AZ governor signs bill to expand protections for parental rights
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Matt Sharp regarding Gov. Doug Ducey’s signing Friday of HB 2161, a bill that builds on Arizona’s existing Parental Bill of Rights to ensure that parents are free to direct the upbringing, care, and education of their children:
“Parents have the right to raise and educate their children consistent with their beliefs and values without fear of being unjustly punished by government. HB 2161 defends that right by strengthening Arizona’s existing Parental Bill of Rights, making Arizona one of the strongest defenders of parental rights in the country. We’ve seen growing instances nationwide of public school and government officials actively seeking to replace parents as the ultimate determiners of what’s best for children, so we are thankful that Arizona is taking the lead in guaranteeing that parental rights are protected. We commend Gov. Ducey and the Arizona Legislature for enacting this vital legislation so Arizona’s parents can continue to oversee the upbringing and education of their 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.