Arizona Governor Veto Bill Requiring Adoption Information in Contraception and STI Services

PHOENIX — Arizona won't require schools and colleges that discuss contraception and sexually transmitted diseases to also tell students about adoption.

Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed House Bill 2040 late Tuesday, a measure that would have mandated the sharing of adoption information with students seeking medical attention or advice about contraception and sexually transmitted infections.

The proposal came from Rep. Rachel Keshel, a Republican from Tucson, who described it as a reaction to Proposition 139, a 2024 ballot measure that provides a constitutional right for women to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability, generally considered between 22 and 24 weeks.

"It seems to me to be more pro-abortion and not pro-choice," Keshel said. "And we don't talk enough about the other choices that people might have."

Keshel said she heard from a young woman who told the story of having an abortion at age 16 because she thought there was no other option. "These young women don't even realize the potential for them to actually look into the option of adoption," she said. Keshel noted that three of her five children are adopted.

She called HB 2040 "real pro-choice."

But the measure drew a skeptical response from Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, a Democrat from Tucson. "What this bill does is it talks about adoption as an alternative to contraception," Gutierrez said.

That is a flawed approach, she said. Consider, she said, a student going into a university health center looking for contraception — only to have to hear irrelevant information about adoption practices in the United States, adoption-related resources and support in Arizona, and a "safe haven" law that allows women to anonymously surrender a newborn at certain locations without facing criminal penalties.

The concept of adoption as an alternative to contraception also drew criticism from Jodi Liggett, who represents Reproductive Freedom for All in Arizona. "That strikes us as irresponsible," Liggett testified when the measure was heard in the House Education Committee.

What that also ignores, she said, is that contraceptives are not just for preventing pregnancy but also can be used for other purposes. "Awareness of adoption law means nothing to a student who's trying to use medically accurate information about a sexually transmitted infection," Liggett said. "And it's even less relevant in STI tests."

The legislation also drew a skeptical response from Isela Blanc, who lobbies for the Arizona Education Association, at least as to how it would affect K-12 schools. Blanc said that many years ago, there were active programs in Arizona schools designed to provide sex education as well as awareness of preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

She said, though, that lawmakers changed the laws to allow such programs only when a parent has given affirmative permission for a student to participate. Blanc said the opt-in program has proven so difficult to administer that many schools have simply decided not to offer sex education at all.

Hobbs mentioned none of that debate in her veto message.

"We should focus on solutions that will actually lead to placing more children into safe and loving homes instead of placing onerous burdens on public education institutions that require adoption information to be provided in inappropriate settings," the governor wrote.

Hobbs also said she is "fully supportive of efforts to bolster adoption rates," saying that is why she has increased financial support for foster care families and children.

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Sources:

1. Arizona Capitol Times — https://azcapitoltimes.com/hobbs-vetoes-bill-linking-contraception-education-to-adoption

2. KJZZ — https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2026-04-08/hobbs-vetoes-bill-to-mandate-adoption-education-alongside-stis-contraceptives-in-schools

3. Tucson.com — https://tucson.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/article_91329415-7726-45cf-b097-757676196201.html