patriotic youth groups; school access

Plain English Breakdown

The official source confirms the bill was signed by the Governor on March 12, 2026, but lists the effective date as 'general effective date' rather than a specific calendar day.

SB1370: School Access for Patriotic Youth Groups

This law allows public school principals to let representatives from specific patriotic youth groups speak to students and share materials, while stopping schools from denying these groups access based on their membership rules or oaths.

What This Bill Does

• Allows a principal to invite representatives from listed patriotic youth groups to address students during regular class time in the first quarter of the school year about how they support education and civic involvement.
• Requires group representatives to ask for permission verbally or in writing within the first two weeks of the school year.
• Permits principals to accept materials provided by these groups, review them if needed, and distribute them directly to students on school property.
• Prohibits public schools from denying equal access or discriminating against any patriotic youth group that wants to hold a meeting in an open forum.
• Specifically bans discrimination based on the group's membership rules, leadership criteria, or oath of allegiance to God and country.

Who It Names or Affects

• Public school principals who decide whether to allow these groups to speak or share materials.
• Students in public schools during their first quarter of the academic year.
• Representatives from nine specific federally chartered patriotic youth organizations listed in U.S. law and their state affiliates.

Terms To Know

Patriotic Youth Group

An organization that serves people under age 21, promotes patriotism and civic involvement, and is one of nine specific groups named in federal law or their state affiliates.

Open Forum

A designated space where the public can meet, which schools cannot deny to these patriotic youth groups based on their beliefs or rules.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law only applies during the first quarter of each academic school year for student addresses.
• Principals have full discretion to decide whether to allow a group to speak and can review materials before distribution.
• The text does not specify what happens if a principal denies access without using one of the prohibited reasons.

Official Summary Text

SB1370 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
ED������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ AS
ENACTED

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

ENACTED

FACT SHEET FOR
H.B. 2312/S.B. 1370

patriotic youth
groups; school access.

Purpose

Authorizes a
public school principal (principal) to allow representatives from a recognized
patriotic youth group to address students during regular school hours in the
first quarter of an academic school year. Allows a principal to accept
materials provided by the patriotic youth group for distribution to students
and prohibits a public school from discriminating against, or denying access
to, any patriotic youth group that wishes to conduct a meeting.

Background

U.S. Code
designates various federally chartered corporations as Patriotic and National
Organizations, including: 1) Big Brothers-Big Sisters of America; 2) Boy Scouts
of America;

3) Boys & Girls Clubs of America; 4) Civil Air Patrol; 5) Future Farmers of
America; 6) Girls Scouts of the United States of America; 7) Little League
Baseball; 8) Marine Corps League; and 9) Naval Sea Cadet Corps (
36
U.S.C., Subtitle II, Part B
).

There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Authorizes, in the first quarter of each academic school year, a
principal to allow representatives from any patriotic youth group to address
students during regular school hours about how the patriotic youth group
supports educational interests and civic involvement, as determined by the
principal.�

2.

Requires a representative of the patriotic youth group that seeks to
address students at a public school to submit a verbal or written request to
the principal during the first two weeks of an academic school year.

3.

Allows a principal, after receiving a request, to provide the patriotic
youth group with verbal or written approval that includes the date and time
that the patriotic youth group's representatives may address students.

4.

Allows a principal to accept materials that a patriotic youth group or
the patriotic youth group's representatives provide for distribution to
students.

5.

Specifies that, if a principal accepts provided materials, the principal
must ensure that the materials are distributed directly to students on school
property.

6.

Specifies that a principal may request prior access to the provided
materials for approval and determine the method of distribution directly to
students.

7.

Prohibits a public school from discriminating against or denying equal
access or a fair opportunity to meet to any patriotic youth group that wishes
to conduct a meeting within a designated open forum or limited public forum.

8.

Includes, in the prohibition on public schools, discriminating or
denying access or opportunity to patriotic youth group for reasons based on the
patriotic youth group's membership, leadership criteria or oath of allegiance
to God and country.�

9.

Defines

patriotic youth group
as any group or organization that:

a)

serves individuals who are younger than 21 years old;

b)

has an educational purpose that promotes patriotism and civic
involvement; and

c)

is one of the following patriotic organizations, or the state affiliate
of the patriotic organization:

i.

Big Brothers-Big Sisters of America;

ii.

Boy
Scouts of America;

iii.

Boys & Girls
Clubs of America;

iv.

Civil Air
Patrol;

v.

Future
Farmers of America;

vi.

Girl Scouts of
the United States of America;

vii.

Little League Baseball;

viii.

Marine Corps League;
or

ix.

Naval Sea Cadet Corps.

10.

Becomes
effective on the general effective date.

House Action
����������������������������������������������������������
Senate
Action

ED������������������ 2/3/26���������� DP������ 6-5-0-1����������� ED������������������ 2/4/26������������ DP��������� 7-0-0�������������������������

3
rd

Read��������� 2/24/26�������������������� 37-18-5����������� 3
rd

Read��������� 3/3/26��������������������������� 19-11-0

(H.B. 2312 was substituted for
S.B. 1370 on 3
rd
Read)

Signed by the Governor on 3/12/26

Chapter 5

Prepared by Senate Research

March 17, 2026

MH/SM/hk

Current Bill Text

SB1370 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

patriotic youth
groups; school access

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1370

AN
ACT

Amending Title 15, chapter 1, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-120.08; relating to school
access.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Title 15, chapter 1, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-120.08, to read:

START_STATUTE
15-120.08.

Patriotic youth groups; school access; discrimination prohibited;
definition

A. During the first quarter of each
academic school year, the principal of a public school may allow
representatives from any patriotic youth group to address students
, AS DETERMINED BY THE PRINCIPAL, during regular school hours about
how the patriotic youth group supports educational interests and civic
involvement. A representative of the patriotic youth group that
SEEKS to address students at a public school shall submit a verbal or
written request to the principal during the first two weeks of the academic
school year.� After receiving the request, the principal may provide the
patriotic youth group with verbal or written approval that includes the date
and time the representative of the patriotic youth group may address the
students.

B. The principal of a public school
MAY ACCEPT MATERIALS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY A PATRIOTIC YOUTH GROUP OR
ITS REPRESENTATIVES FOR DISTRIBUTION TO STUDENTS. iF THE PRINCIPAL
ACCEPTS MATERIALS PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION, THE PRINCIPAL shall ensure that
THE materials are distributed directly to students on school
property. The principal may request prior access to the materials
for approval and may determine the method of distribution directly to students.

C. A public school may not deny equal
access or a fair opportunity to meet to, or discriminate against, any patriotic
youth group that wishes to conduct a meeting within that designated open forum
or limited public forum, including denying such access or opportunity or
discriminating for reasons based on the patriotic youth group's membership or
leadership criteria or oath of allegiance to God and country.

D. For the purposes of this section,
"patriotic youth group" means any group or organization that
meets all of the following:

1. Serves individuals who are under
twenty-one years of age.

2. Has an educational purpose that
promotes patriotism and civic involvement.

3. Is
either:

(
a
)
listed in 36 United States Code, subtitle II, part B
, chapter 301, 309, 311, 403, 709, 803, 1305, 1401 or 1541 on the
effective date of this section.

(
b
) The state
affiliate of a group or organization described in subdivision (
a
) of this paragraph
.

END_STATUTE