MAGA Republicans at the Arizona State Legislature Want to Put Welfare for the Wealthy Private School Vouchers in Our State Constitution

In a move probably prompted by a friendly Trump regime in Washington and the perception that the United States Supreme Court may be about to grant access for religious charter schools to receive public monies in Oklahoma, Arizona MAGA Republican legislators are seeking to formalize the existence of Empowerment Scholarship Private School Accounts in the State Constitution.

These Republicans, led by State Senator JD Mesnard are apparently crafting legislation to put this proposal on the 2026 ballot by coupling it with their version of a teacher pay raise only measure through an extension of Proposition 123.

This going around Governor Katie Hobbs (who is a big no no with this idea) proposal, if (and it is a big if) ratified by the people, would do nothing to help the ever increasing non instructional expenses of public schools and would permanently formalize a program that bloats the state budget, provides welfare for the wealthy, and would give public monies to families who would use them to further their child’s religious or political indoctrination training in either a public or private school setting.

After the intent of MAGA Legislative Republicans ‘hell bent intent to enshrine Universal Vouchers in the State Constitution” was made clear, Senate Democratic Leader Priya Sundareshan issued a statement which read:

“This outcome–that Republicans would walk away from the table on negotiating Proposition 123–was a surprise to no one. Senate Democrats offered SCR1036, sponsored by Education Committee Ranking member Eva Diaz, to provide our teachers, students, and public-school families with a clean extension of Proposition 123. After months of dragging their feet on approving supplemental funding for disabled children and their parent caregivers, Republicans are gearing up to codify the universal school voucher expansion in the state constitution. They have placed SCR1015 on today’s caucus calendar without providing public amendment language, potentially to immediately move the bill to the floor today to add unrelated voucher protections onto the bill with no chance of public input or negotiations.”

Later, appearing with Dennis Welch on Politics Unplugged, she said that coupling the constitutionality of vouchers with raising teacher pay could kill the vital aid for public schools, commenting, “That’s something that could potentially tank the whole proposal…Prop 123 did narrowly pass. And so, why would they try to add something that we know the voters are not supportive of.”

Save Our Schools Arizona, in their Weekly Newsletter, question the constitutionality of the proposed measured and whether a coupling of putting vouchers in the Constitution and pay raises for the teachers passing the judicial review smell test with Communications Director Tyler Couch calling the idea “ridiculous.”

The newsletter ends with:

“Republican lawmakers need a reminder that, when Arizonans said no to vouchers, we meant it! Contact YOUR state senator and representatives now to demand they support only a clean renewal of Prop 123, one that contains no poison pills or voucher gimmicks.“

There will be a State Capitol Rose Garden Event tomorrow (May 5, 2025) at 12:00 p.m. where pro-public education legislators and activists will gather to discuss their objections to the MAGA Republican plans for vouchers and public school teacher pay raises.