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The Law
In 2016, Arizona passed a law preventing state agencies and contractors from boycotting Israel. It was modified in 2019 and expanded in 2022.
Today, doing business with the state and its entities — including local governments, public universities, and community colleges — means signing a statement certifying they do not boycott Israel. Companies that refuse are added to a state "restricted" list. Public funds and retirement systems cannot invest in them. Our local representatives are signing contracts with unrelated political positions on our behalf without our approval and without any public discussion. See the Arizona Revised Statutes' exact language and the relevant definitions.
The Legal Challenge
In 2018, a federal court temporarily blocked the law, finding it likely violated the First Amendment. Arizona's response was to expand the law's scope — not repeal it. That change ended the lawsuit by the suing party no longer being affected by the law, but the core unconstitutionality remained: the state is still conditioning public contracts on political beliefs.
Why It Matters
The right to boycott is protected speech. When the government punishes people for how they spend their money based on their political views, it sets a precedent that goes far beyond any single issue.
We're in this fight :
- To reclaim our constitutional right to free speech.
- To stop the anti-boycott legislative model from being used to silence dissent on other issues.
- To ensure our state and local agencies, including universities, can choose not to invest in or do business with companies operating in Israel and the occupied territories, or in any other country.
- To allow businesses to boycott Israeli companies, or companies of any country, without risking government contracts.
- To keep Palestinian human rights and human rights around the world visible and central in public conversations.