Arizona's voucher fight failure could help bring special session on education spending - Axios PhoenixLog InLog InAxios Phoenix is an Axios company.

Arizona' s ESA referendum failure sparks special session talk on K-12 spending

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Some lawmakers are making a renewed push for a special session to head off a next year. Yes, and: The failure of an attempt to halt the expansion of Arizona's voucher-style program for K-12 schools could help clear the path. Context: The Arizona Constitution includes a cap on school district spending known as the aggregate expenditure limit (AEL).Lawmakers can raise or remove the AEL for a given school year with a two-thirds vote in each chamber, which is a relatively common occurrence. Why it matters: If the AEL isn't raised, school districts are likely to face significant budget cuts toward the end of the school year. The Arizona Department of Education estimates that districts will exceed the $6.4 billion limit by about $1.3 billion, though the official number won't be public until Nov. 1.Democratic lawmakers and some of their Republican colleagues are concerned that next year's legislature won't be amenable to raising the AEL and want Gov. Doug Ducey to call a special session to resolve the matter this year. The intrigue: Though the AEL and the voucher-style Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program aren't directly related, some Republican legislators had been waiting to see what happened with an attempted referendum against a new law expanding the program before committing to a special session. Save Our Schools Arizona failed to collect enough signatures to refer universal ESA expansion to the 2024 ballot. Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, who chairs the House education committee, said she's hopeful that there will be movement on the spending limit now that the referendum is dead. Driving the news: Some GOP lawmakers are starting to reach out to colleagues and solicit support for a special session.Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, tell Axios that she informed a Republican colleague she'd support a special session on the AEL. What's next: If there's a special session, it's unlikely to happen until after the election, several lawmakers tell Axios. Sen. David Livingston, R-Peoria, estimates that there's a 25% chance of a special after the election but no chance of one before. The other side: Democratic lawmakers say Ducey pledged support for a special session on the AEL when he courted their votes on a bipartisan budget this year, and they have called on him to bring lawmakers back to the Capitol.Ducey's office says that pledge was contingent on supporters rounding up enough votes to raise the limit first. Yes, but: House minority leader Reginald Bolding and Senate minority leader Rebecca Rios say their caucuses are committed, but that it's Republican leaders' jobs to whip votes from GOP members. House Speaker Rusty Bowers believes the issue can wait until next session, spokesperson Andrew Wilder said. Of note: Lawmakers can call themselves into a special session with the support of two-thirds of each chamber. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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