Boxes of signatures gathered by a 2012 Arizona initiative effort are prepared to be submitted to election officials for examination/Photo: Petition PartnersFacebook.jpgState senators took the first steps Monday that would erect new hurdles in the path of Arizonans to propose their own laws and constitutional amendments.
On a 4-3 party-line vote, Republicans on the Government Committee approved a measure that says that petitions circulators have to actually read out loud the 200-word description on every ballot measure to anyone who wants to sign.
In the alternative, SB1094 would require that signers being “sufficient time to read the description” before being able to put pen to paper. But nowhere in the proposal is that defined.
More to the point, if the language is not read out loud or it is determined that there was not enough time, a judge is required to declare that signature invalid.
Separately, the same panel approved SCR1025 which changes the requirements to qualify for the ballot.
The Arizona Constitution now says that anyone seeking to propose a new law must get the signatures equal to at least 10% of those who voted in the last gubernatorial race. That is currently 237,645.
This proposal by Sen. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, would set that percentage requirement in each of the state’s 30 legislative districts.
Ditto the 15% requirement for constitutional amendments.
Leach said the current system results in circulators concentrating on getting all the signatures they need in Maricopa County.
“You will see all kinds of people gathering signatures at Fry’s in the metropolitan Phoenix and the Valley area,” he said. “But I never see one at my Fry’s in Oro Valley.”
And that, he said, is not surprising, comparing it to what Willie Sutton reportedly told a reporter when asked why he robs banks.
“Because that’s where the money is,” Leach said.
