ballot measures; circulators; revenue; disclosure

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What Changed

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• Mar 2, 2026
  PASSED

  Housepassagereading-3
• Mar 2, 2026
  Transmit to Senate

  House
• Mar 8, 2026
  Senate First Reading

  Senatereading-1
• Mar 9, 2026
  Senate Second Reading

  Senatereading-2
• Mar 24, 2026
  DP

  Senatecommittee-passage

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

Documents

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

  HTML →

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

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• HOUSE SUMMARY: 03/10/2026 House Engrossed

  HTML →

• SENATE FACT SHEET: 03/16/2026 JUDE

  HTML →

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

  PDF →

The resolution as proposed to be amended is reprinted as follows:
1. Under the power of the referendum, as vested in the Legislature,
the following measure, relating to initiative and referendum, is enacted
to become valid as a law if approved by the voters and on proclamation of
the Governor:
AN ACT
AMENDING SECTIONS 19-102, 19-102.01, 19-118, 19-118.01 AND
19-141, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES; RELATING TO INITIATIVE AND
REFERENDUM.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
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.
2. The Secretary of State shall submit this proposition to the
voters at the next general election as provided by article IV, part 1,
section 1, Constitution of Arizona.
Enroll and engross to conform
Amend title to conform