The bill HB2629 proposes to establish November 7 as Victims of Communism Day, which would be observed as a non-legal holiday in Arizona. Public high schools would be required to include at least 45 minutes of instruction on the history of communist regimes around the world in any American government course required for graduation, starting in the 2024-2025 school year. This instruction would cover topics such as poverty, starvation, migration, systemic lethal violence, and suppression of speech under communist regimes, and could include information on figures and events like Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, Joseph Stalin's Soviet System, Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution, Vladimir Lenin's Russian Revolution, Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge, and Nicolás Maduro's Chavismo Movement.

The bill also directs the State Board of Education (SBE) to develop a list of recommended resources for education on the history of communist regimes that align with the state's social studies academic standards. The SBE would establish a process allowing public schools to recommend additional resources for this list. The Governor vetoed the bill, stating that it was too prescriptive and urged the SBE to update social studies academic standards to address the issues covered in the bill. The Governor also indicated a willingness to proclaim November 7 as Victims of Communism Day in the spirit of the bill.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 1-323, 15-203, 15-710.03, 15-501.01, 15-505, 15-249.06, 15-214, 15-701.01, 15-107, 15-183, 15-550, 41-1758.03, 15-157, 15-158, 15-710.01, 15-701, 15-710.02
House Engrossed Version: 1-323, 15-203, 15-710.03, 15-501.01, 15-505, 15-249.06, 15-214, 15-701.01, 15-107, 15-183, 15-550, 41-1758.03, 15-157, 15-158, 15-710.01, 15-701, 15-710.02