PHOENIX — Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed an anti-trans bill that targeted preferred pronoun use in Arizona schools. In her veto letter, the governor promised that she would reject all similar bills in the future.
The bill in question, SB 1001, would have forbidden school employees from using a pronoun that differs from a "student's biological sex" if they have not gotten written permission from the student's family.
It also would have prevented school employees from referring to students by nicknames that were not "commonly associated with the student's name on record."
Gov. Hobbs, however, admonished the notion in her veto letter for the bill.
"As politicians across the country continue to pass harmful legislation directed at transgender youth, I have a clear message to the people of Arizona: I will veto every bill that aims to attack and harm children," she wrote.
"I want to thank the young people that bravely testified against SB 1001 at the Legislature. To you, I promise to be an ally and uplift your story."
RELATED: Arizona bill forces teachers to get parental consent before using student's preferred pronouns
Fountain Hills Republican state Sen. John Kavanagh introduced the bill at the start of the legislative session in January.
Multiple lawsuits have been filed across the country in recent years by parents who objected to schools addressing students by the child's preferred pronouns. Some schools in other states have begun implementing policies to prohibit teachers from using preferred pronouns without parental consent.
Critics of such policies are concerned that these practices would force teachers to reveal transgender students to parents who may not be accepting of their gender identity.
Last year, the U.S. Department of Education issued a notice announcing it would enforce Title XI's protections that prohibit discrimination against a student's sexual orientation or gender identity.
You can read Gov. Hobbs' full letter below:
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