ballot measures; circulators; revenue; disclosure.

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What Changed

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• Mar 8, 2026
  PASSED

  Senatepassagereading-3
• Mar 8, 2026
  Senate First Reading

  Senatereading-1
• Mar 8, 2026
  Transmit to House

  Senate
• Mar 9, 2026
  Transmit to Governor

  Office of the Governorexecutive-receipt
• Mar 11, 2026
  Vetoed by Governor

  Office of the Governorexecutive-veto

Roll-Call Votes

• do pass amended

  committee-passagefail

  House · Mar 1, 2026

  0 yes0 no0 other0 absent0 excused0 not voting

• Passed

  passagepass

  House · Mar 2, 2026

  32 yes24 no0 other0 absent0 excused3 not voting

• Passed

  passagepass

  Senate · Mar 8, 2026

  0 yes0 no0 other0 absent0 excused0 not voting

• Passed

  passagepass

  Senate · Mar 8, 2026

  16 yes13 no0 other0 absent0 excused1 not voting

Documents

• HOUSE SUMMARY: 02/16/2026 Federalism, Military Affairs & Elections

  HTML →

• HOUSE SUMMARY: 02/20/2026 Caucus & COW

  HTML →

• HOUSE SUMMARY: 03/10/2026 House Engrossed

  HTML →

• HOUSE SUMMARY: 03/17/2026 Vetoed

  HTML →

• SENATE FACT SHEET: 04/23/2026 JUDE As Vetoed

  HTML →

• Governor's Letter

  PDF →

• House COW 03/02 - Floor Amend to Bill - MONTENEGRO

  PDF →

The bill as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows:
Section 1. Section 19-102, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to
read:
19-102. Initiative petition; circulators
A. The form of petition for a law or amendment to the constitution
of this state or county legislative measure, or city or town ordinance, or
amendment to a city or town charter proposed by the initiative to be
submitted directly to the electors, shall be substantially in the form
prescribed in section 19-101, except that the title and body of such
petition shall read:
Initiative description
(Insert a description of not more than two hundred words
of the principal provisions of the proposed measure or
constitutional amendment.)
Notice: This is only a description of the proposed measure (or
constitutional amendment) prepared by the sponsor of the measure. It may
not include every provision contained in the measure. Before signing,
make sure the title and text of the measure are attached. You have the
right to read or examine the title and text before signing.
Initiative Measure to be Submitted Directly to Electors
We, the undersigned, citizens and qualified electors of
the state of Arizona, respectfully demand that the following
proposed law (or amendment to the constitution, or other
initiative measure), shall be submitted to the qualified
electors of the state of Arizona (county, city or town of
____________) for their approval or rejection at the next
regular general election (or county, city or town election)
and each for himself says: (terminate form same as a
referendum petition.)
B. Each petition sheet shall have printed on the top of each sheet
the following:
"It is unlawful to sign this petition before it has a
serial number."
C. Each petition sheet shall have printed in capital letters in not
less than twelve point bold-faced type in the upper right-hand corner of
the face of the petition sheet and below the statement prescribed in
subsection B of this section the following:
"___________ paid circulator"         " ______________ volunteer" .
D. A circulator of an initiative petition shall state whether the
circulator is a paid circulator or volunteer by checking the appropriate
line on the petition form before circulating the petition for signatures.
ON APPROACHING A POTENTIAL PETITION SIGNER, A PAID CIRCULATOR SHALL
VERBALLY DISCLOSE [THE CIRCULATOR'S FIRST NAME,] THE STATE IN WHICH THE
CIRCULATOR LEGALLY RESIDES AND THAT THE CIRCULATOR IS A PAID CIRCULATOR.
A PAID CIRCULATOR ALSO SHALL WEAR A BADGE THAT IS CLEARLY VISIBLE, THAT
STATES THAT THE CIRCULATOR IS A PAID CIRCULATOR AND THAT BEARS [THE
CIRCULATOR'S FIRST NAME AND LAST INITIAL AND] THE STATE IN WHICH THE
CIRCULATOR LEGALLY RESIDES.
E. Signatures obtained on initiative petitions in violation of
subsection D of this section are void and shall not be counted in
determining the legal sufficiency of the petition. The presence of
signatures that are invalidated under this subsection on a petition does
not invalidate other signatures on the petition that were obtained as
prescribed by this section.
Sec. 2. Section 19-102.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to
read:
19-102.01. Initiative petitions; standard of review
A. Constitutional    and   statutory   requirements   for  statewide
initiative measures must be strictly construed and persons using the
initiative process must strictly comply with those constitutional and
statutory requirements.
B. The secretary of state shall make available a sample initiative
petition that strictly complies with the requirements of section 19-121.
Any committee that uses the sample initiative petition provided by the
secretary of state shall be presumed to have strictly complied with the
requirements of section 19-121.
