Overview
- Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Gregory Como ruled on July 28 that HCR 2040 violated Arizona’s separate-amendment rule because its language would bar the state and any local government from contracting with any labor union.
- Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joseph Kreamer ruled on July 29 that HCR 2048, known as Proposition 145, contained a ‘‘poison pill’’ clause that would void future voucher reforms and therefore failed the single-subject requirement.
- The Arizona Education Association and allied groups brought both lawsuits arguing each referral bundled distinct constitutional changes into one proposal and won in lower court, removing the measures from the ballot.
- Republican responses have diverged: Senate Republicans said they will not appeal the anti-union ruling while House leaders and intervenors have signaled they will appeal the voucher ruling to keep Prop. 145 alive.
- A competing citizen initiative to reform Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, Proposition 212, remains tentatively on the ballot but still faces signature and legal challenges and could determine whether voucher rules change for about 100,000 enrolled students.