STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – The Arizona House of Representatives has passed HCR2042, a concurrent resolution sponsored by Speaker Steve Montenegro that expands prohibitions on preferential treatment and discrimination based on race or ethnicity in public education, hiring, and contracting. The measure now moves to the Senate for consideration. If approved, it will be placed on the ballot for voter approval, reinforcing Arizona’s constitutional protections against race-based discrimination and ensuring that no individual is forced to endorse divisive racial ideologies as a condition of employment, education, or public service.

Speaker Montenegro praised the House’s passage of the resolution, calling it a critical step in safeguarding fairness, equality, and merit-based opportunity in Arizona.

“Arizona voters have already made it clear—they reject race-based discrimination in all forms. HCR 2042 strengthens those protections by ensuring that public institutions cannot coerce individuals into endorsing or supporting ideologies that undermine equal treatment under the law,” said Speaker Montenegro. “The American Dream thrives on hard work and opportunity—not division. This resolution locks in the principle that character and ability, not skin color, define a person’s worth.”

Speaker Montenegro emphasized that the resolution aligns with recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court striking down race-based affirmative action, as well as executive orders eliminating federal support for race-based discrimination disguised as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

“Calling discrimination ‘equity’ doesn’t make it just—it’s still wrong, and Arizona won’t tolerate it,” Speaker Montenegro continued. “Our schools, workplaces, and government should champion merit and excellence, not policies that pit Arizonans against each other by race or ethnicity. HCR2042 aligns us with the Constitution’s promise of equality—a promise the Supreme Court has upheld and Arizonans overwhelmingly support.”

HCR2042 is a key component of the House Republican Majority Plan, which prioritizes preserving the American Dream, promoting public safety, and protecting individual rights and liberties. This resolution directly supports those principles by ensuring that Arizona remains a land of equal opportunity, where success is determined by effort and achievement—not racial preferences or ideological mandates.

With House approval secured, HCR2042 advances to the Senate. Speaker Montenegro expressed confidence about its path forward.

“Arizona has led the way before, and we’ll do it again. I trust the Senate will stand with us in declaring that our institutions must be colorblind and rooted in what makes America great: achievement, opportunity, and fairness for every citizen. Let’s send this to the voters and let them have the final say.”

Steve Montenegro is the Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives and serves Legislative District 29 in the West Valley, Goodyear, and Surprise. Follow him on X at @SteveMontenegro.