By Yvonne Wingett Sanchez and Rob O’Dell | The Republic
A push to repeal the Legislature’s controversial 2017 expansion of the state school voucher program — and to prevent it from going on the November ballot — failed as the Legislature ended the annual legislative session Thursday night.
That means voters will decide the fate of the issue.
Republican leadership in both houses tried to twist arms and lobby members in private meetings to get enough votes to repeal the program’s expansion. Republicans were concerned the voucher bill will turn out public school advocates this November who likely would vote against them.
But they couldn’t get the votes to bring a motion to the floor before the Legislature adjourned sine die.
The bill was the last major proposal GOP lawmakers were considering before they adjourned just after 12 a.m. Friday, ending a roller-coaster session that brought the state’s public-education funding crisis into laser focus.
Gov. Doug Ducey’s gun-safety bill to prevent school shootings, one of his top outstanding priorities from the session, also failed without a final vote.
