Frequently Searched

Academic Transparency

Civil Forfeiture

Critical Race Theory

Right to Try

School Choice

Arizona Legislature Approves Historic Constitutional Amendment to Stop DEI

June 12, 2026
by Matt Beienburg

Arizona lawmakers just greenlit the strongest protections against race-based discrimination and “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) of any state in the nation, sending a major new state constitutional amendment to the ballot in November.

HCR2044, sponsored by Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro, passed both chambers of the Arizona legislature. The Goldwater Institute measure now heads to the November ballot where, if approved by the voters, it will enshrine permanent protections against racially discriminatory DEI practices and programming throughout all state institutions, including K-12 schools and universities.

This measure will close an existing loophole in the state constitution that allows the federal government to push Arizona institutions to adopt race-based discrimination under the guise of “affirmative action.”  It will permanently shut down DEI offices and trainings throughout state government, while also prohibiting the use of “diversity statements” designed to screen out job applicants who refuse to endorse DEI.

Not only that, it will prohibit public educational institutions from requiring students to take DEI courses in order to graduate.  This is especially critical, as recent Goldwater Institute reports have uncovered practices across our state universities mandating students to take courses steeped in DEI simply to graduate, or to graduate with honors.

Critically, this measure does not depend on the labels or euphemisms that DEI advocates employ to rebrand their discriminatory ideology.

Once passed by voters this fall, the measure will ensure that race-based discrimination is never again used to distort the equal opportunity of Arizonans, regardless of who sits in the White House or on the U.S. Supreme Court.

 

 

More on this issue
Defeating DEI

Donate Now

Help all Americans live freer, happier lives. Join the Goldwater Institute as we defend and strengthen freedom in all 50 states.

Donate Now

Since 1988, the Goldwater Institute has been in the liberty business — defending and promoting freedom, and achieving more than 400 victories in all 50 states. Donate today to help support our mission.

We Protect Your Rights

Our attorneys defend individual rights and protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Need Help? Submit a case.
Join our pro-bono attorney network.

Get Connected to Goldwater

Sign up for the latest news, event updates, and more.

Wait! Don’t close this yet!

We are grateful for your support of the Goldwater Institute’s efforts to advance and defend liberty throughout the United States. For over 36 years, we’ve been defending the rights of Americans to live their lives free from government interference.

And Goldwater is unique in that we direct our efforts to the 50 states where we introduce and advance innovative ideas that expand freedom. And we fight in courtrooms and capitals nationwide to defend individual liberty.

In 2024 alone, we scored over 50 policy and litigation victories defending liberty!

And that’s just the beginning.

Our plans for 2025 include:

  • Stopping pernicious DEI and other woke programs in America’s universities.
  • Ensuring that patients suffering from rare and terminal diseases have access to cutting-edge, lifesaving medical treatments, without having to first seek permission from the government.
  • Defending parental rights across the United States so that parents can send their kids to the school that best fits their needs, free from leftist indoctrination.
  • Eliminating government interference in the fundamental right of individuals to own property and use it as they see fit.
  • And much, much more

We seek to restore the presumption of liberty; that people are free to act without first asking permission from the government.

But we cannot do this without you. Will you join us as we fight to preserve and advance liberty throughout the country? As we seek new and innovative ways to defend freedom in all 50 states?

And there’s great news: Thanks to a generous Goldwater supporter, your donation today will be doubled!

So please, join us in fighting to advance liberty and score real wins for freedom from coast to coast!

Donate Now