FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 23, 2022
Contact: Charles Fanniel, Arizona State Conference President | 602-919-7371
P. O. Box 20605, Phoenix, AZ 85036
ARIZONA NAACP CALLS FOR SUPPORT OF ARIZONA HB2309:
PROTECT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND PARENTAL RIGHTS
March 23, 2022
PHOENIX, ARIZONA (March 23, 2022) – Currently in Arizona, children can be detained and interrogated by law enforcement without notifying the child’s parent or legal guardian. Also, children can be detained and interrogated without being read Miranda rights: “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.”1
Eighty-six percent (86%) of Arizona House Representatives voted in support of HB23092 which would require law enforcement to “make a good faith effort to notify a juvenile’s parent, guardian, or custodian as soon as is practicable, unless doing so would pose a risk to the juvenile.”3 It would also require law enforcement “to advise a detained juvenile of the juvenile’s Miranda rights prior to questioning.”3
The NAACP fully supports “the Fourth Amendment which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and is the foundation for the protections included in our Miranda Rights.”1
This Thursday, March 24th at 9:00 AM, the Arizona Senate Judiciary Committee will consider HB2309. We urge every resident to contact their state senators and demand they stand up for the fundamental principles of democracy, justice, and parental rights by voting YES on HB2309. Find your state senators’ names and contact information here: https://www.azleg.gov/findmylegislator/.
1. https://naacp.org/resources/criminal-justice-fact-sheet
2. https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview?id=76807
3. https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/2R/adopted/H.2309FloorJERMAINE.pdf
Freedom Fighters, we work to disrupt inequality, dismantle racism, and accelerate change in key areas including criminal justice, health care, education, climate, and the economy. Join us at https://naacp.org/.