AZ governor vetoes bill to protect children's privacy, safety
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Matt Sharp, director of the ADF Center for Public Policy, regarding Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’ veto Tuesday of the Arizona Accommodations for All Children Act, a bill that protects children at public schools from being forced to share shower facilities with the opposite sex:
“Now and always, schools have a duty to protect the privacy, safety, and dignity of all students. Letting boys into girls’ showers is an invasion of privacy and a threat to student safety. States must stand firm against the spread of policies that defy common sense, violate bodily privacy, and impact the most vulnerable members of our society. Sadly, Gov. Katie Hobbs’ misguided veto of the Arizona Accommodations for All Children Act evidences a blatant disregard for the privacy and safety of Arizona children. Protecting students from inappropriate exposure to members of the opposite sex is not only legal; it’s an important duty of officials who watch over our children.”
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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ABOUT Matt Sharp
Matt Sharp serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom, where he is the director of the Center for Public Policy. In this role, he leads ADF's team of policy experts as they craft legislation and advise government officials on policies that promote free speech, religious freedom, parental rights, and the sanctity of human life. Since joining ADF in 2010, Sharp has authored federal and state legislation, regularly provides testimony and legal analysis on how proposed legislation will impact constitutional freedoms, and advises governors, legislators, and state and national policy organizations on the importance of laws and policies that protect First Amendment rights. He has twice testified before the U.S. Congress on the importance of protecting free speech and religious liberty in federal law. Sharp also authored an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of nearly 9,000 students, parents, and community members asking the court to uphold students’ right to privacy against government intrusion. Sharp earned his J.D. in 2006 from the Vanderbilt University School of Law. A member of the bar in Georgia and Tennessee, he is also admitted to practice in several federal courts.