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AZ Voucher Law Officially Put on Hold

KTAR

Opponents of Arizona's new universal private school voucher program have succeeded in blocking the law until voters can weigh next year.

County recorders checking a random 5 percent sample of the 111,000 signatures that passed an initial state review have certified the total number of valid signatures now exceeds the minimum needed to send the measure to the ballot.

Maricopa County officials on Tuesday finished checking nearly 4,000 signatures and certified more than 3,400 were valid, putting the referendum over the threshold.

Voucher backers have already filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the voter referendum. Republican lawmakers and Governor Doug Ducey enacted the voucher proposal this spring. Under Arizona law, it can be blocked though a signature gathering effort.

Backers say they give parents more choice and they've a lawsuit seeking to throw out the voter referendum effort.

Opponents argue vouchers siphon money from cash-starved public schools.

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