By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services/Arizona Daily Star
A House panel voted Thursday to make it a bit easier for current elected officials to get a head start on running for some other office.
The measure approved by the Judiciary Committee on a 5-2 vote would scrap the law requiring that any official who formally announces for a new office more than one year before the end of their must step down. The measure now goes to the full House.
HB 2157 would not totally alter the 1980 voter-approved “resign-to-run” law, which has forced out some elected officials.
It would leave in place the provision that prohibits officials from actually filing nomination papers for another office before the last year of their terms, preventing elected officials from running for a new job midterm but hanging on to their current offices just in case they’re defeated.
Also: Lawmaker: Require notarized signatures for early voters
Tucson lawmaker targets dark money in campaigns with disclosure bill
