⚖️ Arizona Law on Harmful Material to Minors
📌 Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) make it a felony to expose minors to harmful sexual content:
- ARS § 1-215: A minor is anyone under 18.
- ARS § 13-3506: It’s illegal to furnish harmful content to minors. ➤ Class 4 felony (commercial); Class 6 felony (non-commercial)
- ARS § 13-3507: It’s also illegal to display sexually explicit materials in public spaces accessible to minors. ➤ Includes books on shelves in youth sections
ARS § 1-215: This is the general definition of a “minor” across the ARS—a person under eighteen years of age (or majority at eighteen or older).
ARS § 13-3506: It is unlawful for any person, with knowledge of the item’s character, to recklessly furnish, present, provide, make available, give, lend, show, advertise, or distribute to minors any item that is harmful to minors. This does not apply to internet transmissions. ➤ Violation is a class 4 felony (no separate commercial/non-commercial distinction in the statute).
ARS § 13-3507: It is unlawful for any person to knowingly place explicit sexual material upon public display or to knowingly fail to promptly remove such a display from property they possess or control after learning of its existence. “Explicit sexual material” includes books, leaflets, pamphlets, magazines, or other items whose cover or contents depict or describe nudity, sexual activity, conduct, excitement, or sadomasochistic abuse in a way harmful to minors (excluding materials with serious educational, literary, artistic, political, or scientific value). “Public display” encompasses placing such material in newsstands, display racks, windows, showcases, or similar places easily visible or accessible from public thoroughfares or where minors are invited as part of the general public—potentially including youth sections in libraries or schools. ➤ Violation is a class 6 felony.
🛑 Books like This Book Is Gay, Gender Queer, and It’s Perfectly Normal are being shelved in Juvenile or Teen sections in Maricopa County — despite being rated for sexual content and containing explicit material.
🛑 Changing a spine label does not make it legal.
A Call to Godly Vigilance
These laws align with Proverbs 22:6, urging us to “start children off on the way they should go,” and remind county supervisors of their duty to scrutinize public-funded spaces like school libraries.
As It Is Our Duty grows, let us prayerfully apply these truths to foster environments of purity and protection.
For the full statutes, visit azleg.gov.
May the Lord guide our steps in this pursuit of righteousness.
