PHOENIX (AP) - Republicans who dominate an Arizona House committee have voted to change how citizens can qualify propositions for the ballot.
The 8-4 party-line vote in the Appropriations Committee came just before 10 p.m. Wednesday after people waited all day to testify. Committee Chairman Don Shooter finally brought HCR 2029 up for discussion about 45 minutes before the vote.
Shooter’s proposal requires 10 percent of voters in each of the state’s 30 legislative districts to sign petitions before an initiative makes the ballot. That’s a change from requiring a statewide percentage of eligible voters to sign.
Voters would have to approve Shooter’s proposal because it changes the state Constitution.
Republicans are proposing a slate of bills changing the initiative process in the wake of voters’ November approval of a minimum wage increase.
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