Arizona Representative John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) has introduced HCR 2005. It would require initiative proponents to obtain at least half their signatures from circulators who were not being paid. See this story. The bill would probably be held unconstitutional if it were passed by the legislature and then by the voters. In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that states cannot bar paid circulators.

By analogy, in 1978, a U.S. District Court struck down Maryland’s March petition deadline for independent and minor party candidates. The legislature then passed a new law, saying one-third of the signatures for a minor party or independent candidate had to be submitted by the same March deadline, but that the remainder were not due until August. Another U.S. District Court in 1980 struck that law down as well, and the 4th circuit affirmed. Thanks to Ballot Box News for the link.