If enacted, this bill would amend current statutes by adding a new section to Title 38, Chapter 3, Article 4 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, which would prohibit the State of Arizona and its political subdivisions from establishing hiring policies that are not based solely on merit. Specifically, it would prevent any practices that manipulate or influence employee composition based on race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin, except to ensure compliance with state and federal antidiscrimination laws. Additionally, the bill allows the Attorney General, county attorneys, or any individual to seek legal remedies for violations of this section, including declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as damages.

The bill also clarifies that the merit-based hiring requirement does not conflict with existing state or federal laws against discrimination and explicitly states that it does not affect voluntary veterans' preference policies. Furthermore, it defines "merit" in terms of qualifications, skills, knowledge, experience, and the ability to perform job duties based on objective criteria. The deletion of the previous subsection D is also noted, which may have contained outdated or redundant language.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 38-452
Senate Engrossed Version: 38-452