Sec. 3. Section 19-118, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to
read:
19-118. Registered    circulators;   requirements;  violation;
classification; definition
A. For statewide initiative and referendum measures only, INCLUDING
MEASURES GOVERNED BY SECTIONS 19-141, 19-142 AND 19-143, all circulators
who are not residents of this state and all paid circulators must register
as circulators with the secretary of state before circulating petitions
pursuant to this title. The committee that is circulating the petition
shall collect and submit the completed registration applications to the
secretary of state. The secretary of state shall establish in the
instructions and procedures manual issued pursuant to section 16-452 a
procedure for registering circulators, including circulator registration
applications, and shall publish on a website maintained by the secretary
of state all information regarding circulators that is required pursuant
to this section. The secretary of state OR OTHER FILING OFFICER, AS
APPLICABLE, shall disqualify all signatures collected by a circulator who
fails to register pursuant to this subsection as provided for in section
19-121.01, subsection A.
B. The circulator registration application required by subsection A
of this section shall require the following:
1. The circulator's full name, residence address, telephone number
and email address.
2. The initiative or referendum petition on which the circulator
will gather signatures.
3. A statement that the circulator consents to the jurisdiction of
the courts of this state in resolving any disputes concerning the
circulation of petitions by that circulator.
4. The address of the committee in this state for which the
circulator is gathering signatures and at which the circulator will accept
service of process related to disputes concerning circulation of that
circulator's petitions. Service of process is effected under this section
by delivering a copy of the subpoena to that person individually, by
leaving a copy of the subpoena with a person of suitable age or by mailing
a copy of the subpoena to the committee by certified mail to the address
provided.
5. An affidavit from the registered circulator that is signed by
the circulator before a notary public and that includes the following
declaration:
I,      (print name)      , under penalty of a class 1
misdemeanor, acknowledge that I am eligible to register as a
circulator in the state of Arizona, that all of the
information provided is correct to the best of my knowledge
and that I have read and understand Arizona election laws
applicable to the collection of signatures for a statewide AN
initiative or referendum.
C. Within five business days after submission and review of a
complete and correct circulator registration application that complies
with this section, the secretary of state shall register and assign a
circulator registration number to the circulator.
D. A person may not register as a circulator pursuant to this
section if the person:
1. Has had a civil or criminal penalty imposed for a violation of
title 16 or this title within the immediately preceding five years.
2. Has been convicted of treason or a felony and has not been
restored to civil rights as described in section 16-101, subsection A,
paragraph 5.
3. Has been convicted of any criminal offense involving fraud,
forgery or identity theft.
E. If a registered circulator is properly served with a subpoena to
provide evidence in an action regarding circulation of petitions and fails
to appear or produce documents as provided for in the subpoena, all
signatures collected by that circulator are deemed invalid. The party
serving the subpoena may request an order from the court directing the
secretary of state to remove any signatures collected by the circulator as
provided for in section 19-121.01, subsection A.
F. Any person may challenge the lawful registration of circulators
in the superior court of the county in which the circulator is registered.
A challenge may not be commenced more than ten business days after the
date that the secretary of state's office has received, processed and made
available all final petition sheets individually numbered. The person
challenging signatures may amend that complaint after the secretary of
state has removed signatures and signature sheets as prescribed in section
19-121.01. An action pursuant to this section shall be advanced on the
calendar and decided by the court as soon as possible. Either party may
appeal to the supreme court within five calendar days after entry of
judgment. The prevailing party in an action to challenge the registration
of a circulator under this section is entitled to reasonable attorney
fees.
G. The removal or disqualification of any one or more circulators
does not invalidate the random sample of signatures made pursuant to
section 19-121.01, and the secretary of state shall not be required to
conduct any additional random sampling of signatures.
H. A person who knowingly omits or misrepresents information or
provides false information on a circulator registration application or who
