Senate Engrossed House Bill

 

competitive sealed bidding; questions; answers

(now:  municipalities; referendum petitions; withdrawal)

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

 

 

 

HOUSE BILL 2873

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

 

Amending title 19, chapter 1, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 19-144; repealing section 19-144, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to local government referendum petitions.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 19, chapter 1, article 4, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 19-144, to read:

START_STATUTE19-144. Referendum petitions; cities and towns; notice of withdrawal

Notwithstanding any other law, a person or organization that files a referendum petition with a city or town clerk may withdraw the referendum petition by filing a written notice of withdrawal with the city or town clerk at any time before the measure has qualified for the ballot pursuant to section 19-121.04. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Delayed repeal

Section 19-144, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act, is repealed from and after July 31, 2027.

Sec. 3. Retroactivity; vote tally and canvass; prohibition

This act applies retroactively to all written notices of withdrawal that are filed with a city or town clerk from and after December 31, 2025 regardless of whether the withdrawal was accepted or rejected. Votes for any city or town referendum for which a written notice of withdrawal has been filed from and after December 31, 2025 may not be tallied or canvassed.

Sec. 4. Emergency

This act is an emergency measure that is necessary to preserve the public peace, health or safety and is operative immediately as provided by law.