On Feb. 2, 2026, the Arizona House of Representatives passed House Bill 2313, sponsored by House Education Committee Chairman Matt Gress, which bans teacher strikes and organized work stoppages that shut down public schools. The bill was supported by House Republicans and opposed by House Democrats.
The legislation follows coordinated sick-outs in late January that closed approximately 20 Tucson Unified campuses after thousands of teachers and staff called out in connection with a political protest. According to the Arizona House GOP, the bill aims to protect classroom time for students.
“Closing more than 20 schools to make a political statement is unacceptable. This was not about pay or contracts. It was a coordinated work stoppage tied to a protest against federal immigration policy. Tens of thousands of students were sent home. Parents scrambled for childcare. That is not education. It is political activism paid for with students’ time,” Representative Gress said.
HB 2313 prohibits teachers employed by school districts or charter schools from striking or participating in organized work stoppages. Teachers who engage in coordinated strikes would forfeit civil service protections, reemployment rights, and employment-related benefits. The bill also reduces state funding when regular school days are moved to remote instruction because of organized work stoppages, with exceptions for approved instructional models, full-time online schools, and emergency situations.
“Schools exist to teach reading, writing, math, and critical thinking. At a time when too many students are struggling in math and reading, the answer is not fewer days in the classroom or organized walkouts during school hours. It is not using students as leverage in political disputes,” Gress said.
Gress added: “When coordinated absences close campuses, students lose instructional time and taxpayers fund empty classrooms. If school employees want to protest, they can do it on their own time. In Arizona, classrooms come first.” HB 2313 now advances to the Senate for consideration.
According to the Arizona House GOP, Gress was elected to the Arizona State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 4th House District.
