |
The Save Act. Call your representatives and senators in Congress to Vote NO on the SAVE Act.
Find YOUR elected officials here:
https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials (includes telephone numbers)
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, introduced by U.S. Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) and proceeding through U.S. Congress for review and vote, would require the in-person submission of documentary proof of American citizenship each time a person registers to vote. This goes beyond the current requirement—present in every state—that voters affirm or verify their citizenship when registering. If enacted, the law would effectively eliminate online and mail voter registration options by mandating that applicants bring approved citizenship documents to election offices.
Acceptable documentation under the bill includes
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U.S. passport, a government-issued photo ID with a listed place of birth,
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REAL ID-compliant form of identification.
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Military IDs and other government-issued photo IDs are acceptable only if accompanied by additional proof of citizenship, such as a certified birth certificate.
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Allows for a discrepancy process in which applicants without standard documentation must provide supplementary records—such as a naturalization certificate, consulate birth report, or qualifying adoption decree—to establish citizenship.
Critics point out that birth certificates often do not reflect current legal names, which could disproportionately affect voters who have changed their names—particularly married women. Research suggests that up to 34% of voting-age women lack citizenship documents matching their current legal name, and more than 9% of Americans do not have readily available proof of citizenship. Because marriage certificates are not explicitly listed as acceptable documentation, these changes may pose additional barriers to registering and voting under the SAVE Act.
Voting-age youth in foster care often do not have access to birth certificates. Many older voters may struggle to update their records due to the difficulty of locating their birth certificates. Many registered decades ago and have consistently voted without ever needing to provide such documentation.
Make Your Voice Heard!
Call on all Arizona Representatives and Senators to oppose this bill. Let the bill’s sponsors—Reps. Elijah Crane, Andy Biggs, Paul Gosar, and Abraham Hamadeh—know that Arizonans reject any legislation that undermines our right to vote.
Spread the Word
Reach out to your friends, family, and community across the country to contact their elected officials—especially women legislators, both Democrats and Republicans — and urge them to oppose this legislation. | The League of Women Voters of the US Urges Congress to Act in New Letter
The League of Women Voters of the United States and League chapters from all 50 states and the District of Columbia sent a letter to congressional leaders expressing strong concern over abandoning its duties and authorities under Article I of the US Constitution, urging leaders to address the unprecedented executive branch overreach threatening American democracy.
"This is a critical moment for congressional oversight, and Congress must do its part to ensure that our great democracy is preserved and protected," said Marcia Johnson, chief counsel at the League. "The outcry from Americans speaking out against the impact of these executive orders should be all that is needed for Congress to stand in its authority and restore stability to our system of government."
The letter emphasizes that while federal courts have already enjoined several of these executive actions, Congress has not exercised its constitutional oversight. The League and its supporters urge Congress to exercise its authority to protect the rule of law, defend the Constitution, and rein in the executive branch's overreach. Read the letter here.
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DONATE TO YOUR STATE AND LOCAL LEAGUES TO SUPPORT OUR WORK
Make a tax-deductible donation to the LWV of Arizona Education Fund—a 501(c)(3) organization—to support our civic engagement and educational programs.
LWVAZ ED FUND Your gift here directly funds state-level education initiatives Making Democracy Work.
You can also make a non-tax-deductible donation to the LWV of Arizona 501(c)(4) to support our advocacy, lobbying efforts, and actions that Empower Voters and Defend Democracy.
And don't forget to donate to your local League! Visit their website, accessible through the links on our homepage, to contribute to their community-driven efforts.
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