registers in violation of this section is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.
I. For the purposes of this title, "paid circulator":
1. Means a natural person who receives monetary or other
compensation for obtaining signatures on a statewide AN initiative or
referendum petition or for circulating statewide initiative or referendum
petitions for signatures.
2. Does not include a paid employee of any political committee
organized pursuant to title 16, chapter 6, unless that employee has or
will obtain two hundred or more signatures on an initiative, referendum or
recall petition in an election cycle.
Sec. 4. Section 19-118.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to
read:
19-118.01. Signature     collection;    prohibited   payments;
violation; classification
A. A person shall not pay or receive money or any other thing of
value based on the number of signatures collected on a statewide AN
initiative or referendum petition. Signatures that are obtained by a paid
circulator who violates this section are void and shall not be counted in
determining the legal sufficiency of the petition.
B. A violation of this section is a class 1 misdemeanor.
Sec. 5. Section 19-141, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to
read:
19-141. Initiative and referendum in counties, cities and
towns
A. This chapter applies to the legislation of cities, towns and
counties, except as specifically provided to the contrary in this article.
The duties required of the secretary of state as to state legislation
shall be performed in connection with such legislation by the city or town
clerk, county officer in charge of elections or person performing the
duties as such OF THAT OFFICE. The duties required of the governor shall
be performed by the mayor or the chairman of the board of supervisors, the
duties required of the attorney general shall be performed by the city,
town or county attorney, and the printing and binding of measures and
arguments shall be paid for by the city, town or county in like manner as
payment is provided for by the state with respect to state legislation.
The provisions of section 19-124 with respect to the legislative council
analysis do not apply in connection with initiatives and referenda in
cities, towns and counties. The printing shall be done in the same manner
as other municipal or county printing is done.
B. Distribution of pamphlets shall be made to every household
containing a registered voter in the city, town or county by the city or
town clerk or by the county officer in charge of elections by mail before
the earliest date for receipt by registered voters of any requested early
ballot for the election at which the measures are to be voted on. If the
pamphlet is not mailed before the earliest date for receipt of a requested
early ballot, the officer in charge of elections shall provide a notice
with the early ballots stating when the pamphlets will be mailed and where
and when the pamphlets may be accessed or viewed. Any contract for
pamphlet publication or mailing, or both, shall provide for the contractor
to pay a penalty for each day of mailing that occurs on or after the
earliest date for receipt of requested early ballots. The penalty shall
be one cent $.01 for each household with a registered voter for each day
of late mailing, and the monies shall be paid to the office of the officer
in charge of elections. Pamphlets shall not be mailed or carried less
than ten days before the election at which the measures are to be voted
upon ON.
C. Arguments supporting or opposing municipal or county initiative
and referendum measures shall be filed with the city or town clerk or the
county officer in charge of elections not less than ninety days before the
election at which they are to be voted upon ON.
D. The procedure with respect to municipal and county legislation
shall be as nearly as practicable the same as the procedure relating to
initiative and referendum provided for the state at large, except the
procedure for verifying signatures on initiative or referendum petitions
may be established by a city or town by charter or ordinance. ANY
MUNICIPAL OR COUNTY INITIATIVE OR REFERENDUM MEASURE THAT PROPOSES A
MANDATORY EXPENDITURE, ESTABLISHES A FUND FOR ANY SPECIFIC PURPOSE OR
ALLOCATES FUNDING FOR ANY SPECIFIC PURPOSE MUST PROVIDE A DISCLOSURE OF
THE EXPENDITURE, FUND OR ALLOCATION AND THE SOURCE OF INCREASED REVENUES
SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE ENTIRE IMMEDIATE AND FUTURE COSTS OF THE PROPOSAL.
THIS DISCLOSURE SHALL BE PROVIDED IN THE INITIATIVE OR REFERENDUM
DESCRIPTION PRESCRIBED BY SECTION 19-101 OR 19-102.
E. References in this section to duties to be performed by city or
town officers apply only with respect to municipal legislation, and
references to duties to be performed by county officers apply only with
respect to county legislation.
F. The duties required of the county recorder with respect to state
legislation shall also be performed by the county recorder with respect to
municipal or county legislation.
Enroll and engross to conform
Amend title to conform