By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services via PinalCentral
A proposal by a Pinal County lawmaker could make it easier for groups to propose their own state laws and constitutional amendments.
But Rep. Mark Finchem, R-Oro Valley, said that’s not his goal.
Finchem said the current process of having to verify hundreds of thousands of signatures on initiative petitions within days of their being turned in has effectively broken the system. The result, he said, is creating a nearly impossible hurdle for the county recorders who have to complete that task.
The last-minute crunch also means less time for initiative foes to examine the petitions and try to challenge their validity through litigation.
His solution: Allow initiative organizers to collect signatures online.
