Back to Arizona

SB1025 • 2026

science curricula; evolution; intelligent design

SB1025 - science curricula; evolution; intelligent design

Education
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
David C. Farnsworth
Last action
2026-01-14
Official status
Senate second read
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Teaching Evolution and Intelligent Design

This bill requires Arizona public schools to teach intelligent design alongside evolution when teaching about evolution.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires public schools to teach intelligent design if they teach evolution by natural selection.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Arizona public school students and teachers
  • School districts that decide what is taught in science classes

Terms To Know

evolution by natural selection
The theory explaining how species change over time through the process of natural selection.
intelligent design
A concept suggesting that certain features of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause rather than random processes.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how schools should teach or balance the two theories.
  • The bill has passed both chambers but its final status is unclear as it may need further action before becoming law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-14 Senate

    Senate second read

  2. 2026-01-12 Senate

    Senate Rules: None

  3. 2026-01-12 Senate

    Senate Education: None

  4. 2026-01-12 Senate

    Senate first read

Official Summary Text

SB1025 - science curricula; evolution; intelligent design

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SB1025 - 572R - I Ver

PREFILED��� DEC 11 2025

REFERENCE TITLE:
science curricula; evolution; intelligent design

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SB 1025

Introduced by

Senator
Farnsworth

AN
ACT

amending title 15, chapter 7, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-709; relating to school
curricula.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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 15-709, to read:

START_STATUTE
15-709.

Science curricula; instructional requirements

Notwithstanding any other law, a public school
may provide instruction in evolution by natural selection only if the school
provides concurrent instruction in intelligent design.
END_STATUTE