PHOENIX - Two new political challenges have been launched against the state's tough new immigration law.
Phoenix resident Brandon Slayton began a drive to refer SB 1070 to the November ballot. He needs more than 76,000 signatures by July 28 to stop the law from taking effect until voters can have their say in the November general election.
Slayton did not return calls seeking comment. And it appears he has no political organization to get the signatures. Two other groups dropped similar referendum efforts previously, fearing a public vote ratifying SB 1070 would trigger a state constitutional requirement that would require another public vote to repeal.
The Rev. John Auther said that is exactly why he is taking a different approach. His initiative proposes an entirely new state law, one that would supersede and obliterate SB 1070. Because it is an initiative instead of a referendum, voter rejection would not translate into added protection for SB 1070.
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But the trade-off is Auther, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Church in Phoenix, needs more than 153,000 signatures by July 1.
Despite the long odds, Auther said he filed something with the secretary of state, just so people can see what he's about and make a decision whether they want to sign on and help collect signatures.
If Auther's proposal does make the ballot and win voter approval, it would put a three-year moratorium on legislators' enacting any new laws aimed at illegal immigrants.
The key provision of SB 1070, set to take effect July 29, requires police to check the immigration status of those they stop for other reasons if there is reasonable suspicion they are in the country illegally.
Several lawsuits have been filed in federal court challenging its constitutionality.
