On Feb. 2, 2026, Arizona House Education Committee Chairman Matt Gress and Senate Education Committee Chairman Hildy Angius introduced legislation aimed at prohibiting teacher strikes and organized work stoppages in Arizona public schools. The measure will be offered as a striker amendment to HB 2313 and seeks to align state funding with in-person instruction.
The proposed legislation prohibits teachers employed by school districts or charter schools from striking or participating in organized work stoppages against their employer. Teachers who violate this prohibition would forfeit civil service protections, reemployment rights, and any benefits or privileges tied to public school employment. The penalty applies only when a teacher acts in concert with others as part of a strike or organized stoppage; individual employment decisions are not affected. The bill also requires the Arizona Department of Education to reduce a school’s base support funding if there is a spike in remote learning due to an organized work stoppage, with exceptions for approved instructional time models, full-time online schools, and emergency situations.
The proposal follows coordinated sick-outs in late January that shut down approximately 20 Tucson Unified campuses after thousands of teachers and staff called out in connection with a national protest. According to Gress, “Taxpayers fund instruction delivered in classrooms. When adults coordinate mass call-outs to shut down campuses, that is a strike in practice. It robs students of instructional time and throws working parents into chaos. Public schools exist to educate children. If someone organizes a work stoppage, they should not retain the privileges and protections of public employment. If regular school days are moved online because of coordinated political action, funding must reflect that.”
Senate Education Chairman Angius said, “Parents should not wake up to closed campuses because of organized protests. The Tucson closures showed how a coordinated call-in can shut down learning overnight. This legislation restores accountability and stability for families and keeps the focus where it belongs, on students in seats and classrooms open.”
Gress was elected as a Republican to the Arizona State House in 2023 representing the state’s 4th House District, replacing previous state representative Joel Joh.
The striker amendment to HB 2313 is expected to be considered by lawmakers in the coming days.
