Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoes bill that would have codified biological sex, not gender, into law

The governor also vetoed a bill that would have permitted teachers to have copies of the Ten Commandments in their classrooms, Fox News reported.

Senate Bill 1682, known as the "Arizona Women's Bill of Rights," would have defined the biological sexes as exclusively male or female and made it "objective and fixed."

"Any other term that is intended to convey a person's subjective sense of self and may not be used as a synonym or substitute for the term sex" would be excluded, along with gender identity, the bill reads.

Additionally, the Republican Caucus stated that it would have maintained single-sex areas "to ensure girls’ and women’s protection and privacy in those spaces, while not changing current law or creating new restrictions on anyone’s legal rights."

In a statement explaining her veto, according to Fox News, Hobbs said she "will not sign legislation that attacks Arizonans."

Republican Senate president Warren Petersen slammed the veto and said in a statement: "Instead of helping these confused boys and men, Democrats are only fueling the disfunction by pretending biological sex doesn't matter."

"Our daughters, granddaughters, nieces, and neighbors are growing up in a dangerous time where they are living with an increased risk of being victimized in public bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms because Democrats are now welcoming biological males into what used to be traditionally safe, single-sex spaces," added Warren.

Furthermore, Hobbs vetoed SB 1151, which would have changed the state law to allow teachers and administrators in any school to read or display copies or passages from the Ten Commandments in any school building.

Hobbs defended the veto in a letter, calling the bill "unnecessary" and raising concerns about the constitutionality of it.

Republican Senator Anthony Kern, a co-sponsor of the bill, called Hobbs's decision to veto "appalling."

"I'm appalled the state's top elected official is abandoning God and the very foundation our country was built upon by not allowing teachers to expose their students to the morals and ethics outlined in the Ten Commandments," said Kern in a statement.

"When children are exposed to good, noble, honest, and righteous ideas, they are more prone to being better human beings with sound character, able to navigate life's problems with grace, and have a greater chance of treating each other with respect and dignity throughout life," he added.