Some lawmakers and school-choice advocates are making a strong push for Gov. Jan Brewer to call a special session to allow lawmakers a chance to resurrect a school-voucher program that was deemed unconstitutional by the state's highest court.
Sen. Thayer Verschoor, a Gilbert Republican, said he would like Brewer to call a special session immediately to allow lawmakers to pass legislation the following week.
In March, the Arizona Supreme Court decided unanimously that two school-voucher programs designed to assist children with disabilities and those in foster care are unconstitutional. The state's high court ruled that the voucher programs violated state constitutional provisions prohibiting the use of public money to aid private schools and religious establishments.
"What we are looking at doing is coming back in and allowing them to get tuition tax-credit scholarships," Verschoor said.
Sydney Hay, a lobbyist for Advocates for School Choice, said the program would be modeled after a general tax-credit scholarship program that has already been upheld by the courts.
By doing the legislation in a special session, it would allow it to take effect weeks sooner than if it were done during regular session. Because laws generally go into effect 90 days after the session ends, doing it during regular session could push the effective date past the start of school in the fall.
This way, students affected by the court ruling will not have to be interrupted and they can stay at the schools they are attending, Verschoor said.