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HB2646 • 2026

children's bill of rights

HB2646 - children's bill of rights

Children Education Parental Rights
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Sarah Liguori, Anna Abeytia, Cesar Aguilar, Lorena Austin, Junelle Cavero, Janeen Connolly, Oscar De Los Santos, Nancy Gutierrez, Aaron Márquez, Mae Peshlakai, Mariana Sandoval, Stephanie Simacek, Betty J Villegas, Analise Ortiz
Last action
2026-01-21
Official status
House second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Children's Bill of Rights

This bill establishes a Children's Bill of Rights in Arizona that outlines fundamental rights for children.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new chapter in the Arizona Revised Statutes called 'Children's Rights'.
  • Establishes a list of fundamental rights for children, including knowing and having a relationship with their parents.
  • Gives children the right to health care services without needing parental consent, especially regarding contraception, pregnancy-related care, sexually transmitted diseases, substance use disorders, or mental illness.
  • Ensures that children have the right to receive education at public schools even if their parents prefer homeschooling.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Children in Arizona
  • Parents and guardians of children

Terms To Know

Fundamental rights
Basic rights that are essential for a child's well-being and development.
Child's best interest
The principle that decisions affecting children should be made in their best interest, considering what is most beneficial for the child.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how these rights will be enforced or funded.
  • Does not provide details on how conflicts between parental and child's wishes regarding education will be resolved.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-21 House

    House second read

  2. 2026-01-20 House

    House Rules: None

  3. 2026-01-20 House

    House Health & Human Services: None

  4. 2026-01-20 House

    House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2646 - children's bill of rights

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB2646 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
children's bill of rights

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2646

Introduced by

Representatives
Liguori: Abeytia, Aguilar, Austin, Cavero, Connolly, De Los Santos,
Gutierrez, M�rquez, Peshlakai, Sandoval, Simacek, Villegas;� Senator Ortiz

AN
ACT

amending title 8, arizona revised
statutes, by adding chapter 7; relating to children's rights.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 8, Arizona Revised Statutes,
is amended by adding chapter 7, to read:

CHAPTER 7

CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

ARTICLE 1. CHILDREN'S BILL OF
RIGHTS

START_STATUTE
8-931.

Children's bill of rights; fundamental rights; child's best
interest; parental relationship; health care; education; definition

A. A child's rights as provided in
this section are fundamental rights and any law or rule that burdens a child's
rights shall be in the child's best interest, shall be narrowly tailored to
further a compelling government interest and shall include the consideration of
the child's expressed interest.� A CHILD has the following fundamental rights:

1. To know and have a relationship
with the child's parent or parents.� This right includes the right to visit and
communicate with the child's parent or parents if the child's parent or parents
are detained or incarcerated without the imposition of conditions that would
unduly obstruct or limit the child's visitation and communication with the
child's parent or parents.

2. To health care.� A child shall be
considered competent to consent to the health care services prescribed in this
paragraph whether or not the child is a minor and with or without the consent
of the child's parent or parents.� A child shall have the right to health care
that includes the right to request and receive confidential health care
services relating to all of the following:

(
a
) Contraception,
pregnancy testing, prenatal care and other pregnancy-related care.

(
b
) Prevention,
diagnosis or treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

(
c
) Substance
use disorders or mental illness
.

3. To receive education at a public
school.� NOtwithstanding a parent's right to direct the child's education, a
child's right to an education includes the right of a child to express the
desire to receive education at a public school and to be enrolled in a public
school with the right to in-person instruction.

B. For the purposes of this section,
"parent":

1. means:

(
a
) A natural
or adoptive parent of a child.

(
b
) A legal
guardian of a CHILD or a person who is legally responsible for the child's
welfare.

(
c
) A person
who is acting as the parent of a CHILD and with whom the child lives or has
previously lived.

2. Does not include this state, if
the child is in the care and custody of the department of CHILD safety.
END_STATUTE