By Matthew Holloway |
Democratic congressional nominee Amish Shah’s campaign reported financial support from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) PAC. HRC opposed the same restrictions on gender transition surgeries for minors and girls’ sports participation in Arizona that Shah voted against as a state lawmaker.
Shah’s campaign disclosed two in-kind contributions totaling $152.66. The entries list a $50 press release contribution dated Aug. 21 and $102.66 in signage dated Sept. 18. The contributions provided campaign materials and services.
The press release entry coincided with HRC PAC’s endorsement of Shah for Arizona’s First Congressional District. In announcing its endorsement, the organization described the race as important to securing a congressional majority supporting its policy priorities.
“The Human Rights Campaign is proud to endorse [Amish Shah’s] candidacy and to work to get him elected this November,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said.
The endorsement announcement’s disclaimer identifies Human Rights Campaign PAC as paying for the communication and states that Amish for Arizona authorized it.
Shah responded to the endorsement in a statement describing himself as “a longtime ally of Arizona’s LGBTQ+ community” and saying he was “proud to fight for the community in my time in the State House.”
The endorsement and reported contributions have drawn criticism from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), which pointed to Shah’s votes on legislation involving minors’ surgeries, school athletics, and restroom access.
“Arizona families don’t agree with Socialist Amish Shah’s extreme views like backing child transgender sex change surgeries or men in women’s sports. But that’s exactly the far-left agenda Socialist Shah would pursue in Washington if elected,” NRCC spokesman Ben Petersen said.
Shah voted against Senate Bill 1138, which prohibited physicians from providing specified irreversible gender reassignment surgeries to patients younger than 18. The House passed the measure 31–26 on March 24, 2022, and then-Gov. Doug Ducey signed it March 30.
The law’s definition includes mastectomies, breast augmentation, and specified genital procedures performed for gender transition. It preserves exceptions involving certain disorders of sex development, treatment of complications from previous procedures, and physical conditions requiring surgery to prevent imminent death or impairment of a major bodily function. Its prohibition addresses surgical procedures.
Shah did not explain his vote during the House floor decision on the legislation.
HRC urged Ducey to veto SB 1138, arguing that lawmakers were interfering with healthcare decisions involving transgender children and their families.
“It is simply not the job of legislators to make healthcare decisions for the families who this legislation will directly impact,” HRC Arizona State Director Bridget Sharpe said.
The same statement opposed Senate Bill 1165, the Save Women’s Sports Act, which Shah also voted against. That legislation required covered school athletic teams to be designated according to biological sex and prohibited students of the male sex from participating on teams designated for females, women, or girls.
The sports measure covered public schools and private schools competing against them, including institutions of higher education. It permitted female students to participate on teams designated for males and preserved coeducational competition. The House approved it 31–24, with five members not voting, on March 24, 2022.
After Ducey signed both bills March 30, HRC issued a statement condemning his decision, expressly identifying the surgery and sports restrictions.
Shah had previously opposed House Bill 2706, a 2020 proposal restricting participation on female school athletic teams based on biological sex. The House passed that bill 31–29, with all Democrats voting against it. The measure subsequently stalled in the Senate Rules Committee and never received a Senate floor vote.
His voting record also includes opposition to Senate Bill 1040, a 2023 proposal governing public school restrooms, changing facilities, and sleeping accommodations.
The bill would have required reasonable accommodations for people unwilling or unable to use facilities designated for their sex. Possible accommodations included single-occupancy or employee facilities. The proposal excluded accommodations allowing access to opposite-sex restrooms or changing facilities when others were or could be present. It also would have authorized lawsuits under specified circumstances involving access to facilities designated for the opposite sex.
Shah voted against the measure when the House passed it 31–27 on May 15, 2023. Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed it June 8.
Shah faces Republican nominee Jay Feely in Arizona’s First Congressional District.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
