The U.S. Senate is poised to vote Monday on the Women’s Health Protection Act, which has less to do with protecting women and more to do with abortion and the transgender movement.

The WHPA would enshrine abortion into federal law, superseding state abortion laws. It claims pro-life laws are “rooted in misogyny,” and the act is needed to protect “all people with the capacity for pregnancy – cisgender women, transgender men, non-binary individuals…”

It would prohibit:

• Commonsense safety regulations on the abortion pill
• Requirements for a doctor’s visit or pre-abortion tests
• Any limitations on timing of abortions prior to viability
• Regulations that require hospital access in the case of an emergency
• And it would negate state laws requiring abortion doctors provide women with information about alternatives.

It is the abortion industry’s dream.

Call Arizona Senators Mark Kelly at 202-224-2235 and Kyrsten Sinema at 202-224-4521and urge them to vote NO on the Women’s Health Protection Act.

Successful compromise at AZ Capitol

Two major CAP-supported bills made it out of their chambers, crossing over to be considered in the opposite chamber, but it wasn’t without necessary compromise.

As witness to the divided opinions and interests of lawmakers and parents alike, Representative Steve Kaiser’s  HB 2161 passed out of the House after amendments were agreed upon on the House floor. Compromises are often a necessity of passing important legislation – even if not ideal. The bill narrowly passed along party lines with a vote of 31-28-1. HB 2161 makes needed updates to Arizona law protecting parents’ fundamental rights to direct the upbringing, healthcare, and wellbeing of their children. It requires schools to get parental permission before distributing surveys to students with probing and even personal questions of students, and it ensures parents have access to their child’s medical and education records, among other things.

Despite opposition, the full Senate passed SB 1138  along party lines with a vote of 16-12-2. This is Senator Warren Peterson’s bill that initially prohibited puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and gender surgeries for minors. It failed in committee and was brought back in part by Senator Tyler Pace. Senator Pace would not support a prohibition on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors, only a prohibition on gender surgeries for minors. SB 1138 prohibits such surgeries, which are irreversible and life changing. So too are the effects of taking puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, according to doctors, testimony, and data.

Big support for CAP-supported bills

Arizona lawmakers on both sides of the aisle don’t agree on much, but this week all 60 House members, save one absent, voted in favor of Rep. Steve Kaiser’s HB 2659, which protects Arizonans with disabilities from discrimination in the organ transplant process.

Another bill that received widespread support across party lines is Rep. Ben Toma’s  HB 2507, which deems churches and other religious organizations essential services during a public emergency. It passed the full House with a vote of 37-22-1.

A third CAP-supported bill received bipartisan support when the full House passed Rep. Ben Toma’s  HB 2693 by a vote of 51-8-1. The bill adjusts the dollar amounts for the tax credit for charitable contributions for agencies serving the working poor to bring them in line with inflation.

Up next week

Some Arizona House members will be voting on at least two major CAP-supported bills; one would protect girls and women athletes and the other would protect preborn babies from abortion.

The House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony and cast a vote Wednesday on Senator Nancy Barto’s SB 1165, which is the Save Women’s Sports bill that prohibits biological boys from competing on girls’ and women’s sports teams. The bill ensures all students can play, and it ensures a fair playing field for girls and women. The need for this legislation continues to be apparent as we witness more and more examples of biological males taking medals, opportunities, and scholarships away from deserving female athletes. Read here for the latest example.

The House Judiciary Committee will also hear testimony and vote on another bill sponsored by Senator Nancy Barto, SB 1164. This is the pro-life bill that is similar to Mississippi’s 15-week abortion limit, prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks gestation. If it passes the full House and is signed by Governor Ducey, and if the U.S. Supreme Court upholds Mississippi’s law in the Dobbs case this term, Arizona will protect preborn babies at the earliest stage since Roe took effect in 1973.

ICYMI –

• Read here about how CAP-supported bill, SB 1211, would help Arizona schools and parents by taking the guess work out of curriculum.
• The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a major free speech case brought by Alliance Defending Freedom that has great religious freedom implications. Read about it here. Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich signed an amicus brief in defense of free speech and religious freedom. Read it here.
• Read here how some are fighting back against the “war on parents,” and how schools are undermining those rights by keeping a students’ “transition” from parents.
• Read here about a secret teacher’s portal in CA that encourages educators to push a “Black Lives Matter” and LGBTQ agenda, including a pronoun survey and invitation to meet privately with teachers about the students’ gender identity.