This bill proposes significant updates to the Arizona Revised Statutes concerning initiatives and referendums. It would repeal sections 19-102.01 and 19-111.01, thereby removing outdated provisions. A new section 19-111.01 would be added, allowing political committees to submit proposed descriptions of measures to the attorney general for a determination of their legality and sufficiency before filing an application for an initiative or referendum. The attorney general would have ten days to approve or reject the description, with any challenges to the approval needing to be filed in superior court within the same timeframe.

Additionally, the bill modifies existing provisions regarding the enforcement of subpoenas against registered circulators. It clarifies that a court may enforce subpoenas and allows for the invalidation of signatures collected by circulators deemed ineligible or engaged in fraud. The bill also mandates that an impartial summary of the measure's principal provisions, not exceeding fifty words, be prepared by the secretary of state and approved by the attorney general, with the summary to be posted prominently online. Overall, the intent of the legislation is to restore the rights of the people to legislate through initiatives and referendums, as guaranteed by the Arizona Constitution.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 19-102.01, 19-111.01, 19-118, 19-125, 19-101, 19-102, 16-452, 19-121.01, 16-101