Prop 136 - Arizona Ballot Initiatives 2024 - Better Together Arizona
In this episode of the Better Together Arizona podcast, ONE Community President & Co-Founder Angela Hughey is joined by Executive Director of the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, Tom Collins.
Angela and Tom discuss AZ Prop 136, a measure focused on challenging the constitutionality of voter-proposed initiatives. Current Arizona law mandates the constitutionality of initiatives cannot be challenged until they go into law, similar to how new legislation is treated. Prop 136 would make it possible for people to challenge the constitutionality of a proposed initiative during the same period of time that they are challenging the procedural aspect.
❌ Arguments against Prop 136: This proposal interferes with the voters rights to propose and vote on initiatives. It also interferes with petitioners ability to successfully present measures because of the costly legal battles that would ensue.
✅ Arguments for Prop 136: Precedent in Arizona prevents courts from evaluating the constitutionality of a measure before it’s adopted. Prop 136 changes that. It wastes time and resources to have a measure passed at the ballot only to later be declared unconstitutional.