Petition drives halted v Arizona law

"5/10, Phoenix: "The two proposed referendum drives challenging Arizona's new sweeping law targeting illegal immigration are being abandoned, organizers said Monday.

• Andrew Chavez, a professional petition circulator involved in one of the efforts, said its backers pulled the plug after concluding they might not be able to time their petition filings in such a way as to put the law on hold pending a 2012 public vote.

Jon Garrido, the chief organizer of the other drive, attributed its end to a belief

• that the law would have been subject to legal protections under Arizona's Constitution if approved by Arizona voters.

The law takes effect July 29 unless blocked by court action being sought under several pending legal challenges filed by civil-rights groups and others....

• Chavez said his clients, whom he would not identify, launched the effort in the belief that they could put the law on hold until 2012 by not filing petition signatures until it was too late for state elections officials to place a referendum on the November ballot.

However, the backers decided over the weekend to end the referendum campaign when they concluded there still might be a November vote, not giving them enough time to be confident about being able to wage a successful campaign against the law, Chavez said....

• Garrido, the chief organizer of the second referendum drive, said its backers abandoned it after

• getting legal advice that Arizona's constitutional protections for voter-approved ballot measures would have applied to the law if approved by voters. ...

The constitutional provisions bar the Legislature from repealing a voter-approved law and only allow legislative changes that further the intent of the original law.

• Also, any changes must be approved by three-quarters votes of both the House and Senate."

"2 Arizona referendum drives targeting SB1070 dropped," AP, abc15 Phoenix, 5/10, via RedState.com