A panel of Arizona lawmakers voted to let anyone file suit if they believe public tax dollars are being used to influence elections.
The House Elections Committee voted Tuesday to expand the law, which currently only permits the elected attorney general or a county attorney to sue local governments or school districts if they misuse tax dollars to persuade voters during election cycles.
But the League of Women Voters has warned it could open school districts to expensive lawsuits.
"By allowing any resident of a school district to initiate a lawsuit alleging that a school district has violated existing laws, school districts may face frivolous lawsuits that will drain the limited time, resources and funds that school districts have,” said Rivko Knox with the League of Women Voters.
The bill’s author, Republican John Kavanaugh, said he is concerned elected officials might refuse to file lawsuits during an election year, although he admitted there are no cases of it happening before.
The measure now goes to the House Government Committee.
