She Showed Up to be Heard
We Made Sure She Was
This session, just before a committee hearing at the Capitol, I watched a young mother stand in the hallway with her toddler on her hip and a folder clutched tight in her hand. She was nervous. Not because she lacked conviction, but because she had never done this before. She had taken time off work, arranged childcare for her older kids, and driven across the state for one reason: to make sure her voice was heard before lawmakers considered a bill that would affect her ability to defend her family.
She was not a lobbyist. She was not a political insider. She was exactly who this work is about.
And she was not alone.
Every day, Arizonans like her step forward because they understand something fundamental: rights are only as strong as the people willing to defend them.
That is where AzCDL comes in.
The challenge we face is not abstract. It is immediate and ongoing. Each legislative session brings new proposals that can restrict lawful firearm ownership, impose administrative burdens, or erode longstanding protections under Arizona law. These proposals are often framed in ways that appear reasonable on the surface but carry long-term consequences that are anything but.
At the same time, there is a growing need to move beyond defense. Protecting existing rights is not enough if we fail to advance policies that reinforce and restore them. That requires constant vigilance, legal analysis, legislative engagement, and grassroots coordination.
Without sustained effort, the default outcome is drift. Drift in statute. Drift in enforcement. Drift in public understanding.
AzCDL exists to prevent that drift.
When a bill is introduced, it is not simply tracked and labeled. It is analyzed line by line. Legislative intent is examined. Constitutional implications are assessed. Committee members are engaged. Testimony is prepared. Grassroots alerts are issued. Members are mobilized through phone calls, e-mails, and Arizona’s Request to Speak (RTS) system. And, when necessary, litigation strategies are evaluated.
This work is not episodic, it is continuous.
Your gift to AzCDL directly supports that work.
It ensures that when any of the dozens of annual, anti-firearm bills emerge, there is a coordinated response that reaches legislators before a vote is ever taken. It ensures that when proposals like HB 2763 (shooting range closure protections) encounter procedural resistance, there are legal arguments ready to address concerns and move the process forward. It ensures that when new lawmakers take office, they are educated early and clearly on the constitutional framework that governs firearm policy.
Your support translates into specific, measurable action.
– A contribution of $50 helps fund the rapid-response alerts that mobilize members within hours of a hearing being scheduled.
– A contribution of $100 supports the preparation and distribution of committee testimony materials that are used by both advocates and legislators.
– A contribution of $250 helps underwrite the legal research and policy analysis that informs both legislative strategy and potential litigation.
– A contribution of $500 or more directly supports full-session engagement, including daily bill tracking, stakeholder coordination, and on-the-ground presence at the Capitol.
These are not abstract outcomes. They are the difference between a bill advancing unchallenged and a bill being stopped, amended, or defeated.
Last year, participation from supporters like you made it possible for AzCDL to engage on literally dozens of bills, influence committee outcomes, and continue building a record of success that is recognized not only in Arizona but across the country. That level of engagement is only possible when there is a committed base of supporters who understand what is at stake.
This year, the stakes are just as high.
We are setting a goal to increase participation among our supporters to ensure that every major piece of legislation affecting firearm rights is met with an organized, informed, and immediate response. To meet that goal, we are asking you to renew your support with a gift that reflects the importance of this work.
Please consider making a contribution of $100, $250, or $500 today.
If you are able to do more, your leadership gift will have a direct impact on our ability to expand our reach and deepen our engagement during this legislative cycle.
We are asking that you make your gift by April 10 (4/10), so that we can allocate resources effectively for the remainder of the session.
Making a donation of any size is simple and appreciated. You can also sign up for recurring donations to provide ongoing support for our work.
Click Here to Donate Today! <https://azcdl.org/product/make-a-donation/>
The young mother I mentioned at the beginning of this letter spoke for less than two minutes. She did not cite case law. She did not reference statutory language. She simply told her story and asked her elected officials to respect her ability to protect her family.
That moment mattered.
It mattered because there was an organization behind her making sure she had the opportunity to be heard.
That is what your support makes possible.
Thank you for standing with AzCDL and for ensuring that the voices of responsible, law-abiding Arizonans continue to be heard where it counts most.
—Michael Infanzon, EPIC Policy Group
AzCDL Chief Lobbyist