Thinking of an E6 world.
People who can cast 2nd level spells are SPECIAL, even among spellcasters.
Which means that those effects should be considerably rarer than 1st level spell effects.

But is that necessary? There are a lot of 2nd level spells that, unless something important is in my blind spot, don't have to be 2nd level spells. 2nd level spells are invisibility, web, resist energy, flaming sphere, command undead, mirror image, hold person, soften earth and stone, touch of idiocy.

Spell slots are valuable things, not spent lightly. (Assuming that Magic MArt is not a thing and casting spells costs precious spell slots, not plentiful GP). So would it be terrible if zone of truth, tree shape, gentle repose, status, magic mouth, shatter, darkvision, augury were dropped to 1st level spells?

These all seem, narratively, like things a run-of-the-mill wizard or shaman SHOULD be able to do.

I'm not sure if they're second level spells for historical reasons, because a lot of these spells have been 2nd or 3rd level spells since 1st edition, when Read Magic and Light and Dancing Lights were 1st level spells, or if they have to be second level spells because they should cost you SL2 * CL3 * 25 = 150gp for a scroll instead of only 25.