No timeline for Prop. 123 renewal plan
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GOP lawmakers have a starting point for negotiations on a Proposition 123 renewal plan that would increase teacher pay, but no timeline for when they'll move forward.
Catch up quick: Voters approved the original Prop. 123 in a 2016 special election.
- The plan, which ended years of litigation over K-12 funding, increased school disbursements from the state's land trust fund.
- That expires at the beginning of July.
The big picture: Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, and Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, introduced identical proposals at the end of January to renew the plan.
- Mesnard told Axios that the latest draft is a placeholder while lawmakers work out the details.
State of play: Mesnard said there are no details for when a Prop. 123 renewal will go up for a committee vote.
- The only time constraint lawmakers face is the Feb. 21 deadline for bills to receive committee hearings in their original chamber.
- If lawmakers can't reach an agreement soon, Mesnard said they'll have to pass a bill out of committee with the understanding it'll be amended.
Friction point: There are several variables lawmakers must work out before sending something to the ballot.
- Whether they increase the 6.9% disbursement rate from the land trust fund.
- Whether they go with another temporary plan or make it permanent.
- Whether they put it on the November 2026 ballot or pursue a special election this year.
- Whether they increase pay only for teachers or school support staff, too.
The intrigue: Republicans largely support using the Prop. 123 money to increase teacher pay but not support staff, while Gov. Katie Hobbs and other Democrats have advocated for higher salaries for everyone.
- GOP lawmakers can send a renewal plan to the 2026 ballot on their own but need the governor's approval if they want a special election.
- But because the expiring Prop. 123 will be backfilled in the next budget, no funding cliff would necessitate a special election.
- Mesnard said there's a "strong preference" among Republicans for a teacher-only plan, but he also wants broad enough support to ensure it passes at the ballot, noting the original Prop. 123 election was a nail-biter.
What they're saying: "I'm going to be as open-minded as I can," with the understanding that most if not all Republican legislators want to focus on teacher pay to ensure the pay raise is meaningful, Mesnard said.
The other side: The Hobbs administration is in negotiations with stakeholders and lawmakers in the hope of reaching "a bipartisan solution that raises teacher pay, funds our schools and delivers a high-quality education," gubernatorial spokesperson Christian Slater said.