By Gloria Gomez/UA Don Bolles Fellow/AZ Mirror PHOENIX — Foster kids in Arizona overwhelmingly outnumber licensed foster families, and a bill on Gov. Doug Ducey’s desk could shrink their options even further by allowing agencies to deny applicants based on religious beliefs. The bill would shield foster and adoption providers from discrimination on the basis…
By Gloria Gomez/UA Don Bolles Fellow/AZ Mirror PHOENIX — Arizona could find itself the target of lawsuits from the U.S. Department of Justice over recent anti-trans legislation. Yesterday, the department’s Civil Rights Division sent a letter to all state attorneys general warning of legal action against laws that potentially violate constitutional and federal non-discrimination protections. “All persons…
By Gloria Gomez/UA Don Bolles Fellow/AZ Mirror PHOENIX — Her voice shaking with emotion, State Superintendent Kathy Hoffman assured trans kids across Arizona Thursday of her support and acceptance, a strong contrast to the anti-trans rhetoric created by recent legislation. “We will always stand up for you. We will always have your back, and you…
By Gloria Gomez/UA Don Bolles Fellow/AZ Mirror PHOENIX — With the stroke of a pen Wednesday, Gov. Doug Ducey made it illegal for Arizona women to seek an abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy — even if they became pregnant because they were raped. The legislation, which will go into effect 90 days after the…
By Gloria Gomez/UA Don Bolles Fellow/AZ Mirror PHOENIX — In a move against transgender youth in Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey signed new laws barring them from participating in girls’ and womens’ sports, and from obtaining gender reassignment surgery. Senate Bill 1138 prohibits doctors from providing genital reassignment surgery to minors, including mastectomies or mammoplasties to feminize…
