Official Summary Text
HB2830 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet
Assigned to
HHS������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ AS
PASSED BY COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR
h.b. 2830
fetal
and prenatal development; instruction
Purpose
Requires the State
Board of Education (SBE) to adopt age-appropriate academic standards in the
area of science that require prescribed instruction on fetal and prenatal human
development.
Background
The SBE must
prescribe a minimum course of study, academic standards and competency
requirements for common schools and high schools. The SBE-prescribed competency
requirements must include the academic standards in at least the areas of
reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies as adopted by the
SBE. A school district governing board must prescribe curricula according to
the SBE-prescribed academic standards and approve courses of study, units that
are recommended for credit and instructional materials. The SBE's rules require
students to demonstrate competency in the subject of health and physical
education, including mental health (A.R.S. ��
15-701
;
15-701.01
;
15-721
;
and
15-722
;
A.A.C.
R7-2-301
).
The SBE, in
adopting the course of study and competency requirements, must require that all
health instruction include mental health instruction. Mental health instruction
may be included in a health course or another existing course and must
incorporate the multiple dimensions of health by including mental health and
the relationship of physical and mental health (
A.R.S.
� 15-701.03
).
There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1.
Requires
the SBE to:
a)
determine the grade level or levels in which instruction on fetal and
prenatal development is appropriate;
b)
adopt academic standards in the area of science that require prescribed instruction
on fetal and prenatal human development that is age-appropriate, factual and
focused on only prenatal human development as a biological process;
c)
include instruction on fetal and prenatal human development in outlined
competency requirements in the area of science; and
d)
require that the provided instruction be descriptive and age appropriate
and not include instruction on sexual activity, sexual behavior, contraception,
abortion procedures or reproductive decision-making.
2.
Requires
the prescribed fetal and prenatal development instruction to include prenatal
human development that explains the biological process by which a human
develops from a single cell, through successive stages, before birth.
3.
Requires
the prescribed fetal and prenatal development instruction to include fertilization
and early cellular development, including:
a)
the formation of a zygote through the union of human reproductive cells;
b)
early cell division and growth;
c)
the development of a blastocyst; and
d)
implantation of the blastocyst into the uterine wall.
4.
Requires
the prescribed fetal and prenatal development instruction to include the stages
of prenatal development, including an overview of:
a)
the germinal stage that describes early development from the time of fertilization
until the time of implantation;
b)
the embryonic stage that describes the early structural formation,
including the development of foundational tissues and early organ systems; and
c)
the fetal stage that describes the growth and maturation of organs and
body systems from approximately the ninth week of development until birth.
5.
Requires
the prescribed fetal and prenatal development instruction to include major
developmental milestones, including:
a)
the formation of the brain and spinal cord;
b)
the development of the heart and circulatory system; and
c)
the formation of limbs, facial features and other identifiable human
structures.
6.
Requires
the prescribed fetal and prenatal development instruction to include supporting
biological structures that are necessary for development, including:
a)
the amniotic sac and amniotic fluid and their protective functions;
b)
the placenta and its role in removing waste and providing nutrients and
oxygen; and
c)
the umbilical cord and its function as a connection between the fetus
and the placenta.
7.
Requires
the prescribed fetal and prenatal development instruction to include general
principles of healthy prenatal development, including only biological and
physiological factors that support normal growth and organ development.
8.
Stipulates
that the prescribed instruction is not sex education and may not be classified
as sex education for the purposes of parental consent or opt-out requirements.
9.
Becomes
effective on the general effective date.
Amendments
Adopted by Committee
�
Removes the prohibition on a public school allowing abortion
providers or related organizations to provide or distribute health education
materials, instruction or programs.
House Action
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Senate
Action
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3
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Prepared by Senate Research
March 27, 2026
MM/SDR/ci
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HB2830 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
House Bill
fetal and prenatal
development; instruction
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
HOUSE BILL 2830
AN
ACT
amending title 15, chapter 7, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-712.02; relating to school
curricula.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAG
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 7, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-712.02, to read:
START_STATUTE
15-712.02.
Instruction on fetal development; requirements; parental notice
and opt out
A. The state board of education
shall:
1. Determine the grade level or
levels in which instruction on fetal and prenatal development is appropriate.
2. Adopt academic standards in the
area of science that require instruction on fetal and prenatal human
development that is consistent with the requirements prescribed in this section
and that is age-appropriate, factual and focused on only prenatal human
development as a biological process.
3. Include instruction on fetal and
prenatal human development in the competency requirements prescribed pursuant
to section 15-701 or 15-701.01, or both, in the area of science.
4. Require that instruction provided
pursuant to this section include an overview of all of the following:
(
a
) Prenatal
human development that explains the biological process by which a human
develops from a single cell, through successive stages, before birth.
(
b
) Fertilization
and early cellular development, including:
(
i
) The
formation of a zygote through the union of human reproductive cells.
(
ii
) Early cell
division and growth.
(
iii
) The
development of a blastocyst.
(
iv
) Implantation
of the blastocyst into the uterine wall.
(
c
) The stages
of prenatal development, including an overview of all of the following:
(
i
) the
germinal stage that describes early development from the time of fertilization
until the time of implantation.
(
ii
) The
embryonic stage that describes the early structural formation, including the
development of foundational tissues and early organ systems.
(
iii
) The fetal
stage that describes the growth and maturation of organs and body systems from
approximately the ninth week of development until birth.
(
d
) Major
developmental milestones, including:
(
i
) The
formation of the brain and spinal cord.
(
ii
) The
development of the heart and circulatory system.
(
iii
) The
formation of limbs, facial features and other identifiable human structures.
(
iv
) Ongoing
growth and maturation of organs during the fetal stage.
(
e
) Supporting
biological structures that are necessary for development, including:
(
i
) The
amniotic sac and amniotic fluid and their protective functions.
(
ii
) The
placenta and its role in providing nutrients and oxygen and removing waste.
(
iii
) The
umbilical cord and its function as a connection between the fetus and the
placenta.
(
f
) General
principles of healthy prenatal development, including only biological and
physiological factors that support normal growth and organ development.
5. Require that instruction provided
pursuant to this section meet both of the following:
(
a
) Be
descriptive and age appropriate.
(
b
) Not include
instruction on sexual activity, sexual behavior, contraception, abortion
procedures or reproductive decision-making.
B. Instruction required by this
section is not sex education and may not be classified as sex education for the
purposes of parental consent or opt-out requirements prescribed by this
title.
END_STATUTE