Plain English Breakdown
The official status indicates a gubernatorial veto occurred, but the source does not confirm if this veto was overridden by the legislature.
SB1572: Return to Civics Instruction Act
This bill requires public schools in Arizona to observe Celebrate Freedom Week with specific civics instruction and allows students to be excused from reciting a passage of the Declaration of Independence under certain conditions.
What This Bill Does
- Requires all public schools to observe Celebrate Freedom Week each year.
- Mandates instruction on the original intent, meaning, importance, and historical context of the Declaration of Independence for grades one through twelve.
- Mandates instruction on the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, for grades one through twelve.
- Requires instruction on how ideas in the Declaration of Independence relate to American diversity as a nation of immigrants, the American Revolution, the creation of the Constitution, and the abolitionist movement (including its links to the Emancipation Proclamation and women's suffrage).
- Requires students in grades three through twelve to recite a specific passage from the Declaration of Independence unless they are excused.
- Allows parents or schools to excuse students from the recitation based on written requests, conscientious objections, or if the parent is a foreign government representative with diplomatic immunity.
- Directs the State Board of Education to ensure that religious references in founding documents are not removed.
Who It Names or Affects
- Public school districts and their governing bodies
- Students enrolled in grades one through twelve
- Parents or legal guardians of students, including foreign government representatives with diplomatic immunity
- The Arizona State Board of Education
Terms To Know
- Celebrate Freedom Week
- An instructional week that includes September 17 or a different week chosen by the school's governing body.
- Conscientious objection
- A personal moral or religious belief held by a student that prevents them from participating in an activity, such as reciting text.
Limits and Unknowns
- The bill was vetoed by the governor on June 19, 2026, so it did not become law unless lawmakers overrode the veto.
- The source does not specify how schools must schedule or fund these new instruction requirements.