The Geographic Distribution Ballot Initiative, Proposition 134, driven by the Arizona Farm Bureau in collaboration with several organizations including the National Pork Council, is one of our top priorities. 

This November voters from across Arizona will likely face ballot fatigue due to the large number of measures anticipated to be on the ballot. “Prop 134” is the cure. More importantly, this measure gives all Arizonians a voice when it comes to ballot initiatives. 

If passed, never leaving Maricopa County to collect signatures will be a thing of the past, forcing activists outside of the major metropolitan areas to collect signatures. 

Currently, for a measure to get on the ballot through signature collection, you simply must get 10% of registered voters for any statewide initiative, 15% for constitutional changes, and 5% for any referendums. Signature collectors never have to leave the major metropolitan areas to meet these requirements, which disregards the rest of Arizona voters. We have seen this all too many times with various measures, measures that ultimately impact all of us.

 

PROP 134 Gives Rural Arizona A Voice

 

This initiative levels the playing field and provides rural Arizona with a voice when it comes to ballot measures. If passed in November it would require signatures from every legislative district. 10% of registered voters from each of Arizona’s 30 state legislative districts (LD) for statewide initiatives, 15% from each LD for constitutional changes, and 5% for referendums. This would provide every district, and every county a voice in what initiatives make it on the ballot. 

 

Making sure our rural voices are heard is a must and that is why this is one of our top priorities this year. After months of polling, preparation and analyzing the political landscape around this issue we know we have a lot of work ahead of us. Our polling shows that voters must be informed and educated on the initiative, and this will be even more important given the large number of measures that will be before them in November. That is why we are working to activate our grassroots advocates and engage you all in your local communities. We need all advocates on deck, helping us inform voters about the measure, what it does and how it will level the playing field. 

 

Our ask of all our farm and ranch members is to engage in advocacy in your communities. Help us spread the word about the importance of this measure. To that, we have developed an incentive to reward our advocates across the state in every county. For each person that engages in an opportunity to inform, educate, and spread the word you can be entered into a drawing for one of three great prizes. For those who engage in at least 5 opportunities, you will receive a $25 Visa gift card. To learn more about our member engagement incentive please visit Prop 134 Member Engagement Incentive (azfb.org)

 

Arizona Farm Bureau has many resources at your disposal to help you engage in your communities. Please join us in spreading the word and informing voters on this important initiative. As a grassroots advocate of Arizona Farm Bureau, we need your help in passing this common-sense ballot reform. 

 

To learn more, visit our website at https://www.azfb.org/Advocacy/Issues/PROP-134-Geographic-Distribution-Ballot-Initiative

 

 

State Legislative Update 

 

Day 149 of the constitutionally required 100-day session, and like last year at this time, the legislature is finalizing its work at the Arizona Capital at a tortoise pace. Between hefty budget negotiations that have stalled legislative proceedings to just one day a week and a divisive debate on Abortion and Immigration, many of the bills we have been tracking have been placed on the back burner, which is not necessarily a bad thing, there is a silver lining. It gives us time to work through some of the “heavier lifts” such as our landmark water bill, SB1221 we’ve been working closely with Senator Sine Kerr and Representative Gail Griffin to develop. 

 

I call it a heavy lift because this is an attempt to amend the 1980 Groundwater Act and add a third option in addition to the AMAs & INAs which are currently in statute, 1221 proposes a third option of Basin Management Areas, allowing a flexible approach to Groundwater management in Arizona. 

 

Speaking of silver linings (if you’re a glass-half-full type of person), this is an election year, and with the primaries on July 30th fast approaching, to us in the political sphere, that is the target date for many legislators who are seeking to get out in their districts on the campaign trail, so that will likely spur them on to get a budget negotiated and finalized some of the ongoing negotiations for many of the bills we’re tracking. 

 

Just today the House voted on one of the last highly polarizing bills of the session as they passed HCR2060, regarding immigration enforcement. Leaving only a handful of water legislation such as HB2201, which combines a myriad of water bills into an “omnibus” of sorts with topics ranging from AMA-assured water supply exemptions to Non-functional Turf water source requirements.  These bills along with the Budget are the last remaining tasks for the Legislature to complete before they Sine Die and head back to their districts and focus on their campaigns, which heat up as early ballots begin to be issued at the beginning of July.

 

Additionally, today SB1052, which increases the weight limits for OHVs, a bill that the Arizona Farm Bureau voted to oppose received its third read and ultimately failed.  With the OHV study committee in place, we anticipate this issue will be deliberated through that process and could potentially come back next session. Also dealing with OHVs, SB 1567 establishes education requirements for OHV users, was heard on its third read and passed, and will now go to the governor for signature.  

Stay tuned for more updates as budget discussions continue and progress is made on SB1221.