Senator Sine Kerr introduces “Arizona Women’s Bill Of Rights”

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A new bill introduced in the Arizona state capitol that some are describing as an anti-trans proposal. 

It's nicknamed "Arizona Women's Bill of Rights," and while the local senator who introduced the bill says it's to protect women and girls, those opposed say it would erase arizona's transgender community. 

Senate Bill (SB) 1628, introduced by Arizona Senator Sine Kerr, would bring clarity and consistency to state laws and would replace "gender" with "sex" in state law along with including the definitions for boy, girl, men, women, mother and father.

"So I think you know the most important thing about not only SB 1628, but just all of the anti LGBTQ legislation we're seeing in Arizona is that our community has always been here, you know we've been here before, with fewer allies and fewer resources."

Bridget Sharpe, Human Rights Campaign Arizona Director

Sharpe shares the impact a bill like SB 1628 would have saying, "And so legislation, like SB 1628, is simply you know, a piece of legislation that is not popular whatsoever it, you know, aims to erase LGBTQ folks."

On the other hand, Gary Snyder, a local Republican candidate running for Arizona Representative for District 25 says otherwise.

"This is not eliminating anyone. This is just certifying what of biological female is and their rights as a vice versa, what is a biological male and their rights," Snyder explains.

The bill would also prevent men who identify as women from participating in women's sports, winning women's scholarships, and accessing women-designed spaces like locker rooms and restrooms.

"So we want to make sure that you have the opportunities as well to have your own sports, your own restrooms, your own habitat, that you decide to be safe in," Snyder adds.

Governor Katie Hobbs has vetoed anti-LGBTQ plus bills in the past including:

• SB 1040, which would have banned trans students and school personnel from using restrooms that match their gender identity.
• SB 1001, which  would have made it illegal for school personnel to respect the pronouns of trans or non biary students without written parental permission.
• SB 1005 which would have left schools open to lawsuits for providing safe spaces for lgbtq plus students.

Even if the bill passes through the legislature, it will eventually need the signature of Governor Hobbs, which if her previous vetoes are any indications, it looks like the bill would not become law.