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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
VETOED
academic standards; social studies; geography
Purpose
Expands the high school social studies academic standards to include geography and instruction on the Gulf of America.
Background
Statute requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to prescribe a
minimum course of study, academic standards and competency requirements for
common schools and high schools. The SBE-prescribed high school social studies
academic standards must include: 1) personal finance; 2) American civics
education; and 3) a comparative discussion of political ideologies, such as
communism and totalitarianism, that conflict with the principles of freedom and
democracy that are essential to the founding principles of the United States.
The SBE's rules require a student to complete three credits of social studies
for high school graduation, including: 1) one credit of American history; 2)
one credit of world history/geography; 3) one-half credit of American
government; and 4) one-half credit in economics. A school district governing
board must prescribe curricula that includes the academic standards prescribed
by the SBE (A.R.S.
§§ 15-701
and 15-701.01;
A.A.C.
R7-2-302).
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14172 renaming the area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The Executive Order instructs the U.S. Secretary of Interior to take all appropriate actions to rename the Gulf, including updating the U.S. Geographical Names Information System to reflect the renaming and removing all references to the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. Board on Geographic Names must also provide guidance to ensure all federal references to the Gulf of America, including on agency maps, contracts, and other documents and communications reflect the renaming.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the SBE to include geography in the high school social studies academic standards.
2. Requires the high school academic standards for geography to include instruction on the Gulf of America.
3. Determines that the SBE is not required to include instruction on the Gulf of America in the social studies academic standards until the SBE next updates the social studies academic standards.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Governor's Veto Message
The Governor indicates in her veto message that, instead of working to lower costs, secure the border, create jobs and protect public education, the Legislature has chosen to attempt to dictate how teachers refer to geographical features. The Governor states that she encourages refocusing on solving real problems for Arizonans.
House Action Senate Action
ED 2/18/25 DP 6-5-0-1 ED 3/26/25 DP 4-3-0
3rd Read 3/5/25 35-25-3 3rd Read 5/6/25 17-11-2
Vetoed by the Governor 5/13/25
Prepared by Senate Research
May 14, 2025
MH/KK/ci