Scott Bourque/KJZZ

A voter signs a petition for a criminal justice reform initiative during a signature gathering event at the downtown Phoenix farmer's market, June 20, 2020.

The Arizona Senate passed a bill that would change initiative and referendum voter requirements. 

If the measure is approved by citizens, it would require the signatures of 10% of voters in each of the 30 legislative districts to land on the ballot. 

The proposal from Chandler Republican Sen. J.D. Mesnard comes after years of efforts by Republicans to make it harder to get voter initiatives on the ballot and easier to kick them off.

Democratic Sen. Priya Sundareshan opposed the measure.

"What we are seeing is a concerted effort to chip away at our people's ability to make laws through the initiative process that our state constitution guarantees us," Sundareshan said. 

If the House of Representatives passes, the bill would go to the Secretary of State’s Office to put it before voters on the next general election ballot.