PHOENIX -- The culture wars are back at the state Capitol.
This time, Sen. John Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican, thinks the election results suggest public sentiment is on his side on the issue of transgender rights, and that Democrats who opposed his proposals in the past are now paying attention.
One law he proposes would prohibit school employees from referring to a student by a pronoun that does not match his or her biological sex. And by that, Kavanagh means the sex at the time of birth as determined by anatomy, he told Capitol Media Services Tuesday.
Only if a parent gave consent would his Senate Bill 1002 allow a teacher to use a different pronoun.
More far reaching is his SB 1003, which would prohibit the use of restrooms, locker rooms and any sleeping quarters designated for one sex by those of the "opposite" sex.
"I think some Democrats got the message that people think they are totally out of touch with society on all of these social, transgender issues," Kavanagh said.
Kavanagh did include language requiring schools to make "reasonable accommodations'' for those who refuse to use the facility that aligns with their "immutable biological sex.'' Accommodation can include a single-occupancy restroom or changing facility, or use by students of a facility normally reserved for employees.
"The people in my party who didn't want me to be a senator any more, there were other excuses they could have come up with to do what they did," Bennett said.
Kavanagh said he thinks that vote to kill his ballot proposal is the reason Bennett's constituents voted not to return him to office. With Bennett gone and a slightly larger GOP majority in the Legislature, Kavanagh figures he's got the votes for a 2026 ballot measure.
"I think the public has a right to know if the Democrats, especially swing district Democrats, have seen the light, or if they're still far left on these social issues," he said. "But I still wouldn't rule out the governor signing this."
"Instead of coming up with new ways to target and isolate our children," Hobbs said in rejecting previous bills aimed at transgender youth. "We should be working together to create an Arizona where everyone has freedom without fear of harassment or judgment."
The governor stated: "I will not sign legislation that attacks Arizonans."