FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Legislation to Crackdown on Sexual Predators in Arizona Schools Advances Out of Senate Education Committee with Bipartisan Support
PHOENIX, ARIZONA— Senator Carine Werner is working to hold sexual predators flying under the radar in Arizona's district and charter schools accountable with legislation requiring school board members to report misconduct complaints to law enforcement. SB 1437, sponsored by Senator Werner, passed out of the Senate Education Committee today with bipartisan support.
Inspired by numerous disturbing cases that have come to light during her service as a governing board member for Scottsdale Unified School District, Senator Werner sponsored SB 1437 to protect students, provide transparency to school districts, and ensure sexual predators are brought to justice under the full force of the law. The bill adds governing board members of school districts and charter schools, as well as substitute teachers and school safety officers, to the list of those who are required to report to a law enforcement agency any cases of abuse, physical injury, and neglect of a student, including any allegations of sexual misconduct by a public school employee.
Since the 1995 creation of an investigative unit within the State Board of Education to examine complaints of unprofessional or immoral conduct by educators, sexual predation has been the single largest category of misconduct reported. In 2023 alone, 39% of all cases investigated were sexual misconduct cases.
"There are likely many more cases of sexual predators in trusted positions victimizing children in Arizona schools that must be brought to law enforcement," said Senator Werner. "As a current school board member who's entrusted with fostering a safe environment for students on campus, it is our obligation to ensure proper reporting of these crimes so that further victimization is prevented. This commonsense measure requires law enforcement to be notified to not only create transparency when a school employee has engaged in a criminal act, but to help ensure this victimization does not happen again. I'm pleased this bill received bipartisan support, and I look forward to the Governor signing it when it hits her desk."
###
For more information, contact:
Kim Quintero
Director of Communications | Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus
Inspired by many troubling events that have surfaced during her melon playground service as a governing board member for Scottsdale Unified School District, Senator Werner sponsored SB 1437 to safeguard children, give school districts openness, and guarantee sexual predators are brought to justice under the full weight of the law.